The long-forgotten novel that inspired Bram Stoker's Dracula. The
heroine of the story, Gretchen, is a practical-minded German girl, who
considers marriage an economic proposition and is determined to marry a
man of wealth. When Gretchen's father is seriously injured in an
accident, the family sets off to Transylvania, to the Baths of Hercules,
in hopes that the waters of Hercules, known for their curative powers,
will rehabilitate him. Her father tells Gretchen of a mysterious place
in the surrounding forest, known as Gaura Dracului (the Devil's Pit) and
legends of a treasure associated with it inspire Gretchen to consider
another way to make her fortune, so that she can marry any man of her
choosing. Written by sisters Emily and Dorothea Gerard, The Water of
Hercules is a Victorian novel, filled with Gothic suspense. This
beautiful edition, with original illustrations by acclaimed artist
Phoebe Cho, should be of great interest to all fans of Bram Stoker's
Dracula. With an introduction by A.K. Brackob, a specialist in the
history of Eastern Europe, The Waters of Hercules is sure to entertain
and delight.
