by Mark McShane
First published 1974
McShane constructs a fictional inquiry that blurs the line between academic investigation and supernatural thriller. The narrative follows researchers who attempt to apply scientific methods to vampire folklore and reported encounters. Characters debate evidence, interview witnesses, and examine historical accounts while grappling with the possibility that their subject matter might be real. The investigation becomes increasingly complex as testimonies accumulate and unexplained events occur. McShane presents the inquiry through documents, interviews, and case studies that feel authentic despite their fictional nature. The book questions how we distinguish between myth and reality when faced with persistent legends and eyewitness accounts. The emotional tension centers on whether rational investigation can handle irrational subjects, and what happens when researchers confront phenomena that challenge their worldview.
Genres: fiction, mystery, horror, supernatural, thriller, academic
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: academic-investigation, unreliable-narrator
181 pages · Hardcover · Doubleday & Co.