Never too Late to Read Classics discussion

The Body Snatcher is a short story by the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894). A group of friends share a few drinks, when an eminent doctor, Wolfe Macfarlane, enters. One of the friends, Fettes, recognizes the name and angrily confronts the new arrival. Although his friends all find this behaviour suspicious, none of them can understand what might lie behind it.

Is there an online link to this book as I may read it? I like RLS stories and this is one I haven't read.

Tracey, I found at least one on-line link when I typed in The Body Snatcher by Stevenson. I found a free ebook version on ibooks, in a compilation called Tales and Fantasies.

Good choice! Im always ready to read a RLS story.

I found this link to a book called Tales and Fantasies and The Body Snatcher is p87 on this

Thanks Tracey and Rosemarie for the help on the links!

This is good story. Stevenson is really good at creating a spooky atmosphere, with a "twist" at the end. I find that I really enjoy the way he writes, so clear and descriptive.

here's a fine compilation of all sorts of similar stories in which this tale is featured:



everything from gentlemen jewel-thieves to grave-robbers to demonaic blood suckers

Otto Pender is habitually the editor of these great collections. He's done similar efforts for noir and detective fic

Thanks Feliks is that a Classic? Not heard of the book or the Author.

Lesle wrote: "Thanks Feliks is that a Classic? Not heard of the book or the Author."

Not the book itself - it's a compilation of stories written by different authors. Many of the stories will be classic or less well known stories by classic authors.

I don't think he actually writes anything himself just edits works.

I've read his The Big Book of Christmas Mysteries. His compilations are a good way of trying out authors you haven't previously read.

For sure. If you click on that editors name, you will see the list of other compendiums he's done. He's considered an authority in the field of pulp publishing history. I own his 'Big Book of Black Mask Stories" which has superb, (but admittedly now-obscure) gangland yarns from the earliest progenitors of the genre. 'Black Mask' was where Hammett first got published. A real treat to own anything by Pendler.

If anyone's curious as to the table-of-contents of the 'robbers and villains' above, I can provide it. A really polyglot assortment! For instance, I did not know that there was an unpublished first-chapter to Bram Stoker's 'Dracula' which never got included in the official release. (Stoker apparently scrapped it due to concerns about total word-count).

Nor did I know that a friend of Stoker's (translating the tale into Gaelic or something) took artistic liberties and ran away with the storytelling, making that edition into practically his own version. All sorts of discoveries abound, in collections this large.

Thank you Pigletto and Feliks!
Will defintely look into Pender's collection of stories.

Creepy is the word I think of when I read this!

The two, Fettes and Macfarland attend medical school where they dissected bodies. Fettes had thoughts about where some of the bodies came from.

At the end, the lack of, causes the creepy twisted conclusion! Gave me goosebumps! (Not one for horror, it makes me close my eyes and shudder!)

A great story for Hallowe'en!

Trick or Treat?

I rather have the Chocolate Truffle treat!

Chocolate Truffles are delicious!

I agree, but you have to give ME the treat!

Umm... I took that as a question whether I wanted Trick or a Treat? Haha!

So Mark what Treat do you like?

For my treat I would like continuing membership of this august group.

I think that can be arranged!

Well lets see...I guess we could keep Mark. As long as the truffles show up at our doors by Christmas! 😃

Thoughts Rosemarie?

I think that is a good plan, Lesle.