J. Sheridan Le Fanu has been said to be the father of the English ghost story, and is arguably one of the most important writers in modern history. The story contained in this volume was a major source of inspiration for Bram Stoker, who later wrote Dracula. Carmilla (our heroine), was the progenitor of the vampire romance movement. Without Carmilla there would be no sensual or alluring vampires. Legend, and recorded history, had vampires to be foul creatures with horrid smells emanating from them, bloated bodies saturated with blood, and grotesque nails of sometimes extraordinary length. Carmilla changed all of that, and she has the honor of being the earliest example of a vampire story in English literature. J. Sheridan Le Fanu penned more than a dozen novels over his lifetime, including his famous The House by the Churchyard, and Uncle Silas: a Tale of Bartram Haugh, in addition to writing numerous short stories, articles, and other works. But to this day, unknown to most of the public, Carmilla still casts a long shadow, as all modern vampires owe her a great debt of gratitude, one she will extract one day. Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu died in Dublin on the 7th of February 1873. Carmilla lives on, whispering her secrets in the occasional ear. It is from these whisperings that this volume was born.