Hubert Crackanthorpe was a skilful and technically innovative English realist/naturalist writer. This edition of his powerful first collection of short stories features a carefully contextualised introduction to the author and his work. Providing a detailed analysis of his short stories, David Malcolm situates the author within the fin-de-si cle culture and society in Britain and Europe. Appendices contain additional works that reflect Crackanthorpe's perspective on fiction and contemporary literary trends.