The Tractate Middoth (Fantasy and Horror Classics)

<p><strong>From the mind of M. R. James the acknowledged master who redefined the ghost story for the 20th century and founded the 'antiquarian ghost story' genre comes a chilling tale where academic rivalry uncovers a terrifying spectral curse.</strong></p><p>A young unassuming librarian is tasked with locating a specific obscure book known as the <em>Tractate Middoth</em> for a wealthy peculiar client. The request draws him into a convoluted plot involving a bizarre will an immense inheritance and a relentless legal quest. Soon the librarian realises the text is guarded not just by legal documents but by a grotesque spirit figure whose elongated form and terrifying visage appear in the shadows of the library stacks. The pursuit of the ancient text becomes a frantic chilling struggle for survival against a highly malevolent guardian.</p><p>This story is a quintessential example of James' genius for combining scholarly investigation with palpable creeping dread. It is essential reading for fans of classic ghost stories and supernatural fiction proving that some knowledge is eternally cursed.</p>