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I had never read any of Poe's short stories until now, but having done so, I can understand the influence that he has had on so much subsequent fiction, and not only on horror.

With a few exceptions, the stories here were gripping and often horrifying, showing the enduring power of his gothic writing. In 'The Tell-Tale Heart', 'Berenice' and 'William Wilson', he manages to show moral decay, obsession and madness in a way which can be disturbing to read even now.

Though he may best be known for his gothic horror, it is important to recognise the influence of 'The Murders in the Rue Morgue' and 'The Purloined Letter', which may have invented the detective story as we know it. They were an enjoyable and intriguing read, even if they were not as well developed as later detective stories like those of Sherlock Holmes.

While some of the stories hold up better than others, and some of his characters, especially the women, are paper-thin, this is a worthwhile collection for any fiction reader who wants to understand the influence Edgar Allan Poe has had on fiction writing, or who just wants an enjoyable collection of stories to horrify and intrigue them.