Rachilde was the pseudonym employed by Marguerite Eymery (1860-1953). Though remembered today primarily for her novels, which include the Decadent masterpiece Monsieur Vénus, she was also an exceptional writer of short fiction. The current volume, adeptly translated by Sue Boswell, brings together six of her short stories, none of which have previously appeared in English. This array of strange, Symbolist tales, sometimes brutal, always bizarre, strikes with a deep psychological power and deft artistry.

The work of a true genius, The Blood-Guzzler and Other Stories is an important addition to the writings of the Queen of Decadence available in English.