A series of horrific tales set in London's limehouse area. Nasty but moving stuff. Definitely to be avoided by those of a sensitive nature. ( )

This collection, from 1916, is long on atmosphere and definitely immerses you in the neighborhoods surrounding the London docks, where strange characters of all races, from poor Londoners to itinerant sailors from around the world, to the local Chinese community mix together with strange, often tragic results. A product of its time, the book includes some offensive racial stereotypes and language, but the most despicable characters include native- and foreign-born devils. It is difficult to put myself in a 1916 frame of mind to fully understand the impression this book produced on its readers then, but its combination of horrors and sentimental stories still works quite well thanks to its author's skill at working in various dialects and slang without losing readability. I'm not sure when I will get around to it, but Burke is definitely an old author worth reading. ( )