Off the windswept coast of Iceland, there’s a ship with a mysterious passenger on board. Her name is Thorgunna, and soon she’ll be dead. But that won’t be the end of her story.
Inspired by Iceland folk-tales, “The Waif Woman” is a creepy fable about pride and envy. It hinges on the deathbed promise the locals make to Thorgunna before she passes. Once they break it, her ghost comes calling to wreak revenge.
“The Waif Woman” was never published in Stevenson’s lifetime, eventually coming out 20 years after his death. It’s a sinister addition to his bibliography, especially recommended for fans of Edgar Allan Poe or Susan Hill.
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894) was a Scottish novelist, poet and travel writer. Born in Edinburgh, he suffered from severe health issues for most of his life. Despite this, he still managed to produce some of the century’s most famous stories. These include the classic adventure “Treasure Island” and the horror novella “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”.
Stevenson’s last years were spent on the Samoan island of Upolo, where he became an advocate for Samoan rights. He died in his home of a brain haemorrhage and was buried on the island’s Mount Vaea.
