Before Dracula, there was Carmilla. But the surviving account of the Karnstein mystery may not tell the whole truth.The Vampire Evidence Files pairs Sheridan Le Fanu's complete, unabridged 1872 Gothic novella with an original interactive casebook for readers who want to investigate a classic rather than simply finish it.Reopen the case through twenty-four evidence files: witness statements, family histories, symptoms, portraits, maps, timelines, folklore, and contradictions hidden within the record. Follow one of three investigative reading routes, weigh competing explanations, and deliver one of five final verdicts.This edition examines Carmilla as Gothic literature, vampire fiction, a story of intimacy and manipulation, and a landmark of nineteenth-century supernatural horror. It is designed for solo readers, Gothic book clubs, classrooms, and anyone drawn to the strange elegance of Victorian vampire fiction.The complete, unabridged text of CarmillaTwenty-four original evidence filesThree investigative reading routesWitness dossiers, maps, timelines, and reading trackersFive possible final verdictsContext for vampire folklore, desire, illness, secrecy, and the female GothicThis is not simply a story to finish. It is a case to investigate.Content note: Discussion of illness, death, coercion, isolation, predatory behavior, and nineteenth-century historical beliefs. Read more