Product Description

CONTENTS: Case I: A Psychical Invasion
Case II: Ancient Sorceries
Case III: The Nemesis of Fire *** A SELECTION FROM CASE I: A PSYCHICAL INVASION "And what is it makes you think I could be of use in this particular case?" asked Dr. John Silence, looking across somewhat sceptically at the Swedish lady in the chair facing him.

"Your sympathetic heart and your knowledge of occultism-"

"Oh, please-that dreadful word!" he interrupted, holding up a finger with a gesture of impatience.

"Well, then," she laughed, "your wonderful clairvoyant gift and your trained psychic knowledge of the processes by which a personality may be disintegrated and destroyed-these strange studies you've been experimenting with all these years-"

"If it's only a case of multiple personality I must really cry off," interrupted the doctor again hastily, a bored expression in his eyes.

"It's not that; now, please, be serious, for I want your help," she said; "and if I choose my words poorly you must be patient with my ignorance. The case I know will interest you, and no one else could deal with it so well. In fact, no ordinary professional man could deal with it at all, for I know of no treatment nor medicine that can restore a lost sense of humour!"

"You begin to interest me with your 'case,'" he replied, and made himself comfortable to listen.

Mrs. Sivendson drew a sigh of contentment as she watched him go to the tube and heard him tell the servant he was not to be disturbed.

"I believe you have read my thoughts already," she said; "your intuitive knowledge of what goes on in other people's minds is positively uncanny."

Her friend shook his head and smiled as he drew his chair up to a convenient position and prepared to listen attentively to what she had to say. He closed his eyes, as he always did when he wished to absorb the real meaning of a recital that might be inadequately expressed, for by this method he found it easier to set himself in tune with the living thoughts that lay behind the broken words.

By his friends John Silence was regarded as an eccentric, because he was rich by accident, and by choice-a doctor. That a man of independent means should devote his time to doctoring, chiefly doctoring folk who could not pay, passed their comprehension entirely. The native nobility of a soul whose first desire was to help those who could not help themselves, puzzled them. After that, it irritated them, and, greatly to his own satisfaction, they left him to his own devices.

Dr. Silence was a free-lance, though, among doctors, having neither consulting-room, bookkeeper, nor professional manner. He took no fees, being at heart a genuine philanthropist, yet at the same time did no harm to his fellow-practitioners, because he only accepted unremunerative cases, and cases that interested him for some very special reason. He argued that the rich could pay, and the very poor could avail themselves of organised charity, but that a very large class of ill-paid, self-respecting workers, often followers of the arts, could not afford the price of a week's comforts merely to be told to travel. And it was these he desired to help: cases often requiring special and patient study-things no doctor can give for a guinea, and that no one would dream of expecting him to give.

Product Details

• Published on: 2008-05-08
• Released on: 2008-05-08
• Format: Kindle Book
• Number of items: 1

Customer Reviews

Dr. John Silence
I'm a huge fan of the occult detective genre, or as Blackwood would have it, the psychic doctor. Blackwood's Dr. Silence is somewhat unique in this genra as he really doesn't DO very much, the tale more or less seems to unfold around him. Nonetheless, most of these are Blackwood in his finest form. The second story, Ancient Sorceries, has been published in numerous other collections and is a fine example of Blackwood's interest in pagan sorcery. The last story, The Nemesis of Fire, brings in Blackwood's knowledge of the Golden Dawn and Egyptian mythology and is a pretty rolicking good yarn. The first tale, A Psychical Invasion, is a more mundane house-haunting made much more interesting by the inclusion of a cat and dog into the mix. All in all quite good, a must for Blackwood fans and a great intro for the curious. The Kindle version is free, as is the Gugenheim version.

Anyone reading this should also track down and read Blackwood's great book, The Human Chord.

Super Reader
The first of the adventures of the Psychic Doctor.

Three John Silence Stories 1 A Psychical Invasion - Algernon Blackwood
Three John Silence Stories 2 Ancient Sorceries - Algernon Blackwood
Three John Silence Stories 3 The Nemesis Of Fire - Algernon Blackwood

John Silence vs an evil Dark Powers woman, with some help from a brave collie and a cat.

3 out of 5


A Witchy Woman Sabbath, this time.

3 out of 5


One Colonel, an unhappy elemental, a mummy and John Silence.

3.5 out of 5