Thomas Preskett Prest

Inspiration for the Johnny Depp and Ben Kingsley versions of the classic tale of the man who gave his customers a close shave--every time! Here by the author of Varney the Vampire is the thrilling Victorian shocker about Sweeney Todd, the fearsome barber of Fleet Street, a tale reputed to be "Founded on Facts." His weapon of choice is a straight razor, with which he cuts his victims' throats. The woman who is his lover, friend, and partner in crime helps hide the crimes--and turns a decent profi... more info>>

The Book that Inspired Dracula! This masterpiece of 1840s melodramatic penny-dreadful grim and grue has thrilled and delighted generations. Long before Dracula, Varney was shocking Victorian sensibilities and senses, sending palpitations of the heart throughout the British Isles. Serialized in the weekly papers, Varney proved an endlessly fertile and inventive tale whose opening pages clearly inspired the opening shots of F. W. Murnau's great vampire classic of the German silent cinema, Nosferat... more info>>