The goddess: a demon

"The Goddess: A Demon" by Richard Marsh is a novel written in the late 19th century. The narrative centers around John Ferguson, who becomes embroiled in a dark mystery after a fateful night of gambling with his friend Edwin Lawrence, leading to a twisted series of events involving a mysterious woman, bloodshed, and a murder investigation that entangles him unexpectedly. The theme hints at the intersection of the supernatural and the psychological, keeping the reader on edge with elements of intrigue and suspense. The opening of the story introduces John Ferguson as he reflects on an evening spent gambling with his friend, Edwin. After losing a significant amount of money, Ferguson experiences a tumultuous dream that leads him to Lawrence’s room, where he discovers Lawrence in a horrific confrontation with a strange, frenzied creature. This creature, later described as a woman, enters Ferguson's life through his window, and upon waking, he discovers her covered in blood, devoid of memory regarding her identity or the events that transpired. This glimpse sets the stage for a gripping mystery, drawing the reader into a world filled with whispers of danger and the need to uncover the truth before it’s too late. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Richard Marsh was the pseudonym of the English author born Richard Bernard Heldmann. A best-selling and prolific author of the late 19th century and the Edwardian period, Marsh is best known now for his supernatural thriller novel The Beetle, which was published the same year as Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897), and was initially even more popular, outselling Dracula six times over. The Beetle remained in print until 1960. Marsh produced nearly 80 volumes of fiction and numerous short stories, in genres including horror, crime, romance and humour. Many of these have been republished recently, beginning with The Beetle in 2004. Marsh's grandson Robert Aickman was a notable writer of short "strange stories".