ABSOLUTE EVIL (1918) – This longish short story was written by Julian Hawthorne, son of Nathaniel. The tale features Julian’s tragically overlooked supernatural adventuress Martha Klemm.
For those not familiar with her, she’s the wealthy descendant of Salem witches and, though in her twenties, proudly calls herself “a spinster” because she has no desire to marry any of her throng of suitors. Martha is independent, iconoclastic, athletic and a sure shot with her pistol. Ms. Klemm is like a proto-flapper, though not “proto” by much obviously, given the year. She appeared in two other stories by Julian Hawthorne.
Absolute Evil deals with a werewolf at large on a sandy island near Hatteras. Martha Klemm is among the well-to-do guests on a large yacht owned by the Pleasances, rich Quakers from Philadelphia. The couple and their guests head for Thirteen-Mile Beach, the aforementioned island where they plan to stay a few days and nights.
This collection of the idyl rich spends their time in the expected ways with the bonus activity of seeing if the island really is haunted by a long-ago murderer like the legends say. Continue reading
