Bram Stoker is usually remembered only as the author of Dracula, but he also wrote seventeen other books and enjoyed a high public profile as the manager of Sir Henry Irving's Lyceum Theatre. This book charts the major events of Stoker's life, from his childhood in Dublin to his successful Lyceum days, looking particularly at the impact on his writing of his fondness for travel, his deep knowledge of the theatre, and his interest in esoteric knowledge. The book maps them onto the contours of his literary career, offering sustained critical evaluation both of Dracula and also of Stoker's lesser-known works, such as The Lair of the White Worm, The Mystery of the Sea and The Lady of the Shroud. Each of these proves to yield much of interest when reinserted into its original cultural contexts and each, too, offers further insight into the contexts and resonances of Dracula.