Published in 1820 and written by the Protestant curate Charles Maturin, Melmoth the Wanderer is considered one of the greatest works of Gothic literature. Consisting of a series of stories within stories, the narrative features the scholar John Melmoth, condemned to wander the earth in search of a victim to take his place and free him from his eternal torment. His journey takes us from the late 17th to the early 19th centuries, as he attempts to lure those who are in the most perilous of circumstances into a satanic pact that will give him release. Influenced by Gothic literature of the 18th century, the book was praised by writers including Balzac, Baudelaire and H.P. Lovecraft, who described it as 'an enormous stride in the evolution of the horror-tale'. Stephen Hogan's performance, imbued with menace and intensity, conveys the full suspense and horror of the Wanderer's journey over a period of 150 years.
