Rediscovering Mary Elizabeth Counselman’s Eerie Worlds of Weird Fiction
Writen By Alfie Mildburg
Mary Elizabeth Counselman’s fiction is a realm of the strange, the eerie, and the unexpected. Her stories draw readers into unsettling worlds where reality twists, characters wrestle with the supernatural, and the boundaries between the known and the unknown dissolve like mist.
But what is it about Counselman’s work that continues to fascinate readers, long after her tales first appeared in the pulp magazines of the 20th century?
If you’re a fan of classic horror or weird fiction, Mary Elizabeth Counselman may not be a household name like Lovecraft or Poe, but her work belongs on the same shelf. Her stories, often steeped in Southern Gothic atmosphere, blend folklore, horror, and the surreal. There’s a dark elegance to her writing that makes her narratives both chilling and compelling.
A crew’s well-meaning mission on an alien planet unravels in this classic from Mary Elizabeth Counselman.
A Blend of the Macabre and the Ordinary
What sets Counselman’s stories apart is her ability to take something ordinary and slowly twist it into something unsettling. She doesn’t rely on overt monsters or gruesome deaths to evoke fear. Instead, she builds tension through subtle shifts in reality. Her characters often begin in mundane situations, only to find themselves caught in the web of something darker.
Take her story “The Black Stone Statue,” for instance. What begins as a simple inquiry about a missing woman turns into an eerie descent into the supernatural. The protagonist, an artist, is haunted by a mysterious black stone statue that seems to hold a life of its own. Counselman weaves elements of art, obsession, and the supernatural in a way that keeps readers questioning reality.
Her stories excel at making the ordinary feel threatening. Even the most familiar settings—a small Southern town, a quiet home—become backdrops for the surreal.
Themes of Isolation and Obsession
Isolation is a recurring theme in Counselman’s fiction. Many of her characters find themselves alone, either physically or emotionally, when the strange and otherworldly forces enter their lives. This isolation amplifies the psychological tension in her stories, as the characters have no one to turn to, no one to validate their growing fears. They become trapped in their own spiraling thoughts, which are often more terrifying than any external threat.
In “The Three Marked Pennies,” for example, the isolation isn’t just physical; it’s existential. The story revolves around an enigmatic newspaper ad offering three marked pennies, each of which promises a different fate—one of wealth, one of fame, and one of death. As the townspeople scramble to find these coins, they become obsessed with the possibilities. Counselman captures the way people can become isolated by their desire and fear.
Whether it’s an artist fixating on a mysterious statue, a small-town resident hunting for cursed pennies, or a character consumed by an inexplicable fear, obsession drives many of her protagonists. The more they become consumed by their fixations, the closer they edge toward their doom. In this way, Counselman’s stories serve as cautionary tales about the perils of surrendering to the unknown.
Counselman’s Southern Gothic Influence
While many of Counselman’s stories fall squarely into the weird fiction genre, there’s no denying the influence of Southern Gothic literature on her work. Raised in Alabama, Counselman infused her stories with the essence of the American South. Her tales often unfold in small, decaying towns or isolated estates, echoing the haunted landscapes of Southern Gothic classics.
But unlike more traditional Gothic tales, where the decay is external, Counselman’s decay is often internal. Her characters’ minds unravel under the weight of their obsessions, their superstitions, and their fears. The supernatural elements in her stories often feel like extensions of the characters’ psychological states.
Remeber books with paper? If that’s your jam check out The Devil’s Lottery: The Weird Stories of Mary Elizabeth Counselman.
In “Seventh Sister,” the myth of a seventh child born with special powers is both a gift and a curse. Counselman brings these old-world ideas into her contemporary settings, grounding the supernatural in a specific cultural context that feels authentic.
The Feminine Perspective in Weird Fiction
One of the most compelling aspects of Mary Elizabeth Counselman’s writing is her ability to craft strong, complex female characters. In a genre dominated by male protagonists and authors, Counselman offers a fresh perspective. Her female characters are never mere victims or passive observers; they are active participants in the strange events that unfold.
In “The Smiling Face,” for instance, a young woman must confront the disorienting reality of seeing a phantom face in the walls of her home. As the face begins to haunt her every moment, her reactions are not those of a typical horror heroine. She doesn’t scream and wait for rescue. Instead, she actively seeks answers and, in doing so, uncovers a secret that changes everything.
Counselman’s female characters often face societal pressures, as well as the supernatural ones. Whether grappling with gender expectations, navigating relationships, or wrestling with desires, her women are fully realized and multifaceted.
Psychological Depth and Symbolism
In many of Counselman’s tales, the true horror lies not in the supernatural itself but in what it represents. Her stories often serve as allegories for deeper psychological and societal fears. There’s a heavy use of symbolism that encourages readers to look beyond the surface of her narratives.
In “Parasite Mansion”, the physical horror of a house plagued by a mysterious parasitic creature mirrors the psychological decay of the family living within. The story uses the creature as a symbol for the way isolation and suspicion can slowly erode a family’s trust and stability. It’s a subtle yet powerful commentary on human nature, wrapped in the trappings of a weird tale.
Legacy and Impact on Weird Fiction
Her influence can be seen in modern horror writers who emphasize mood and character over spectacle. Writers like Shirley Jackson, Angela Carter, and even Stephen King owe a debt to Counselman. The slow build of dread, the focus on internal fears, and the use of everyday settings, these are techniques that Counselman helped perfect.
Modern parallels of Mary Elizabeth Counselman
Shirley Jackson
Although Shirley Jackson rose to prominence around the same time as Counselman, her influence on contemporary horror makes her a natural parallel. Like Counselman, Jackson specializes in psychological horror and the uncanny. Her novel The Haunting of Hill House and short story The Lottery exemplify the slow-building dread that Counselman mastered in her own fiction. Jackson’s protagonists, often isolated women, are subjected to horrors that are as much about their internal struggles as they are about external forces.
Kelly Link
Kelly Link’s fiction, particularly in collections like Get in Trouble and Magic for Beginners, bears similarities to Counselman’s use of the supernatural to reflect psychological and societal issues. Like Counselman, Link often blends folklore, myth, and surreal elements with everyday life, creating stories that feel otherworldly and familiar.
In Link’s story “The Specialist’s Hat,” the blend of folklore, psychological tension, and childhood innocence gone wrong mirrors many of Counselman’s themes.
Carmen Maria Machado
Carmen Maria Machado’s stories, much like Counselman’s, often explore the psychological impact of fear and desire. Her work also focuses on the internal decay of characters under pressure, using horror as a lens to examine deeper social and personal issues.
In Machado’s story “The Husband Stitch,” she reinterprets classic folklore to explore themes of bodily autonomy, control, and fear. This focus on folklore and the personal toll of horror is directly aligned with Counselman’s Southern Gothic approach. And, like Counselman, Machado uses the supernatural not merely to frighten, but to reveal truths about the human experience.
Tananarive Due
Tananarive Due’s work often mixes supernatural elements with deeply personal and emotional character arcs. Her stories, much like Counselman’s, have a strong grounding in folklore and the supernatural, but also focus heavily on the psychological ramifications of dealing with these otherworldly forces.
In The Good House, Due explores generational trauma, family legacies, and the presence of supernatural forces in the everyday lives of her characters. Moreover, Due’s focus on African American folklore and culture gives her work a unique perspective on horror, much as Counselman’s Southern Gothic background informed her own narratives.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s work is often discussed in relation to Gothic literature, her treatment of isolation, madness, and the supernatural has clear connections to Counselman’s fiction. Mexican Gothic tells the story of a young woman investigating her cousin’s disturbing claims about her husband’s family and their decaying mansion.
Moreno-Garcia’s ability to use atmosphere and setting to heighten the tension mirrors Counselman’s use of Southern landscapes. The slow-burn terror and the intertwining of family secrets with supernatural horror are very much in line with Counselman’s tendency to blend psychological dread with elements of the fantastic.
Where to start reading?
If you’re intrigued by Mary Elizabeth Counselman and want to dive into her weird, eerie stories, you might be wondering where to start. Below is a guide on where to begin reading her fiction, along with recommendations for readers new to her work.
The Three Marked Pennies (1934)
This is arguably one of Counselman’s most famous and accessible stories, published in Weird Tales magazine. “The Three Marked Pennies” revolves around a mysterious newspaper ad that promises different fates, wealth, fame, or death based on three marked pennies scattered throughout a small town. This story showcases Counselman’s talent for blending psychological tension with the supernatural as well as themes of obsession and human nature.
The Black Stone Statue (1937)
For a story that explores isolation and obsession in a more overtly supernatural way, “The Black Stone Statue” is an excellent follow-up. In this tale, an artist becomes haunted by a mysterious black stone statue he encounters in a remote location. As his obsession with the statue grows, reality begins to unravel, drawing both him and the reader into a dark, surreal descent. If you enjoy horror that builds slowly and plays with perception, this story is a must-read.
Parasite Mansion (1939)
“Parasite Mansion” is one of Counselman’s more gothic stories, blending elements of Southern Gothic with her usual weird fiction style. The story is set in a remote and decaying mansion in the South, where the protagonist stumbles upon a parasitic entity that seems to feed on the family living within. Fans of haunted house stories or narratives set in decaying Southern environments will find this a chilling and atmospheric read.
Seventh Sister (1943)
“Seventh Sister” revolves around the Southern belief that the seventh child of a seventh child is born with supernatural powers. Counselman takes this concept and creates a story filled with mystery, magic, and the weight of familial expectations. This is an ideal choice for readers who appreciate stories about fate and inherited powers; an interesting precurser to magical realism.
The Smiling Face (1940)
One of Counselman’s more psychologically complex stories, “The Smiling Face” focuses on a woman who begins seeing a phantom face in the walls of her home. The face appears to be smiling, but its presence slowly drives her toward madness as she tries to understand its significance. If you’re a fan of stories that explore the mind’s fragility under stress, this is a fantastic starting point.
