Joseph Thomas Sheridan Le Fanu (1814 —1873) was an Irish writer of Gothic novels, one of the most influential ghost story writers of the nineteenth century. "In a Glass Darkly" is a collection of mystery stories presented as cases of the occult detective Dr. Martin Hesselius, who believes that ghosts can be real. Three stories are included in this book: Green Tea, The Familiar, and Mr. Justice Harbottle.