In this episode of Public Domain Stories, we explore Bram Stoker’s 1897 Gothic landmark, Dracula. We delve into the novel’s innovative epistolary structure, which uses a "mosaic of personal accounts" and modern technology like the phonograph to anchor supernatural horror in documentary realism. Discover the secrets behind Stoker’s creative process—from his atmospheric research in Whitby to the historical shadow of Vlad the Impaler—and how this "side hustle" for a London theater manager became a defining myth of the modern age. Finally, we discuss the recently rediscovered Icelandic version, Powers of Darkness, and why this tale of ancient evil continues to mirror our deepest societal anxieties over 125 years later.