The Cask of Amontillado

Montresor, the narrator, tells of the revenge he took on a man named Fortunato, who he says insulted him a thousand times. During the carnival season, he finds his rival drunk and boasting about his skill at judging wine, and lures him into the family catacombs with the promise of a rare cask of Amontillado. As they walk deeper, past bones and niter-crusted walls, Fortunato's cough grows worse and Montresor's cheerful politeness grows more chilling. Poe's short story is told in a few pages, and the narrator never says what the insult was.

A good choice for readers new to Poe or to short horror. It reads in minutes, and it is often used to study unreliable narrators and dramatic irony.

Balanced in tone; a moderate read.

Best for readers like The Story Seeker. Which reader are you?