Robert Louis Stevenson (13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist and travel writer, most noted for Treasure Island, Kidnapped, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, and A Child's Garden of Verses.
Born and educated in Edinburgh, Stevenson suffered from serious bronchial trouble for much of his life, but continued to write prolifically and travel widely in defiance of his poor health. As a young man, he mixed in London literary circles, receiving encouragement from Andrew Lang, Edmund Gosse, Leslie Stephen and W. E. Henley, the last of whom may have provided the model for Long John Silver in Treasure Island. Stevenson spent several years in search of a location suited to his health, before finally settling in Samoa, where he died.
A celebrity in his lifetime, Stevenson's critical reputation has fluctuated since his death, though today his works are held in general acclaim. He is currently ranked as the 26th most translated author in the world.
Tre fortællinger fra Stevensons tidligste produktion. I titelnovellen morer den bøhmiske prins Florizel og hans ven, oberst Geraldine sig med at gå inkognito rundt i London i søgen efter eventyr. Da de en aften støder ind i en ung mand, der går omkring og uddeler flødeskumskager på cafeer og restauranter, er det starten på et eventyr, hvor de med nød og næppe redder sig ud af kløerne på Selvmorderklubbens djævelske præsident, der lever af at drive en klub for selvmorderkandidater, der ikke selv er i stand til at udføre selvmordet.
Præsidenten flygter for prins Florizels straf, og driver sit spil videre i de to øvrige historier i denne lille samling, Doktoren og saratoga-kufferten, hvor en ung amerikaner pludselig sidder på et hotelværelse i Paris med et lig i sengen, og Historien om hansom-cab'en, hvor en mystisk fremmed samler selskabsklædte herrer op på gaden i London for at føre dem til et privat selskab, hvorfra deltagerne forsvinder lidt efter lidt.
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