Mayne Reid 
The Headless Horseman (Annotated) 

• This edition includes the following editor’s introduction: The headless horseman, legend or reality?

Published in 1866, “The Headless Horseman” is a novel by Mayne Reid, an overlooked gem, a classic piece of literature, and an edge-of-your-seat mystery thriller.

The famous legend of the headless horseman is one that has roots in several different countries and cultures, dating back much farther than Washington Irving’s well-known tale “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” Actually, Mayne Reid’s tale, published nearly forty years later, is based on a well-known Texas folk tale.



Set in Texas in the 1850s, “The Headless Horseman” tells the story of Louise Poindexter, who is a newcomer to town. Courted by Cassius Calhoun and Maurice Gerald, Louise finds that her life takes a turn when her brother, Henry Poindexter, is found murdered. The tale twists further when it is reported that a headless horseman has been seen on the Poindexter plantation. In this classic tale, Mayne Reid takes readers on an incredible journey to discover the killer of Henry Poindexter and solve the mystery of the Headless Horseman.