Romance of Mystery

Behold! A moldy oldie from the innermost depths of my dark collection. Put out by Scholastic in 1969, this dusty little anthology is actually a rather decent gathering of some genre favorites and scribes of less renown. The perfect book for those of you looking to pass those lazy afternoons with a few bloody good classics of terror literature...
"THE DUNWICH HORROR" by H. P. LOVECRAFT
Many strange things occur in the domed, wild countryside of Dunwich, Massachusetts. The degenerate villagers say that the mad piping of the whippoorwills signal the oncoming death of a human being and that their demonic laughter means that they have captured the soul of the departed. Even stranger than this folktale is the story concerning the mysterious family of the Whatleys. Young albino Lavinia is suddenly impregnated with child, her sorcerous father Old Whatley only alluding to the father of the boy as something more than human in his correspondence with the town people. The goatish-looking brat is delivered and matures at a supernatural rate. Young Wilbur, who keeps himself entirely clothed and is feared by dogs, reaches his manhood before even becoming an adolescent. The town folk grow uneasy every May Eve and All Hallow�s, for the Whatley family travel up to the stone-riddled Sentinel Hill to perform ghastly rites that cause the earth to groan in fury. They also begin to notice how Wilbur and his grandfather are constantly renovating their farmhouse and bringing cattle into the guarded shed, the animals never to emerge again from its stinking depths. When Old Whatley finally passes on, Wilbur desperately tries to attain an original copy of the dreaded Necronomicon from Miskatonic University. Dr. Henry Armitage, the aged librarian, refuses Wilbur to take the book when he realizes what cosmically hellish purposes he has in mind. Wilbur is slain by the library watchdog when he tries to break in one night and Armitage and his comrades behold the inhuman physiology that composed Wilbur�s body. But the very worst is yet to come. With all the Whatleys now dead, an invisible and abominable force breaks free from the Whatley place and begins terrorizing the populace of Dunwich. Armitage must now find a way to stop the titanic beast from escaping the town of Dunwich and feasting on the blood of every last human on Earth...
"THE LOVE LETTER" by JACK FINNEY
Jake Belknap is a young bachelor making a living in Manhattan and residing in a small, Brooklyn apartment. He purchases an old and fine Victorian desk from a pawn shop so that he can work efficiently at home. Fiddling with the ornate desk one night, Jake exposes a hidden drawer when he moves a hidden panel in one of the pigeonholes. The drawer is filled mostly with yellowed, blank sheaves of paper but he notices an unmarked envelope containing a letter. Upon opening it, Jake reads the musings of a young woman named Helen who is speaking to an imaginary lover, an ideal man she wishes to meet instead of being cursed by her planned betrothal. Enchanted by Helen's pleas and the evening atmosphere, Jake uses the old paper and ink to compose a response, even going so far as to place one of his antique stamps on the envelope and dropping the letter at a Civil War-era post office in town. Over the next few days Jake finds himself becoming enamored by the antiquity of bygone years as he stares at a pictorial history of New York and dreams of what Helen must have been like. He is equally stunned and rejoiced to find a second letter from Helen in another of the desk�s secret drawers. Claiming his love for her, Jake writes another letter explaining everything, knowing this is to be his last correspondence through time with Helen. In return she sends him a small but meaningful token along with words that shall remain true in Jake�s heart evermore...
"W. S." by L. P. HARTLEY
Novelist Walter Streeter is having a bit of a rough time with his writing. The sudden appearance of strange postcards signed "W. S." only makes his life more perplexing. He pays no mind to them at first, but a series of strange circumstances brings his attention to the front. For one, the short messages inscribed on each card seem very telling and probe into some of Streeter�s most hidden mental recesses. Walter also entertains the idea that he may have finally lost it and is sending himself letters, thus explaining the matching initials. But the most disturbing aspect is the slightly vengeful tone in the postcards and the pictures of landscapes and churches that reveal that the mailer is coming ever so closer to Streeter. Thinking back to his early days of writing, Streeter recalls a rather nefarious character he created for his book The Pariah. The villain was one William Stainsforth, a black soul who Walter had poured all of his loathing and hatred into. Sensing that the physical personification of his character has come to hunt him down for all the literary wrongs he has done him, Streeter has the police send down a guard for protection on the appointed date of arrival. But the best laid plans suddenly go awry and Streeter finds himself looking into the cold eyes of a murderer he wrought from his very own hand�
"THE OBLONG BOX" by EDGAR ALLAN POE
The narrator is due to board a voyage from Charleston, South Carolina to New York on the Independence in June. Though he is a tad upset when the captain informs him that the voyage is to be postponed, his spirits lighten when he notices his close artist friend Cornelius Wyatt is to be aboard as well. As everyone gets ready for the ship to set sail, the narrator becomes excited not only to reunite with his college comrade but to make the acquaintance of his new bride whom Wyatt often brags about. But when he engages Wyatt in conversation, the artist is more moody and depressed than usual and his wife, in addition to appearing rather plain, is of a vulgar and low-ranking character. The mystery surrounding Wyatt is especially highlighted by the presence of an odd oblong box that he keeps with him in his stateroom and whose contents remain unknown. The narrator cannot help but wonder about his friend�s sanity, especially when he hears Wyatt removing the lid every night and gently weeping as well as the artist�s disturbing and violent reaction to a jest the narrator made concerning the box. When a raging storm soon puts the ship in danger of being overcome by the sea, the crew and passengers are forced to abandon the doomed vessel. The last delirious act of Wyatt finally reveals to the narrator the tragic story of the oblong box�s beautiful occupant�
"THE APE AND THE MYSTERY" by GERALD KERSH
The young and foolish Duke of Abruzzi is conversing with the learned painter and genius Leonardo da Vinci in his hall one evening. Leonardo is making a rough sketch of a great stone water filter that he plans to have constructed in order to purify the stagnant fluids of the countryside. The Duke is not impressed one bit by Leonardo�s talk of rocks and brass pipes and constantly tries to liven the dull conversation. When Leonardo makes a comparison between his own artistic achievements and the far-reaching possibilities of the water tank, the Duke hits upon the subject of Leonardo�s work to segue from all the political talk. The Duke begins to question Leonardo about his most famous portrait, the Mona Lisa, and the mysterious woman who sat for the historical painting. The Duke is perplexed by the strange beauty Madame Giocondo seems to hold over him. He is most puzzled by the small, enigmatic smile that is frozen upon her face, wondering why she must smile in such a peculiar way. Leonardo states that his model always possessed that same smile for the entire time he saw her and relates of how he also was tortured by the puzzle of her soul. As the Duke continually prods the old painter on, Leonardo reveals to his dense companion the true horror of just what was lying beyond the Mona Lisa�s lips and how it took a silly ape and a mellow canine to reveal the ugly truth�
"THE JUDGE�S HOUSE" by BRAM STOKER
Malcolm Malcomson is a young student who decides to rent out the brooding and legendary Judge�s House to study for his examinations due to its desolation and loneliness. As Mr. Cranford hands over the keys to him, Malcolm is told by the frightened housekeeper Mrs. Dempster the house�s terrifying history. The house was built and lived in by an evil and cruel judge who not only dealt out the harshest of punishments but also delighted most in witnessing the gruesome hangings of the criminals he persecuted. Malcolm shrugs off the woman�s fears but, as he delves into his books that night, Malcolm hears the awful scurrying and scratching of millions of rats within the walls. An incredibly large and malevolent-looking vermin makes its presence known on the fireplace chair and proceeds to haunt and torment the student. With the discovery of the menacing portrait of the infamous judge, Malcolm begins to feel the burning of the eyes watching him until it all culminates in a night of horror and death�
"THUS I REFUTE BEELZY" by JOHN COLLIER
Mrs. Carter and her friend Betty muse at little Simon as he plays pretend in the house�s cluttered garden just as the tea bell rings. Big Simon returns from the dentist�s office after having all his appointments canceled for the day to spend some time with his family. His wife expresses some concern for their son who always looks so drained and pale after his imaginative little games. After a bit of questioning from his father, the boy informs the adults of his playmate whom he calls Mr. Beelzy. Little Simon remains elusive as to just what his friend looks like and how he summons him for playtime, but his father becomes angered at the boy�s obstinate assertion that Beelzy is real. When Little Simon says that his friend will take the form of a ravenous lion to protect him, Big Simon brings his son upstairs for a good thrashing. Too bad he didn�t heed his son�s prophetic words�
"RETURN OF THE GRIFFINS" by A. E. SANDELING
Gunar Vries, the eloquent emissary from the country of S--, has just settled down into his hotel room after a meeting at the United Nations in New York when his bed is beset by a strange fit of shaking. The cause of the ruckus soon makes itself known: a noble griffin of ancient myth, all eagle winged and lion bodied. Gunar is a tad shocked by this visitation but he curiously asks the intelligent being of its presence. The griffin informs Gunar that his kind have come back to make themselves known to the world now at its most desperate time of need with threats of atomic war and depression. Stirred by the prophetic coming of these creatures, Gunar soon notifies his president of the griffin�s return and his plans to make the arrival known to the entire world. The trouble is, no one else seems to be able to see the monsters, even if they�re flying over the city�s skyscrapers or casually strolling into tailor shops. Gunar�s ravings unsettle his country�s government and the president is soon forced to remove Gunar from his position in order to save his reputation as well as that of the other delegates. But Gunar remains determined in his mission and goes to great lengths to inform the mass public of the griffins� return and takes a final leap of faith from his imprisoning society�
"FLIES" by ANTHONY VERCOE
A lonely tramp, a former university don, is wandering through the sickeningly warm and wet streets of London one stormy night. Desperately seeking shelter from the ravaging rain, the tramp spots a boarded up house with a "To Let" sign plastered upon it. He manages to break through the glass of a window and let himself in just as a policeman stands at the end of the street. Finally relieved of the daunting weather, the hobo is taken back by the sumptuously furnished rooms within. It seems to be a relic from two hundred years prior, more lavish and splendid than the damaged edifice made it seem from outside. His fortune only increases with the sight of a delicious banquet set out on a table, a feast his famished organs greedily delight in. There is a mysterious droning that reverberates from the walls, similar to the buzzing of bees. Entering a bed chamber, the tramp is terrified to see an open casket that exposes the rotted and blasphemous remains of a plague victim. Worse still, the carnivorous blowflies within the cadaver soon attack the tramp who just manages to escape their disgusting wrath. Looking out a window in the kitchen, he sees a mournful figure ringing a bell and guiding a cartful of corpses through the streets as he gravely intones "Bring out your dead!" Realizing the fantastic truth that he�s been transported back to the time of the Great Plague, the tramp attempts to break free of the crawling denizens of the house before they can claim his flesh�
"THE SHED" by E. EVERETT EVANS
Hutch, Cuddy, and Stub are three adventurous boys living through a blisteringly hot summer in Michigan of 1901. They fill up their lazy afternoons with romps and play, most of which takes place in an abandoned shed that contains some gymnastic equipment. The only detriment to their fun-filled time is an enigmatic Shadow that crouches in the corner of the shed. Nearly everyone in town knows of it, but few know of what it could possibly be and just what it wants. The grim purpose of the shadow creature becomes apparent when Hutch�s beloved dog Sam goes missing. Since the canine was an important member of the community, a public uproar is raised over the animal�s disappearance. This leads Hutch to discover Sam�s name tag just outside of the Shadow�s dark reach. Once the adults hear of the strange goings-on, they forbid the children from going anywhere near the forsaken shed. Things only get worse when a little girl�s pet cat and a local daredevil also fall prey to the Shadow�s flesh-hungry wake. As the black creature begins to take definite shape and gain life with each feeding, the boys formulate a plan to stop the monster�s progress by retrieving a sickly cow from the local slaughterhouse...
"THE MISTAKE" by FIELDEN HUGHES
The Medical Superintendent at Applesett Private Medical Hospital recounts a certain patient that was under his care. The man was completely silent and kept to himself, the oddest thing being his ability to go completely without sleep. After the man dies, the doctor opens a manuscript addressed to him specifically to be read after the patient�s death. The man had been a vicar at St. Alpha�s Church in the village of Smeritone where he ekes out a pleasant enough existence. The only detriment is his cruel warden Admiral Sir Anthony Vilpert, a despicable old coot whom the vicar dubs "the White Goat" on account of his long, snowy beard and bleating voice. The vicar and admiral simply loathe one another, the latter spreading vicious rumors concerning the former throughout the village. The vicar�s unholy prayers are granted when Vilpert finally dies one day. On the day of the funeral, the vicar is disturbed when he hears a small tapping from within the casket and entertains the notion that the fate of "the White Goat" now rests in his hands. However he does nothing to report the noise he heard and the coffin is buried. Haunted by the thought of the old man, the vicar enters the churchyard late one night and unearths a terrible sight that ruins his soul for years to come�
JOE MONSTER'S TOP PICKS
"THE DUNWICH HORROR" by H. P. LOVECRAFT
"W. S. " by L. P. HARTLEY
"THE JUDGE'S HOUSE" by BRAM STOKER
"RETURN OF THE GRIFFINS" by A. E. SANDELING
"FLIES" by ANTHONY VERCOE

Labels: 1960S, Anthology, Books, Haunted Library, Lovecraft, Monster

Here it is, folks. The one that started it all. After having a few guest appearances where he told chilling tales of horror in the EC crime magazine War Against Crime, the Vault-Keeper landed his own permanent residence with issue number 12. The title was then changed to the Vault of Horror and the rest was hisssstory. The shocking terror wave that was to be known as EC Comics had its dark roots in this very issue, the first in their cavalcade of creepy comics...
"PORTRAIT IN WAX!"
Written and drawn by Johnny Craig
Robert is a hard working artist living in 1930�s Paris with his roommate Henry in a squalid studio. Robert constantly creates beautiful etchings but has no desire to profit from them. This is enrages Henry quite a bit, who thirsts for fame and fortune so much that he begins to sell Robert�s etchings to a gullible art dealer for high prices. After Robert sees his work hanging in a private art collection, he confronts Henry about his dubious dealings. Desperate to keep his reputation intact, Henry hurls a bottle of acid at Robert, completely destroying his face and causing him to faint. After Henry quickly disposes of the body in a large vat of burning acid, he heads to London and proceeds to live in the lap of luxury from Robert�s art. When the etchings start running low, Henry visits a strange old man named Jules Vendette who creates incredibly life-like wax statues of famous deceased personalities. Striking up a partnership with the sculptor to open a museum, Henry soon learns his plagiarizing days are over when he learns of Jules� true vendetta�
Ahh, the wax museum. A happy haunting ground for many stories of the strange and weird. This story undoubtedly drew its influences from the film "Mystery of the Wax Museum," another tale of horrible revenge set amongst the cold, watching eyes of the macabre figurines. No surprises for anyone who has already read something like this before, but that doesn't keep it from being a fun ride all around.
"THE WEREWOLF LEGEND"
Written by Gardner Fox, Art by Wally Wood and Harry Harrison
In the county of Devon in England, young Walter Mallory finds himself stalking about the forest outside his mansion, now in the form of a ravenous werewolf. Finding his victim, Walter easily chases him down and rips him apart with fang and claw. The next morning Walter awakens to discover his sheets and windowpane smeared with blood and an ugly snout staring back at him from the bathroom mirror. Recovering from his faint, Walter later attends breakfast with his cousin Gregory where he learns of the previous night�s murder. Gregory suggests his cousin relax by going into the dusty library to read. There Walter discovers a set of old manuscripts detailing a curse in the Mallory family, one that has caused a member of each generation to become a homicidal beast under the light of the full moon. After Walter suffers another night of torture and blood, he goes to the village police to plead for them to stop his mad bloodlust. Will they keep Walter from killing again, or will an even more insidious secret come to light�?
I love me a good ol' werewolf story. There's just something about those furry critters that scratches my tummy in all the right places. This one has all the elements of a fine lycanthrope tale: brooding English castle and countryside, bloodthirsty monster, shady characters and, hell why not, a little mystery to keep the reader on their hairy toes. Rawr.
"HORROR IN THE NIGHT"
Written by Ivan Klapper, Art by Harvey Kurtzman
Tom Hawkins, owner of a colony of tourist cabins, is just pouring himself a strong drink to settle his jangling nerves. Tom�s brother Jim pops in, distressed to see his sibling in such a stressed disposition. Tom explains to his brother that he�s been haunted by an eerie feeling that something terrible is to occur in the near future. Tom has suffered a most horrendous and strange dream, one that seems to be warning him of danger. In the dream, a couple arrived at the cabins just before noon. The husband had seemed normal enough, but the wife appeared to have a wild, mad look in her eyes. Tom�s suspicions are confirmed later when he becomes a ghost-like watcher in the couple�s room. He can only watch in utter horror as the insane woman attempts to escape the cabins, tearing an innocent cat to pieces in the process. The husband attempt to keep his ghoulish companion locked in before he can take her to the asylum the following morning. When the mad mistress attempts to flee again, a terrible fight erupts between the couple, ending in the husband strangling his bestial wife to death. Remorseful of his deed and the condition of his wife that was brought on by the death of their baby, the man ends his life by shooting himself. Is Tom�s dream just a surreal excursion into the fantastic, or is it perhaps a frightening premonition of what is to come�?
Well there's something different. The story at first seems to have the trappings of a "Twilight Zone" episode with our protagonist suffering from a horrible premonition. But then things quickly turn dark and surprisingly gruesome. Kurtzman's characters are drawn in a way that makes them almost outlandish but at the same time frighteningly human. The mad woman's eyes are pretty eerie and certainly give the impression that she has a few screws loose. The acts she commits later in the story only enhance that impression. Ka-rayzaaaay...
"TERROR TRAIN"
Written and drawn by Al Feldstein
Gloria hurriedly hails down a taxi cab and demands to be taken to the nearest train station. You see, her husband Ralph is planning on murdering her. Gloria started suspecting this when Ralph began exhibiting peculiar behaviors, like when he brought a jar of poison home, only cryptically intoning that he wished to use it for his own purposes. Gloria also caught Ralph standing over her in bed one night, a kitchen knife clutched in his hand. He said that he had found beneath Gloria�s pillow, but she knew better. After Ralph tells her that he has taken out some expensive life insurance policies for the both of them, she knows the terrible motive behind her husband�s deeds. But she can�t escape him so easily. Just as the train begins to chug away, Gloria catches a glimpse of a man who resembles Ralph boarding the train at the last minute. Distraught with fear, she heads to the club car for a strong drink only to see Ralph�s face appear for an instant in the smoky mirrors. That night as she sleeps, Gloria is awoken by a piercing shriek and soon discovers that she is aboard a train full of slaughtered corpses. Making her getaway at a lonely cabin in the country, Gloria soon finds a terrible fate waiting for her within the strangling confines of a casket. At the climax of her terror, the horrible truth behind her night of horror will be revealed to her�
An awesome tale of suspense to wrap the issue up. I've always enjoyed Feldstein's crisp drawing techniques. His art may come off as a bit stiff (heh heh) to some, but to me it is an exquisite example of classic comic book art. And boy can he draw the best faces of fear. Gloria's anguished visages remain in one's mind in stark detail for some time. Just be sure not to leave her up there for too long. She'll drive you batty.
THE LAUGHING SHARK'S VERDICT
Awhahaha! What can I possibly add to what's already been said? The issue serves as an exclusive look into the great things EC would do in the future. The stories are frightening, the art is superb, and to the horror connoisseur it's tastier than a pile of rotting chum! I give it two chuckling fins up! Dohohohohoho!

Labels: 1950S, Comic Books, Ec Comics, Monster, The Vault Of Horror, Twisted Panels, Werewolf

Hello my ghoulish gawkers,
For those of you who haven't seen already, I was given the pretty spiffy opportunity to contribute a piece to "The Lucky 13," a summer-long feature hosted by the fantastic Vault of Horror and Brutal As Hell. This past Saturday's feature was on Creature Features and Monster Movies. I decided to do a write-up on that beloved ape of my childhood, King Kong.
Be sure to see the depravity by going HERE.
Schedule and Satan willing, I'll be writing on other horror favorites in the ensuing weeks. Speaking of the Almighty Dark Lord, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for this Saturday's feature when the crew from VOH and Brutal As Hell take on horror films dealing with Witches, Demons, and Ol' Lucifer himself.
It's sure to be one helluva time.

Labels: Bloggin Madness, Brutal As Hell, King Kong, Monster, The Lucky 13, Vault Of Horror

Gather ye graham crackers and marshmallows, kiddies! We�re about to engage in one of the oldest customs of the human race: telling spooky campfire stories! This anthology is unique in that it separates its stories by the regions in which they take place (Mountains, Beach, Forest, etc.), creating the feel that you�re hearing the best of the best from all four corners of the Earth. The gimmick is somewhat cute and the idea of an ultimate campfire storyteller companion sounds great, but that this book is not. There are some noteworthy tales to be read, for sure, but some are either lackluster in plot or atmosphere while others I could not even imagine reading aloud to my friends during an excursion into the wild. You�re better off with Alvin Schwartz�s "Scary Stories" trilogy, which is saying something. Don�t let this deter you though; if you�re looking for a few good stories to pass the time with, go ahead and give this one a look. I just wouldn�t start pitching up the tent and gathering wood if I were you though.
"ICE SCULPTURES" by DAVID B. SILVA
A writer and other artists are given a grant by the government to interpret the four seasons through their respective mediums on the precipitous Eagle Peak. One bohemian in particular, a hippie sculptor named Billy Dayton, captures the attention of the writer and his photographer friend Margo. But the two soon discover there is something sinister behind Dayton�s ice sculptures of his own likeness, each one transgressing into more horrible forms, when they find Billy�s melted remains in his tent. And there may be more pieces of art scattered across the mountain�
"CREATURE OF THE SNOWS" by WILLIAM SAMBROT
Esteemed magazine photographer Ed McKale is sent on a special assignment by his boss to take part in an expedition to the Himalayan Mountains led by zoologist Dr. Schenk. Seems there have been some fuzzy photos taken of hairy, bipedal creatures roaming about the snowy plateaus and the publicity and scientific world are demanding a specimen. Heading up a mountain peak alone on the last day of their journey, Ed is astounded to see a family of the "Yeti" nearby and experiences the full breadth of the creatures� existence�
"XENOS BEACH" by GRAHAM JOYCE
After splitting up with his wife, a man is recommended by a friend to have a holiday in the beautiful country of Greece. Desiring to get away from all the tourism and commercialism, the man takes a bus ride to a desolate beach where only a crumbling church and several weather-ravaged tents remain. A few days later the man meets a family of fair-haired Greeks and is enchanted by the beautiful daughter. When the girl proposes an insane test of love to the man, he finds himself in over his head and on the road to something dark�
"DEATH TO THE EASTER BUNNY" by ALAN RYAN
A group of four friends from college decides to spend their vacation time in Deacons Kill, a town about four hours into the Catskill Mountains. Leaving their hotel and journeying into the dense forest, they are suddenly assaulted by an old hermit toting a rifle. In a weird trance, the teenagers go with the old man to his home and discuss many things with him, none of which they can remember later. They begin to make these trips frequently and soon the old man starts telling them of dark, perverse intruders invading the world. The legendary Easter Bunny is one such horrible creature, and as the holiday draws near the group prepares for the final showdown�
"WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN THE FOREST" by NANCY HOLDER
An aging mother lives with her many children in the deep recesses of the forest, fearing of frightening creatures known as Them from the town. Her babies always try to escape but the mother is always able to bring them back to the den� and promptly devour them. When a sick little girl and her mother enter the cannibalistic crone�s home, the witch fears that they might endanger her little ones and bring the wrath of Them upon her family�
"PROLOGUE: AS THE WOLF LOVES WINTER" by DAVID POYER
A man is hiking up a steep, forested mountain as the snow and cold pour mercilessly down from the heavens. Finding the ideal tree to place his radio on, he sets his spiked boots into the bark and makes his way up the tall cherry tree. Once his mission is completed he begins to head back down but notices a German Shepherd is sniffing through his backpack and parka. As the creature howls for his companions to join him, the man realizes that it is a hungry pack of wolves that are waiting for him to descend. Now the man must choose between death by winter�s icy grip or the jaws of the ravenous beasts below�
"CAUGHT IN THE JAWS OF DEATH" by JERRY MACDONALD
Matthias and Claudia are two German medical students who are enjoying a fun trip into the Canadian wilderness before Matthias begins training at a Seattle hospital. After they ride down the raging rapids, the two friends pitch a tent outside a cabin and call it a night. But the next morning brings anything but tranquility when a massive black bear suddenly attacks the couple, leaving Matthias on the very edge of life. Claudia must find help before her friend bleeds to death and the bear returns to finish the job�
"SURVIVAL EXERCISE" by TALMAGE POWELL
James Kelley and two other members of the U. S. Marines are sent into the steamy wilderness of the Florida Everglades in order to endure a Survival Exercise. This task is found to be even harder than they first thought when a wailing, foul-smelling humanoid invades the camp one night, horribly slaughtering Kelley�s comrades. The creature spares Kelley�s life and he is able to elude the monster�s reaches by escaping into the swamp. Unable to radio for help, Kelley soon discovers that the creature�s desire for him is much more frightening than any thirst for blood�
"SWAMP HORROR" by WILL SMITH and R. J. ROBBINS
A young man is given news that his father has been missing for almost a week and immediately rushes to the elder�s farm by the swamp. After discovering their family dog Wolf running frantically from the swamp and appearing to be completely emaciated, the young man is determined on finding the solution to the perplexing mystery. Entering Marvin�s Swamp and heading to the stagnant waters of Dead River, he finds the corpses of various animals littered about and a crawling, slithering horror that can freeze the blood in man�s veins�
"THE VALLEY OF THE SPIDERS" by H. G. WELLS
A young virgin has just escaped the clutches of the master and now he and two of his servants chase after the feisty damsel on horseback. They enter a lonely valley that is deathly quiet and seemingly devoid of any life, save for the constant flutter of white flowers blowing in the wind. But the persistent trio discovers that the innocent-looking wisps are actually spider�s webs and soon are under siege by the bloodthirsty arachnids and, in the ensuing madness, the master�s true colors emerge�
"WAZIAH" by JOE R. LANSDALE
Trapper Roland McArthur is trudging through the freezing wind of a blizzard up the Black Hills of the Dakotas and is relieved to see a line shack in the distance. Peeking in through a chink in the wood, McArthur is taken aback when the business end of a rifle goes off in his face. Mostly stunned, he awakens inside the cabin and makes the acquaintance of the shooter, an old coot named Crawford, who says he was trying to keep the legendary Wooly-Bugger from breaking in. A Native American girl whom Crawford has named Snowflake is also holed up in the cabin along with her child. Turns out the old man isn�t as crazy as he sounds when the ferocious beast attacks the shack and drags the screaming Snowflake away. Realizing that the Wooly-Bugger has mated with Snowflake and produced the half-human baby, McArthur and Crawford head out to stop the monster in its wake�
"THE SPECTRE BRIDE" by ANONYMOUS
During a magnificently beautiful and white winter evening in Sault Ste. Marie, Ralph Hagadorn is trekking down the snowy roads to arrive at a friend�s house the next morning to act as the groomsman in his wedding. Enchanted by the freezing ice, Ralph is impelled to take out his skates and travel down the frozen river. As the infatuated young man skates along, his frost blurred eyes are shocked to see a mysterious skater in flowing white garments just ahead of him. Before the evening is over, Ralph will realize that he has been watched over by a mysterious guardian who has saved him from the icy clutches of Death�
"BLOODY POLLY" by MICHAEL NORMAN and BETH SCOTT
Polly Brown and her family have just moved into the Kentucky wilderness in 1815 and her father soon turns their cabin into a thriving plantation. When Polly becomes engaged to prospective merchant Harry Geiss, all seems right with the world. That is until Harry turns his attentions to Polly�s beautiful younger sister Frances Clara. Enraged at her sibling, Polly takes Frances out for a walk in the woods only to brutally murder her with an axe. Thinking that she has gotten away with murder, the devious Polly�s plans soon begin to crumble as evidence of the murder begins to rise to the surface and her sister starts to call from the grave�
"THE FACELESS THING" by EDWARD D. HOCH
Buddy is a very old man who returns to the farmhouse of his youth as his memories of the past beckon to him in his autumn years. Despite fond childhood memories, one event in particular has called Buddy back to his home in order to confront it once and for all. When he was around the age of ten, Buddy and his sister journeyed to a small stream on the land that cut into the side of a hill via a tunnel. As the two siblings journeyed into the wet darkness, Buddy�s sister frantically called out his name. The boy was terrified to witness a hairy, ooze-covered abomination reach forth from the darkness and take his sister. Having finally returned after all these years, Buddy goes to lay his demons to rest�
"ALLAL" by PAUL BOWLES
A fourteen year old girl gives birth to a boy at the hotel where she works and names her son Allal. She soon abandons the child and Allal is left to perform manual labor at the hotel for most of his life. Moving into the city when he becomes older, Allal comes into contact with an old man who sells snakes for a living. He tells the boy that it is possible to train the serpents to do as he wishes so, while the old man sleeps, Allal steals a scarlet snake from his collection. Soon Allal is able to command the snake to move at his whim; but the true journey begins when Allal transcends the mental connection he has with his pet and sees through the eyes of the reptile�
"THE QUEST FOR BLANK CLAVERINGI" by PATRICIA HIGHSMITH
Avery Clavering is a professor of zoology at a California university who becomes intrigued by the tales of giant, man-eating snails who inhabit the island of Kuwa. His scientific interest piqued and possessing an immense desire to have his name go down in biology history, Clavering travels to the lonely island to stake his claim. But the portly scientist finds he is in great danger when the crafty mollusks leave him stranded on the island and at their slimy mercy unless he can fight back for his life�
JOE MONSTER'S TOP PICKS
"DEATH TO THE EASTER BUNNY" by Alan Ryan
"SWAMP HORROR" by Will Smith and R. J. Robbins
"WAZIAH" by Joe R. Lansdale
"BLOODY POLLY" by Michael Norman and Beth Scott
OVERALL SCORE: 5/10

Labels: Anthology, Books, Ghost Stories, Haunted Library, Monster