Vault Of Evil
Encyclopedia Phantasmagoria
This section: British Horror Anthologies:
Aickman – Burke
Campbell – Gordon
Haining
Hale – Karloff
Lamb – Parrish
Parry – Sutton
Thomson – Wolfe
The Other Tentacles
The Fontana Chapter: Fontana Horror and Ghost publications from the early ’sixties through to 1984 when the twentieth and final volume of The Fontana Book Of Ghost Stories saw print. The selection attempts to provide short plot synopsis’ of all the stories featured in the Ghost and Horror series’, the Tales Of Terror books, Mary Danby’s two volume Frighteners and more. A similar attempt is made on all four 65 Great juggernauts published by Octopus. Also includes a covers gallery.
NEW in 2009: Nasty Nels: Your daily NEL. Circumstances permitting, at least one New English Library or Four Square paperback from the ’sixties and ’seventies added every 24 hours from May 11 2009.
Morbid Mayflowers: Index to the Black magic-heavy horror anthologies, novels and non-fiction published by Mayflower (sometimes in conjunction with Dell) during the ’sixties and seventies.
Pan Horrors: The famous Van Thal/ Paget Pan Book of Horror Stories and beyond.
Panther Horror: Based on the Panther Horror In Paperback listing compiled by Justin Marriott which first appeared in Paperback Dungeon #2, Summer 2007. It’s been slightly expanded for purposes of this blog, though not so you’d notice! Needless to say, there is a covers gallery.
Sordid Sphere’s: Based on Justin Marriott’s Sphere Horror In The 1970’s – The Checklist in Paperback Fanatic #1 (August 2007). Click on the book titles in bold for cover scans and/ or more information about a particular item. Also featured two image galleries covering Sphere publications of the ’seventies and ‘eighties.
Terrible Tandems: from the early ’sixties through to the mid-seventies Tandem published a small but significant number of horror and witchcraft titles and this is an attempt to catalogue them.
Revamps
Terror Takeaways: began life as the film/tv novelisation arm of the Vault site but it’s been reworked and expanded upon for EP.
Gruesome Cargoes: a straight copy of the pointless site I had on batcave. This one concerns itself with Christine Campbell Thomson’s Not At Night and Charles Birkin’s Creeps series’ from between the world wars.
*** All of the above are intended to compliment the Vault Of Evil forum which you are strongly advised to consult for further comment on many of these titles. ***
demonik 2007
With thanks to
Kevin McKercher said
Help! Some years ago I read a great collection of short stories by an author who’s name I have forgotten. These were adventure\horror stories, from the twenties or thirties, dealing with ghouls and crypts and an underground world of purpetual night. The entrances to this world were in graveyards. Can you help me? You folks know what you’re talking about, unlike every American site I have contacted. Thanks for your sites and interest.
demonik said
Hi Kevin
Sounds very much like you’re looking for a H. P. Lovecraft collection that includes The Rats In The Walls and Pickman’s Model. There have been several collections of his work and this is a decent modern(ish) edition, The Haunter Of The Dark (Grafton, 1985/ 1986). Love that Tim White cover!
Christopher Fowler said
I’m very pleased to discover your site, which I found simultaneously wonderful and confusing, as it seems to be a sort of horror anthology search engine. I checked for myself there, but Serpent’s Tail (and my other publishers) haven’t listed any of my nine horror anthologies, which is a shame. I’m going to have a poke about in your recesses and see what I can find…keep up the great work!
Best,
Christopher Fowler
Steven Schwarz said
Kool site. I see from my google analytics that you have been checking out mywicked and sicksite. I’ve added “Vault” to my Wicked blogroll. Maybe you will return the favour. If you have some time check out my 666 very short stories site: some of the stuff there is quite devilish if not evil.
troodler said
I think I came to this all the wrong way around ;)
Segav said
I need help! I’m trying to find the title and author of a short story I read last year. It was about an invisible vampire who followed victims around, killed them, and then attached itself to whoever happened to be nearby to repeat the process. From what I recall, it ends with a doctor making a housecall to a dying man, and then being followed out by a set of footprints. I believe it was set in early 19th century London.
Does this sound familiar to you?
demonik said
Hi Segav
Sounds to me like this is John Wyndham’s Close Behind Him. You can find it in Mary Danby’s 6th Fontana Book of Horror Stories and 65 Great Spinechillers, Richard Dalby’s Vampire Stories, etc.
Segav said
That’s it! Thanks so much!
Thomas said
My wife has spent a better part of the last few years trying to find a book of ghost stories she read in the 5th grade or so (@1980). All she can remember is the cover, which was of a dinner/banquet scene in an Gorey/Addams style and wrapped around the hardcover. She also seems to recall an Irish story about Dooley? and a “little man” (pretty uncommon for Irish stories, I suppose). If you guys have ANY idea, please let me know. Thanks,
Thomas
Mick Sims said
This is a great site.
All my interest in supernatural fiction and film comes from my teenage years in the 60’s/70’s and the antholgies and collections mentioned here are all on my shelves and all much loved.
Only today on a sunny day off from work I sat and read Robert Hichens, How Love Came To Professor Guildea – wonderful. I was reminded to read it again after seeing Ramsey’s Rant in the latest Prism.
Can we get listed here?
Please.
http://www.maynard-sims.com
Khali said
Hi there, I’ve been searching like mad for this old short story, can’t remember the collection name but I think it was a mid-90’s book. It was about this guy who was obsessed with doing things for the first time, but of course soon he would get bored and have to take it a step farther and so on. I think the last thing he said was “never do anything for the first time”. Any idea? this is driving me nuts heh.
demonik said
Thomas and Khali. Apologies for the delay. I’ve struggled with both your queries, posted ‘em on the Vault forum and no help from there either :( Can you think of anything else that might help us identify these?
Mike said
If any of you could help me…. My twin brother received a fantastic horror anthology years ago that featured a cover that was a slightly creepier version of the painting american gothic. It would have been sometime in the 80’s. The introduction discussed the incident involving the word “Croatoan”. Can any of you help? I want to buy this book for my son.
Thanks!
Tisha said
Hi, i was just wondering if you know of any really good vampire stories,
i’ve just been reading twilight and i find them intresting. but i’d like something with a bit more blood and guts XD
Please reply.
Tisha.
demonik said
Hi Tisha, i’m not sure how to answer that. What are you after: short stories or novels? How violent do you want them, and what, exactly, is ‘Twilight’?
Mike. I know that anthology by the painting you describe, but i can’t for the life of me remember the title. If and when i find it, will post it on here, OK?