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Post by dem on Dec 10, 2012 4:10:24 GMT
It was the sixth anniversary of Sydney J. Bounds death on November 26th, so, by way of belated tribute to a true Vault Mk. 1 legend, I hope nobody will mind too much if I rerun one of his very earliest horror stories. The Relic, a solid gold film-crew-in-peril mini-masterpiece, first appeared in the London Mystery Magazine for September 1969. Attachments:
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Post by Craig Herbertson on Dec 10, 2012 5:09:38 GMT
It was the sixth anniversary of Sydney J. Bounds death on November 26th, so, by way of belated tribute to a true Vault Mk. 1 legend, I hope nobody will mind too much if I rerun one of his very earliest horror stories. The Relic, a solid gold film-crew-in-peril mini-masterpiece, first appeared in the London Mystery Magazine for September 1969. Mein Gott, this story has everything. I wouldn't have thought it possible to pack so much into so few words and yet still make it seem simple. Great find, |
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Post by David A. Riley on Dec 10, 2012 9:27:29 GMT
What a great start to the day. This reminds me so much of Robert Bloch.
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Post by cauldronbrewer on Dec 10, 2012 16:53:12 GMT
Good old Sapper. What is it about these stories. As soon as the mention of a bad sportsman comes into play the red flag is raised. Sapper would have probably died of apoplexy if he saw a game of footie today... I like to think that one of the narrator's hounds was named Scooby Doo. After all, the oh-so-obvious villain actually snarls, "You wouldn't have got me but for that cursed girl" as he's handcuffed. What a great start to the day. This reminds me so much of Robert Bloch. It has that "Return to the Sabbath"/"The Chaney Legacy" feel, doesn't it? It also reminds me of one of my favorite August Derleth stories, "A Wig for Miss DeVore." |
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Post by dem on Dec 11, 2012 6:30:54 GMT
Been working my way through Kramer & Hartwell's Christmas Ghosts since Sunday and so far it's not been the most consistently rewarding experience, much of the content being too treacly by far. What's missing? Easy: a dose of Victorian-Edwardian vileness, something that evidently came easy to Alice Perrin. If you've a liking for macabre melodrama and have yet to read The Bead Necklace, I think you're in for a treat. Will begin posting the contemporary material toward the end of the week. Am absolutely thrilled with the submissions received to date but as yet there aren't enough of them to string this out till the 24th. Attachments:
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Post by dem on Dec 12, 2012 0:22:32 GMT
As previously mentioned, Hugh Lamb has reason for suspecting that 'Philip Murray' was Philip Allan himself. That being the case, not only was he responsible for publishing the Creeps series, but in stories like the short-short The Charnel House he also pre-empted the Pan Book Of Horror Stories: the nasty for nasty's sake years by nearly forty years. Attachments:
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Post by dem on Dec 13, 2012 6:16:53 GMT
Relax, you've suffered the worst of it; from here through to Christmas Eve it's contemporary material all the way. First out of the morgue drawer, an exclusive from Thana Niveau, the artist AKA Lady Probert. Recently published by the consistently excellent Gray Friars Press, Thana's 16 story début collection, From Hell To Eternity, is already a serious dem 'Best of 2012' contender, and i've still five stories to read. That Sound was intended for From Hell ..., didn't make the final cut and has remained destitute - until now. You can join her Ladyship's ghastly band of stalkers at Thana Niveau: From Hell To EternityThank you ever so for the story, Thana! Attachments:
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Post by Johnlprobert on Dec 13, 2012 8:14:35 GMT
I'm wearing that shirt today! How spooky is that? (Not very, I know  ) |
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Post by Johnlprobert on Dec 13, 2012 8:35:20 GMT
It was the sixth anniversary of Sydney J. Bounds death on November 26th, so, by way of belated tribute to a true Vault Mk. 1 legend, I hope nobody will mind too much if I rerun one of his very earliest horror stories. The Relic, a solid gold film-crew-in-peril mini-masterpiece, first appeared in the London Mystery Magazine for September 1969. This story is cracking, just cracking, and I didn't see that ending coming. Lovely! Thanks to Mrs Probert for making get off my backside (or rather stay sitting on it) to read this one. |
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Post by Johnlprobert on Dec 13, 2012 8:37:32 GMT
Day five and a conte cruel from the treasure trove that is John Gawsworth's Crimes, Creeps & Thrills. Norah C James was a prolific novelist whose works include Strap-hangers and Hospital, about which I can tell you nothing. Well it's a bit of a minor tale (and I suppose that's being kind) but if I'd been a commuter in 1930s England I'd have been chuckling into my bowler hat after that one. |
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Post by Jojo Lapin X on Dec 13, 2012 9:23:29 GMT
I'm wearing that shirt today! How spooky is that? Gasp! |
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Post by Craig Herbertson on Dec 13, 2012 10:23:04 GMT
What a great beginning to the modern section. Thana seems to have that natural gift of mixing the horror with the pathos - gets me every time.
And as for that picture. The least likely couple you'd like to spend an evening in a haunted house with....I wouldn't last ten minutes before I was dragged off screaming.
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Post by Johnlprobert on Dec 13, 2012 11:21:57 GMT
What a great beginning to the modern section. Thana seems to have that natural gift of mixing the horror with the pathos - gets me every time. And as for that picture. The least likely couple you'd like to spend an evening in a haunted house with....I wouldn't last ten minutes before I was dragged me off screaming.  |
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Post by Craig Herbertson on Dec 13, 2012 12:22:41 GMT
I just get this image of us sitting around a long table, candelabra, capes, armour, roaring fire, the works. All starts off with gentile decorum. Lord Probert suggests a ghost story to while away the storm filled evening. Lady Probert eases the company in with a tale of 'there's something awful outside'- so everyone's just a teensy bit scared to leave. Lord Probert idly mentions how lovely the meat is. A vaguely uncomfortable feeling descends on the party as they notice someone is missing. lady Probert calls the man servant - he has a distinctively peculiar hump and answers to Igor while establishing that the door is locked from the outside. The smiling couple reveal they have a new short drama to entertain us all and require a ... volunteer. Lord Probert announces he has brought some of his 'instruments' and would anyone care to see how they work...
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Post by ramseycampbell on Dec 13, 2012 14:10:46 GMT
Hey, that's a disturbing tale, Thana!
And I may say we saw Lord P perform on his instrument just a few weeks back.
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