Horror Books > M Horror Books

Advantages: Psychological thriller, a roller coaster of emotions
Disadvantages: A bit slow in places

...favourite novels, the creator of Misery Chastain, she couldn't believe her luck and decided to keep him all to herself. After all she was his number one fan.... But Annie was angry, very angry that Paul had killed Misery and decided that he must write a new 'Misery' novel just for her. Stephen King lets the story unfolds through the eyes of 'hostage' Paul. There is good character developement as this psychological novel progresses, Paul's pain ...
...cruelly dashes, and a roller coaster of despair, acceptance and fear. Annie's character swings unpredictably from sickly sweet to derranged and brutal, with her past unfolding through the pages of her journal. This is not a jolly novel, the 'Misery' of the title mirrors Paul's predicament, but I read with a constant hope that things would turn out OK in the end. The newly typed pages of the captors enforced writting are tedious at times, as is some ... Read review

Advantages: A blending of traditionalist horror and new mythology.
Disadvantages: it would have been a fine full length novel - I almost wish it was...

L.H. Maynard and M.P.N. Sims are familiar names to those who know. Not only have they set up and run the superlative Enigma Press, currently running at four imprints, but they have a very fine reputation for supernatural tale-telling of their own. 'Moths', the launch title of Enigmatic Novellas, is a very fine example of this duo's gift. Unpredictable, creepy and disturbing, the tale deals with the strangeness of David Alywin's old friend Simon ...
...Visiting the Desborough estates deep in Wiltshire, David notices a strange tension in his friend. Something disturbs him also about bride in preparation Anna Otani, and her oriental family. When he discovers, to his horror, that the Otani's are now owners of the Desborough assets, he digs deep to find out just what is going on. What he finds underlying events, the monstrous Tashkai, are beyond all imagining. Slow building, the novella paints clearly ... Read review

Advantages: suspenseful, well written
Disadvantages: weak ending, sequel

“Mischief” tells the tale of Jim Hook, a young adolescent trying to find his way. From Jim’s perspective, he is little more than a shadow of his older brother, and Jim’s worship of him plays a large part in his motivations in life. When his brother dies in a car wreck, Jim tries to honor his memory by being the best he can be. Enrolled in the same prep academy as his late mentor, Jim’s story takes flight. Harrow is ...
...mansion, renovated over the years with numerous additions to the building. Once, it was a residence. Today, it is a school. It has always been haunted. Jim is a normal kid, and Clegg brings him to life. He’s got a girlfriend, he works hard, and he makes the usual teenager mistakes. When Jim falls in with the Cadaver Society, his life takes a sharp turn. The Cadavers are a secret society within the walls of Harrow; they seem to be average pranksters… ... Read review

Advantages: A wonderful example of Laymon at it's best.
Disadvantages: This could too shocking for some. Don't let your grandmother near this.

There have rumours surrounding Richard Laymon for a number of years now - people think that Laymon is a pseudonym for an established author, perhaps, Stephen King himself. “Midnight’s Lair” is one of the books that fuel this debate. It was originally published under the name Richard Kelly and it is also one of the more extreme Laymon books. Take note, Laymon’s books tend to be twice (or even thrice) as gory and risky than your average horror book ...
...the rest. The story really is typically Laymon. It deals with the bestial side to humans and human nature. It is almost tempting to sound something of a H. P. Lovecraft comparison here. Lovecraft has written a number of short stories in which humans, trapped over a long period of time (or who have voluntarily retreated from the world) have ended up in a “de-evolved” state. Of course, H. P. Lovecraft was known to cut the pictures of scantily clad ... Read review

Advantages: A gripping read, a great introduction to Dean Koontz
Disadvantages: In my opinion it's overly graphic when dealing with the childrens fate

...Marty Stillwater, Koontz' hero in Mr Murder, coped. He coped admirably. Marty IS Mr Murder, a crime fiction writer from California. He's a very successful author, appearing in one of Americas biggest celebrity magazines who were the very people to give him this unwanted nickname. He lives with his psychologist wife and two young daughters, all is well in the Stillwater household. Until Marty finds himself having blackouts. He can't remember anything ...
...believe Marty, they remember the Mr Murder nickname and a bizarre photograph of Marty in the magazine looking like a freak from hell and dismiss the whole episode as a publicity stunt thought up by an author who has a new book out soon. The Stillwater family are on their own. The rest of Mr Murder is a fast paced chase through counties and states across America, Marty takes his family and does the only thing he can in the circumstances. He runs. ... Read review