There is nothing more satisfying than reading a book while sipping a hot cup of tea.
Some people went to Mecca, some to Jerusalem, some to the Ganges. Austin was going to Maynard’s house. No matter where in life he was to go from there, he was obliged to see Belden first. Austin Fletcher is a Vietnam veteran, adrift, footloose, suffering from PTSD, and estranged from his parents whose commonplace life … Continue reading Horror or Not: Maynard’s House by Herman Raucher (1980)
The Penguin Book of Victorian Villainies contains four novels selected by writer Graham Greene and his brother, Hugh Greene. Of the four, I had already read The Rome Express and In the Fog but the other two, The Great Tontine and The Beetle were new to me.How did they miss the last E in Greene?????????The … Continue reading Forgotten Books: Victorian Villainies (Ed) Graham and Hugh Greene
There was a time when I read a lot of books in the Horror genre but not anymore, so it was really a challenge to take up the Horror Reading challenge hosted by the extremely energetic Tracy @Cornerfolds.My level was Running Scared which means that I had to read 1-5 books. Well, I have found … Continue reading Challenge Complete: Horror Reading
Though I am sure that I must have read (at least one of) his works, sometime or the other, the first time, H.P. Lovecraft's name really registered with me was when I saw a review of a book called The Call of Cthulhu @ Manybooks. The reviewer was all praise for the book and made me … Continue reading Short Notes: The Thing on the Doorstep and Other Weird Stories by H.P. Lovecraft
There was a time when I read a lot of Stephen King but now I don't read horror much. So, I am challenging myself to read books in the horror genre and signing up for the Horror Reading Challenge 2015 hosted by Cornerfolds. I am going for the first level: Running Scared which means I'll be … Continue reading Horror Reading Challenge 2015
Hanns Heinz Ewers (1871-1943 ) was a German actor, poet, philosopher, and writer of short stories and novels. His 1915 story, The Spider, begins explosively:When the student of medicine, Richard Bracquemont, decided to move into room #7 of the small Hotel Stevens, Rue Alfred Stevens (Paris 6), three persons had already hanged themselves from the … Continue reading Forgotten Book: The Spider by Hanns Heinz Ewers
This week's Top Ten Tuesday asks us to list 10 of our favourite Halloween books. I do like to read about the supernatural but I prefer my horror to be understated: an eerie feeling that gives an unsettling quality to the narrative works fine but an 'in-your-face' horror with its gruesome and repulsive description is … Continue reading Top Ten (+ 3) Tuesdays: Books to get in the Halloween Spirit
An arm clad in black with lace at the cuffs ending in a wrinkled beringed hand is shown petting a cat even as a disembodied voice speaks to the cat, Bequer, as you'd to a child. The credits roll on even as the wrinkled hands knit expertly... but suddenly a heart attack. Bequer mews in … Continue reading Tuesday’s Overlooked Film: Mas Negro Que La Noche (Blacker than the Night)
I hadn't heard of Bill Pronzini till a few weeks back. But as he turned seventy, his birthday was celebrated in the blogosphere and a particular FFB featured a few of his books. [Very graciously, Pronzini thanked everyone for the good-wishes]. As I read enthusiastic reviews of his work, I realised that here was one … Continue reading FFB: Night Screams by Bill Pronzini and Barry N. Malzberg
a hot cup of pleasure 