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Psychos: Serial Killers, Depraved Madmen, and the Criminally Insane
This collection of thirty-five terrifying tales of serial killers at large, written by the great masters of the genre, plumbs the horrifying depths of a deranged mind and the forces of evil that compel a human being to murder, gruesomely and methodically, over and over again.
From Hannibal Lecter (The Silence of the Lambs) to Patrick Bateman (American Psycho), stories of serial killers and psychos loom large and menacing in our collective psyche. Tales of their grisly conquests have kept us cowering under the covers, but still turning the pages.
Psychos is the first book to collect in a single volume the scariest and most well-crafted fictional works about these deranged killers. Some of the stories are classics, the best that the genre has to offer, by renowned writers such as Neil Gaiman, Jack Ketchum, Edgar Allan Poe, Robert Bloch, and Thomas Harris. Other selections are from the latest and most promising crop of new authors.
John Skipp, who is also the editor of Zombies, Demons and Werewolves and Shapeshifters, provides fascinating insight, through two nonfiction essays, into our insatiable obsession with serial killers and how these madmen are portrayed in popular culture. Resources at the end of the book includes lists of the genre's best long-form fiction, movies, websites, and writers.
From Hannibal Lecter (The Silence of the Lambs) to Patrick Bateman (American Psycho), stories of serial killers and psychos loom large and menacing in our collective psyche. Tales of their grisly conquests have kept us cowering under the covers, but still turning the pages.
Psychos is the first book to collect in a single volume the scariest and most well-crafted fictional works about these deranged killers. Some of the stories are classics, the best that the genre has to offer, by renowned writers such as Neil Gaiman, Jack Ketchum, Edgar Allan Poe, Robert Bloch, and Thomas Harris. Other selections are from the latest and most promising crop of new authors.
John Skipp, who is also the editor of Zombies, Demons and Werewolves and Shapeshifters, provides fascinating insight, through two nonfiction essays, into our insatiable obsession with serial killers and how these madmen are portrayed in popular culture. Resources at the end of the book includes lists of the genre's best long-form fiction, movies, websites, and writers.
640 pages, Paperback
First published September 25, 2012
119 people are currently reading
1904 people want to read
About the author
John Skipp
108 books296 followersJohn Skipp is a splatterpunk horror and fantasy author and anthology editor, as well as a songwriter, screenwriter, film director, and film producer. He collaborated with Craig Spector on multiple novels, and has also collaborated with Marc Levinthal and Cody Goodfellow.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
November 4, 2016
After finishing this collection of short stories I am left with very similar emotions that I felt after reading Jack Ketchum's 'The Girl Next Door'. Unlike Ketchum's novel which was based on a true story, Psychos is a work of fiction. Nevertheless, these are stories of twisted humanity in which the reader understands are scenarios that could actually happen and in many cases mirror similar events that have happened.
Unlike tales of horror that we all know deep down inside are only make-believe; vampires, werewolves, goblins, etc., Psychos presents us with a monster that we know is all too real. Humans. Sick humans. Insane humans. And these are the monsters that really make us cringe when we pass dark shadows in the night. Or when we pass an ordinary person in broad daylight.
It isn't the skeleton in the closet or the boogie man under the bed that truly terrifies us. It's the knowledge that the smiling neighbor who seems so normal and appears to be so friendly could be a deranged serial killer.
"You fear monsters
demons and devils.
You hang a crucifix above your bed
and load your gun
with silver bullets.
Your neighbor has a head in a jar."
~Wayne Barrett~
I couldn't bring myself to give this collection five stars, even though I was tempted solely based on the power of a handful of stories within. I noticed a couple of spelling errors ( I can live with those) but mostly the lack of five stars is simply because many of the stories, especially toward the end, seemed to lag for me.
There are some great writers, new and established, writers such as Ray Bradbury, Thomas Harris, Neil Gaiman, Edgar Allen Poe and Jack Ketchum to name a few. But there is one writer--a complete amateur--who supplies us with the most horrifying bit of all. It is the actual letter from Albert Fish to the mother of his first victim. Here is the editor, John Skipps note at the start of the letter:
"What follows is, I believe, the precise transcript. It is by far the most horrifying piece of writing in this book because it's true. And if you read it, it will haunt you for the rest of your days. Not in a good way. but in a very real one.
You have been sincerely warned."
There were other occasion at the onset of a story where the editor issued strong warnings about particular stories.
Yes, I read them all. Yes, they were very fucking horrible. And yes, I will give the same warning. I can't bring myself to recommend this book, not that it is a bad book but only because I don't want you to hate me.
I know what morbid curiosity is and I know this may tempt some to read it but like John Skipp said, "You have been warned."
February 14, 2016
Is that John Skipp?
Yeah, who is this.
This is Harold from Black Dog
Who?
Your publishers
Oh okay, what?
Ah well, John, it’s about this new anthology
What?
Well, we like it, great stories, great stuff, I’m sure it’s gonna be another strong seller, but the thing is the title
What about the title?
Well, er… Psychos, Serial killers, Depraved Madmen and the Criminally Insane…
Yeah? What’s wrong with that?
Well, we er we think we might have an issue with that from some quarters
Uh huh? What quarters be that?
Well, ah, the mental health advocacy groups, you know… they might not see it as, er, mental health positive, you know. They might could be saying that it you know gives a kind of stereotypical lurid spin to mental health issues which they’ve been trying to eradicate from the popular mind for decades. Like that, John, you know.
Yeah? Well, that so. Hey well, what say that when one of these advocacy group spokespeople call you up, you tell them that I know where they live, and if they cause me any grief I’m going to come on down there and catch their family pets and grind em up and feed em to their children like they feed those pate de foix gras geese with those tubes down their throats, you just tell them that, Harold.
Oh, John, ha ha, I don’t know whether that would be so wise
Yeah and when I got done doing that then I’ll stick their kids down in my cellar with blinkers on their eyes which I’ll only remove in order to show them documentaries about the Khmer Rouge and Charles Manson. For five years. Then I’ll let them go. They’ll be really different coming out to they way they went in. Is that what these people want? Is that it? IS THAT IT?
Oh now John, heh, now then -
How did you get my number? HOW DID YOU GET MY NUMBER?
John, we're your publishers -
Click.
September 6, 2015
I read and reviewed this book in 2012 for Suspense Magazine. It's one of my favorite collections of short stories. Well worth a read. Thought I'd put it up here for those who are partial to the art of the short!
THE SHORT STORY, ALIVE AND WELL
Stephen King is arguably one of the master storytellers of our time. Yet, even he felt he’d fallen out of touch with short story fiction in 2006 when invited to edit ‘The Best American Short Stories 2007’.
In an interview promoting his own collection, ‘Just After Sunset’, inspired by his editing of the volume, he said, “People have forgotten how to read the short story. They’ve fallen out of love with the short story. People are too lazy to pick up a short story and start over and over again. It’s (too much of) a grab bag.’
John Skipp, editor of ‘Psychos-Serial Killers, Depraved Madman and the Criminally Insane’ certainly ensures it is not a grab bag. He knows something about great short stories, with his first published short story in ‘The Twilight Zone’ Magazine in 1982. He’s a New York Times Bestselling author and has co-authored over a dozen successful horror novels, ‘Psychos’ being his third anthology with publisher Black Dog and Leventhal in the fantasy-horror genre. So he has credibility in choosing a gripping yarn.
These stories will restore your faith in the short narrative. Some will stick in your mind, even if you don’t want them there. These are thirty-eight gems that will keep you reading like the addiction that follows that first black jelly-bean. Your need for ‘just one more’ will keep you up into the psycho-prowling wee hours.
You will meet perfectly normal people—you’ll think at first—that hide twisted, dark secrets. And you will meet normal people who don’t realise they have crossed evil’s pathway. Dark humour and light prose dance in perfect combination. Alongside, genre royalty of Neil Gaimin, Thomas Harris, Ray Bradbury, and Edgar Allen Poe, Skipp has included some astonishingly polished emerging authors.
The pleasure of reading a good story is that you don’t want it to end. The wonderful thing with ‘Psychos’, at over six hundred pages, there are plenty of beginnings.
My review copy of Psychos thanks to the loveable people at Murdoch Books and Allen and Unwin Australia
THE SHORT STORY, ALIVE AND WELL
Stephen King is arguably one of the master storytellers of our time. Yet, even he felt he’d fallen out of touch with short story fiction in 2006 when invited to edit ‘The Best American Short Stories 2007’.
In an interview promoting his own collection, ‘Just After Sunset’, inspired by his editing of the volume, he said, “People have forgotten how to read the short story. They’ve fallen out of love with the short story. People are too lazy to pick up a short story and start over and over again. It’s (too much of) a grab bag.’
John Skipp, editor of ‘Psychos-Serial Killers, Depraved Madman and the Criminally Insane’ certainly ensures it is not a grab bag. He knows something about great short stories, with his first published short story in ‘The Twilight Zone’ Magazine in 1982. He’s a New York Times Bestselling author and has co-authored over a dozen successful horror novels, ‘Psychos’ being his third anthology with publisher Black Dog and Leventhal in the fantasy-horror genre. So he has credibility in choosing a gripping yarn.
These stories will restore your faith in the short narrative. Some will stick in your mind, even if you don’t want them there. These are thirty-eight gems that will keep you reading like the addiction that follows that first black jelly-bean. Your need for ‘just one more’ will keep you up into the psycho-prowling wee hours.
You will meet perfectly normal people—you’ll think at first—that hide twisted, dark secrets. And you will meet normal people who don’t realise they have crossed evil’s pathway. Dark humour and light prose dance in perfect combination. Alongside, genre royalty of Neil Gaimin, Thomas Harris, Ray Bradbury, and Edgar Allen Poe, Skipp has included some astonishingly polished emerging authors.
The pleasure of reading a good story is that you don’t want it to end. The wonderful thing with ‘Psychos’, at over six hundred pages, there are plenty of beginnings.
My review copy of Psychos thanks to the loveable people at Murdoch Books and Allen and Unwin Australia
February 22, 2015
My review of this one was quite funny, I thought, but not actually very helpful, so I thought I'd add an actual review of the actual book, in case someone wanted to actually know about it.
First point : how remarkable that the publishers list Ray Bradbury and Robert Bloch on the cover ("includes stories by") - these two are no longer modern, so I'm impressed that their names still ring out, as the slingers in The Wire say.
Second, of the 34 stories, five were crackers and have been added to the official list of PB's All Time Favourite Stories, which resides on this PC's desktop. They are :
Classical Scenes of Farewell by Jim Shepard (I need to read more of this guy)
Life with Father by Bentley Little
Intruder by John Boden
Willow Tests Well by Nick Matamas
The Mannerly Man by Mehitobel Wilson
Those were the ones which went over th edge of the cliff, howling. They took lunatic ideas about lunatics and found a fifth gear on their stick shifts.
A lot of the rest were okay, but as is the way of big anthologies, some were so bad I can only assume that the authors had got one of John Skipp's family members held hostage, or maybe he just owed them for saving his life, that would be the only explanation why they are here.
Maybe on kindles you can just download the individual tracks like on itunes and you don't have to buy the whole album. I don't know, I can't keep up with all this stuff.
First point : how remarkable that the publishers list Ray Bradbury and Robert Bloch on the cover ("includes stories by") - these two are no longer modern, so I'm impressed that their names still ring out, as the slingers in The Wire say.
Second, of the 34 stories, five were crackers and have been added to the official list of PB's All Time Favourite Stories, which resides on this PC's desktop. They are :
Classical Scenes of Farewell by Jim Shepard (I need to read more of this guy)
Life with Father by Bentley Little
Intruder by John Boden
Willow Tests Well by Nick Matamas
The Mannerly Man by Mehitobel Wilson
Those were the ones which went over th edge of the cliff, howling. They took lunatic ideas about lunatics and found a fifth gear on their stick shifts.
A lot of the rest were okay, but as is the way of big anthologies, some were so bad I can only assume that the authors had got one of John Skipp's family members held hostage, or maybe he just owed them for saving his life, that would be the only explanation why they are here.
Maybe on kindles you can just download the individual tracks like on itunes and you don't have to buy the whole album. I don't know, I can't keep up with all this stuff.
September 26, 2012
*Won through a Goodreads Giveaway*
Psychos: Serial Killers, Depraved Madmen, and the Criminally Insane is a collection of short stories that center around psychos, hence the name. John Skipp uses commentary before every story to set up the story or express why it's included in the collection. In the forward, Skipp points out that the killers in this particular collection could be just as real as we are. They don't have any supernatural powers or are mythical creatures from the depths or hell. They are our brothers, daughters, librarians, teachers, or any stranger we come in contact with. There characters all have snapped in some way. Either it was one too many abusive incidents, a look in their direction, or just a crazy baby who's mad at their parents for bringing them into the world outside of the mother's womb.
Most of these authors I have not heard of so I felt very excited to be introduced to them in this fashion. Neil Gaiman, Ray Bradbury, Bentley Little and thirty three other authors grace the pages with their gore and stories of insanity or in some cases, complete sanity. The names I was familiar with were Jack Ketchum, Thomas Harris (an excerpt from Red Dragon), and Edgar Allen Poe.
My favorite short story from this collection is "Small Assassin" by Ray Bradbury. It is a story of a woman who thinks her new-born baby is on a mission to kill her. My first thought is that the woman has post-partum but things get weird pretty quickly. Another that stands out for me is "Incident On and Off a Mountain Road" by Joe R Lansdale. "Murder for Beginners" by Mercedes M. Yardley was absolutely hilarious in a crazy way. "Life With Father" by Bently Little will make anyone think twice about recycling.
Of course this collection has stories that I will probably never think twice about but overall the collection here is pretty sound. I'm so excited I won this because it is my type of reading exactly. It's also introduced me to authors I would have never heard of before. I look forward to searching for works by the authors in this book. This is a must-read for lovers of short stories.
Psychos: Serial Killers, Depraved Madmen, and the Criminally Insane is a collection of short stories that center around psychos, hence the name. John Skipp uses commentary before every story to set up the story or express why it's included in the collection. In the forward, Skipp points out that the killers in this particular collection could be just as real as we are. They don't have any supernatural powers or are mythical creatures from the depths or hell. They are our brothers, daughters, librarians, teachers, or any stranger we come in contact with. There characters all have snapped in some way. Either it was one too many abusive incidents, a look in their direction, or just a crazy baby who's mad at their parents for bringing them into the world outside of the mother's womb.
Most of these authors I have not heard of so I felt very excited to be introduced to them in this fashion. Neil Gaiman, Ray Bradbury, Bentley Little and thirty three other authors grace the pages with their gore and stories of insanity or in some cases, complete sanity. The names I was familiar with were Jack Ketchum, Thomas Harris (an excerpt from Red Dragon), and Edgar Allen Poe.
My favorite short story from this collection is "Small Assassin" by Ray Bradbury. It is a story of a woman who thinks her new-born baby is on a mission to kill her. My first thought is that the woman has post-partum but things get weird pretty quickly. Another that stands out for me is "Incident On and Off a Mountain Road" by Joe R Lansdale. "Murder for Beginners" by Mercedes M. Yardley was absolutely hilarious in a crazy way. "Life With Father" by Bently Little will make anyone think twice about recycling.
Of course this collection has stories that I will probably never think twice about but overall the collection here is pretty sound. I'm so excited I won this because it is my type of reading exactly. It's also introduced me to authors I would have never heard of before. I look forward to searching for works by the authors in this book. This is a must-read for lovers of short stories.
December 6, 2015
Skipp serves up 38 stories about sociopaths and murderers, most modern rather than classics.
“Classical Scenes of Farewell” by Jim Shepard
An accomplice to a 15th century noble and murderer recounts their killings. This historical sort of fiction wasn’t my kind of thing, and it dragged. 2/5
“Hop Frog” by Edgar Allan Poe
Poe’s grotesque story of a court jester getting revenge was entertaining. 3/5
“Marmalade Wine” by Joan Aiken
A journalist yearning to be a poet stumbles upon a mysterious stranger in a cottage only to get caught up in his own lies. This was a fun one. 4/5
“The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell
A man washes ashore an island where murder is a sport. Suspenseful, and thrilling, this was a fun one. 4/5
“The Small Assassin” by Ray Bradbury
Parents suspect their newborn is out to kill them. Bradbury delivers a twisted and suspenseful tale. 5/5
“Lucy Comes to Stay” by Robert Bloch
Bloch writes about a mentally ill woman with a friend. I enjoyed the twist ending. 4/5
“Marla’s Eyes” by Ed Kurtz
A man hires a maid who has his deceased wife’s eyes, and the rest gets dark from there. 4/5
“The Liar” by Laura Lee Bahr
A six year old girl must discern truth from lies when her older sister takes captive a rapist in the basement—a gripping and powerful story. 5/5
“The Paperhanger” by William Gay
Bleak and philosophical, this story of a paperhanger involved in the case of a missing child, and nameless characters had me thinking. 3/5
“Red Dragon” by Thomas Harris
The chapter from the novel introducing Hannibal Lecter—just read the novel.
“The Exit at Toledo Blade Boulevard” by Jack Ketchum
Several people driving along Toledo Blade Boulevard try to find meaning in the tragedy of their lives. This offered snapshots of lives struggling to find their way, yet leaves a lot of questions. 4/5
“The Incident On and Off a Mountain Road” by Joe R. Lansdale
A woman gets into an accident on a mountain road, and becomes pursued by a murderer. The suspense and action made for a page turner. 4/5
“Murder for Beginners” by Mercedes M. Yardley
A humorous story about two women who’ve murdered someone’s husband—a fun little read. 4/5
“Jesse” by Steve Rasnic Tem
An unreliable narrator has a friend who invites him over to see his dead parents’ bodies. The detachment of the narrator made this disturbing. 4/5
“In for a Penny” by Lawrence Block
An ex-convict tries to stay away from relapsing back into crime. The ending made up for the dullness of the story. 3/5
“Now Hold Still” by David J. Schow
An unnamed narrator addresses the reader to think about love, and the people who’ve hurt us, and those we’ve hurt through a story of a couple planning a murder list. It was short, but stood out in its style and execution. 4/5
“Feminine Endings” by Neil Gaiman
A human statue’s love letter to a woman presents an intriguing character. 4/5
“Going Solo” by Leah Mann
A short about breaking up relationships and being self-sufficient—sort of how I think of people connecting—I enjoyed the idea and wanted more from it. 4/5
“Death-in-Life Love Song” by Kevin L. Donihe
A two page story of love and death. Though well-written and poetic, I wasn’t sure if I understood it. 3/5
“Ralph and Jerry” by Leslianne Wilder
A sad story about a mentally ill guy on the streets with nowhere and no one to go to—and again he harms others. 4/5
“And What Did You See in the World?” by Norman Partridge
I loved how this started with a seemingly predictable idea, then revealed itself as a love story of a couple with a strange arrangement. The title notes the theme of noticing and being sensitive to the good, bad, and everything in the world. 5/5
“Life with Father” by Bentley Little
Little presents a messed up story on recycling taken to the extreme. 4/5
“The Shallow End of the Pool” by Adam-Troy Castro
A divorced couple makes amends by raising their daughter and son in anticipation for a fight to the death. Action-packed and intense, the longest story here captivated my attention. 4/5
“Mommy Picks Me Up at Day Care” by John Gorumba
A toddler tries to make sense of his Mommy’s madness—disturbing subject matter given the innocence of the character. 4/5
“When the Zoos Close Down, They’ll Come for Us” by Violet Lavoit
A daughter of a neo-Nazi family manages to escape when they try to make her reproduce. Interesting, but racist. 3/5
“All Through the House” by Christopher Coake
Another longer piece about a sheriff who’s friend murdered his family. I enjoyed the depth, intrigue, and way the structure kept going back in time as the characters’ motivations become uncovered, and led back to when the sheriff and murderer were childhood friends. 5/5
“Intruder” John Boden
An intruder with OCD pays a house visit. This story was both disturbing and funny at the same time. 4/5
“Straycation” by Scott Bradley and Peter Giglio
A nod to Thomas Harris brings an FBI secretary on vacation looking for stray dogs. 4/5
“Life Coach” by Cody Goodfellow
This one in 2nd person took a weird turn when a woman (you) snaps and lets her dog loose on someone else—mayhem ensues. This was fun, bloody, and out of control. 5/5
“Righteous” by Weston Ochse
A veteran suffers PTSD after his son dies at war. He tries to make amends by taking the lives of others. 3/5
“The Meaning of Life” by Amelia Beamer
The idea of sociopaths having a history of animal cruelty isn’t new, and though this was predictable, it was powerful. 5/5
“Damaged Goods” by Elizabeth Massie
Weird, and sexually explicit, this was not my thing. 2/5
“Willow Tests Well” by Nick Mamatas
An interesting idea of a girl tested by the FBI for having sociopathic tendencies—still it felt more like an outline given the telling about her growing up. 3/5
“Serenity Now” by Simon McCaffery
A virus strikes, and the narrator seems to be responsible—not my kind of story, too large scale for me, though the ending worked well. 3/5
“The Mannerly Man” by Mehitobel Wilson
A dystopian society where manners run how people interact, and any stranger can be anyone else. This was interesting, though not my kind of thing. 3/5
“Sensible Violence” by Brian Hodge
A Norwegian sociopath tries to help the world in his own way. I’m not sure I understood the character, and the 2nd person POV made it odd to follow.3/5
“Bucky Goes to Church” by Robert Devereaux
A boy with a history of being bullied and victimized snaps and decides to go on a murder spree. The story takes a unique turn with a glimpse into the afterlife, and the meaning of existence. 4/5
“At Eventide” by Kathe Koja
A dying murderer tries to pay a visit to one of his victims. I didn’t get this at all, but it had some vivid imagery. 3/5
Also included: the afterword by the editor, Appendix A (A Devil in My View: Psychos in Popular Culture by Cody Goodfellow) covers sociopaths in literature and film, and Appendix B: The Albert Fish Letter—a disturbing and true account of a cannibal. Overall, this was a strong anthology with consistent and captivating stories about the potential for evil inside all of us as human beings. 3.8/5
“Classical Scenes of Farewell” by Jim Shepard
An accomplice to a 15th century noble and murderer recounts their killings. This historical sort of fiction wasn’t my kind of thing, and it dragged. 2/5
“Hop Frog” by Edgar Allan Poe
Poe’s grotesque story of a court jester getting revenge was entertaining. 3/5
“Marmalade Wine” by Joan Aiken
A journalist yearning to be a poet stumbles upon a mysterious stranger in a cottage only to get caught up in his own lies. This was a fun one. 4/5
“The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell
A man washes ashore an island where murder is a sport. Suspenseful, and thrilling, this was a fun one. 4/5
“The Small Assassin” by Ray Bradbury
Parents suspect their newborn is out to kill them. Bradbury delivers a twisted and suspenseful tale. 5/5
“Lucy Comes to Stay” by Robert Bloch
Bloch writes about a mentally ill woman with a friend. I enjoyed the twist ending. 4/5
“Marla’s Eyes” by Ed Kurtz
A man hires a maid who has his deceased wife’s eyes, and the rest gets dark from there. 4/5
“The Liar” by Laura Lee Bahr
A six year old girl must discern truth from lies when her older sister takes captive a rapist in the basement—a gripping and powerful story. 5/5
“The Paperhanger” by William Gay
Bleak and philosophical, this story of a paperhanger involved in the case of a missing child, and nameless characters had me thinking. 3/5
“Red Dragon” by Thomas Harris
The chapter from the novel introducing Hannibal Lecter—just read the novel.
“The Exit at Toledo Blade Boulevard” by Jack Ketchum
Several people driving along Toledo Blade Boulevard try to find meaning in the tragedy of their lives. This offered snapshots of lives struggling to find their way, yet leaves a lot of questions. 4/5
“The Incident On and Off a Mountain Road” by Joe R. Lansdale
A woman gets into an accident on a mountain road, and becomes pursued by a murderer. The suspense and action made for a page turner. 4/5
“Murder for Beginners” by Mercedes M. Yardley
A humorous story about two women who’ve murdered someone’s husband—a fun little read. 4/5
“Jesse” by Steve Rasnic Tem
An unreliable narrator has a friend who invites him over to see his dead parents’ bodies. The detachment of the narrator made this disturbing. 4/5
“In for a Penny” by Lawrence Block
An ex-convict tries to stay away from relapsing back into crime. The ending made up for the dullness of the story. 3/5
“Now Hold Still” by David J. Schow
An unnamed narrator addresses the reader to think about love, and the people who’ve hurt us, and those we’ve hurt through a story of a couple planning a murder list. It was short, but stood out in its style and execution. 4/5
“Feminine Endings” by Neil Gaiman
A human statue’s love letter to a woman presents an intriguing character. 4/5
“Going Solo” by Leah Mann
A short about breaking up relationships and being self-sufficient—sort of how I think of people connecting—I enjoyed the idea and wanted more from it. 4/5
“Death-in-Life Love Song” by Kevin L. Donihe
A two page story of love and death. Though well-written and poetic, I wasn’t sure if I understood it. 3/5
“Ralph and Jerry” by Leslianne Wilder
A sad story about a mentally ill guy on the streets with nowhere and no one to go to—and again he harms others. 4/5
“And What Did You See in the World?” by Norman Partridge
I loved how this started with a seemingly predictable idea, then revealed itself as a love story of a couple with a strange arrangement. The title notes the theme of noticing and being sensitive to the good, bad, and everything in the world. 5/5
“Life with Father” by Bentley Little
Little presents a messed up story on recycling taken to the extreme. 4/5
“The Shallow End of the Pool” by Adam-Troy Castro
A divorced couple makes amends by raising their daughter and son in anticipation for a fight to the death. Action-packed and intense, the longest story here captivated my attention. 4/5
“Mommy Picks Me Up at Day Care” by John Gorumba
A toddler tries to make sense of his Mommy’s madness—disturbing subject matter given the innocence of the character. 4/5
“When the Zoos Close Down, They’ll Come for Us” by Violet Lavoit
A daughter of a neo-Nazi family manages to escape when they try to make her reproduce. Interesting, but racist. 3/5
“All Through the House” by Christopher Coake
Another longer piece about a sheriff who’s friend murdered his family. I enjoyed the depth, intrigue, and way the structure kept going back in time as the characters’ motivations become uncovered, and led back to when the sheriff and murderer were childhood friends. 5/5
“Intruder” John Boden
An intruder with OCD pays a house visit. This story was both disturbing and funny at the same time. 4/5
“Straycation” by Scott Bradley and Peter Giglio
A nod to Thomas Harris brings an FBI secretary on vacation looking for stray dogs. 4/5
“Life Coach” by Cody Goodfellow
This one in 2nd person took a weird turn when a woman (you) snaps and lets her dog loose on someone else—mayhem ensues. This was fun, bloody, and out of control. 5/5
“Righteous” by Weston Ochse
A veteran suffers PTSD after his son dies at war. He tries to make amends by taking the lives of others. 3/5
“The Meaning of Life” by Amelia Beamer
The idea of sociopaths having a history of animal cruelty isn’t new, and though this was predictable, it was powerful. 5/5
“Damaged Goods” by Elizabeth Massie
Weird, and sexually explicit, this was not my thing. 2/5
“Willow Tests Well” by Nick Mamatas
An interesting idea of a girl tested by the FBI for having sociopathic tendencies—still it felt more like an outline given the telling about her growing up. 3/5
“Serenity Now” by Simon McCaffery
A virus strikes, and the narrator seems to be responsible—not my kind of story, too large scale for me, though the ending worked well. 3/5
“The Mannerly Man” by Mehitobel Wilson
A dystopian society where manners run how people interact, and any stranger can be anyone else. This was interesting, though not my kind of thing. 3/5
“Sensible Violence” by Brian Hodge
A Norwegian sociopath tries to help the world in his own way. I’m not sure I understood the character, and the 2nd person POV made it odd to follow.3/5
“Bucky Goes to Church” by Robert Devereaux
A boy with a history of being bullied and victimized snaps and decides to go on a murder spree. The story takes a unique turn with a glimpse into the afterlife, and the meaning of existence. 4/5
“At Eventide” by Kathe Koja
A dying murderer tries to pay a visit to one of his victims. I didn’t get this at all, but it had some vivid imagery. 3/5
Also included: the afterword by the editor, Appendix A (A Devil in My View: Psychos in Popular Culture by Cody Goodfellow) covers sociopaths in literature and film, and Appendix B: The Albert Fish Letter—a disturbing and true account of a cannibal. Overall, this was a strong anthology with consistent and captivating stories about the potential for evil inside all of us as human beings. 3.8/5
October 9, 2012
*Won through a Goodreads Giveaway*
This book is 601 pages of nasty. A more detailed, accurate title would be Psychos: People Who Eat Children and Tear Apart Cats. I love feeling the thrill of fear, but I don't like reading about graphic disembowlments and other yuckety yuck stuff. There were a few stories in this anthology that I really did enjoy--"The Most Dangerous Game" is an old favorite, and I was intrigued enough by the "Red Dragon" excerpt that I went out and bought the series. However, the majority of the stories made me squeamish at best. The exact moment when I knew this book and I weren't destined to be BFF's was while reading about a resourceful unarmed woman pursued by a serial killer, who whacks her attacher with a dead baby. I won't go into detail, but it is NASTY. I guess a warning sign of psychosis is when you start using decomposing infants as clubs.
So if you're like me and you enjoy the fear that comes from suspense and clever criminals, this is probably not the book for you. Quite frankly, you'd have to be more than a little psychotic yourself to enjoy reading these stories.
This book is 601 pages of nasty. A more detailed, accurate title would be Psychos: People Who Eat Children and Tear Apart Cats. I love feeling the thrill of fear, but I don't like reading about graphic disembowlments and other yuckety yuck stuff. There were a few stories in this anthology that I really did enjoy--"The Most Dangerous Game" is an old favorite, and I was intrigued enough by the "Red Dragon" excerpt that I went out and bought the series. However, the majority of the stories made me squeamish at best. The exact moment when I knew this book and I weren't destined to be BFF's was while reading about a resourceful unarmed woman pursued by a serial killer, who whacks her attacher with a dead baby. I won't go into detail, but it is NASTY. I guess a warning sign of psychosis is when you start using decomposing infants as clubs.
So if you're like me and you enjoy the fear that comes from suspense and clever criminals, this is probably not the book for you. Quite frankly, you'd have to be more than a little psychotic yourself to enjoy reading these stories.
February 1, 2014
Psychos and serial killers are so prevelant in popular culture these days, they're like VW beetles on the highway. Once you see one, you see a multitude. Actually, you're more likely to see a psycho thumbing a ride on the highway than you are to see a lovebug putting down the road.
For this anthology, John Skipp has assembled a veritable who's who of authors from today and yesteryear. Thirty-five stories in all, and when you pick up a trade paperback copy, rather than download it to your ereader, you feel the weight of every demented page.
If there's one story that made the book worthwhile, it had to be Adam-Troy Castro's "The Shallow End of the Pool." I had heard about this story a few years ago, but as a novella it was near impossible to find, so it was an added bonus to find it in the table of contents for this anthology. It tells the story of a teen girl accompanying her father into the desert to visit her estranged mother, and to meet her brother for the first time. This is about the furthest thing from a conventional family reunion, though. It proceeds along with a very matter-of-fact style, simply showing the scene as it happens as they all prepare for winds up being a fight to the death between brother and sister, all for the honor of one of the parents. It's riveting, to say the least.
"Incident On and Off a Mountain Road" by Joe R. Lansdale was included, a taut little thriller I had previously read as a separate offering on Kindle. Among the other stalwarts in the book, Bentley Little's "Life with Father" and its unsettling portrayal of two young girls living with a deranged father did its part in sending a shiver up my spine, too.
In the up-and-coming department, "Marla's Eyes" by Ed Kurtz showed off an appreciation for the old British gothic touch with a super creepy ending. Also, Mercedes M. Yardley's "Murder for Beginners" is one more reason to seek out Yardley's work in all its forms. "Righteous" by Weston Ochse took a slightly different tact with a grieving man's last violent act.
Throw in an all-star table of contents that features the likes of Jack Ketchum, Kathe Koja, Lawrence Block, and Neil Gaiman, and you have a weighty anthology that is bound to entertain you--and disturb you in the process.
For this anthology, John Skipp has assembled a veritable who's who of authors from today and yesteryear. Thirty-five stories in all, and when you pick up a trade paperback copy, rather than download it to your ereader, you feel the weight of every demented page.
If there's one story that made the book worthwhile, it had to be Adam-Troy Castro's "The Shallow End of the Pool." I had heard about this story a few years ago, but as a novella it was near impossible to find, so it was an added bonus to find it in the table of contents for this anthology. It tells the story of a teen girl accompanying her father into the desert to visit her estranged mother, and to meet her brother for the first time. This is about the furthest thing from a conventional family reunion, though. It proceeds along with a very matter-of-fact style, simply showing the scene as it happens as they all prepare for winds up being a fight to the death between brother and sister, all for the honor of one of the parents. It's riveting, to say the least.
"Incident On and Off a Mountain Road" by Joe R. Lansdale was included, a taut little thriller I had previously read as a separate offering on Kindle. Among the other stalwarts in the book, Bentley Little's "Life with Father" and its unsettling portrayal of two young girls living with a deranged father did its part in sending a shiver up my spine, too.
In the up-and-coming department, "Marla's Eyes" by Ed Kurtz showed off an appreciation for the old British gothic touch with a super creepy ending. Also, Mercedes M. Yardley's "Murder for Beginners" is one more reason to seek out Yardley's work in all its forms. "Righteous" by Weston Ochse took a slightly different tact with a grieving man's last violent act.
Throw in an all-star table of contents that features the likes of Jack Ketchum, Kathe Koja, Lawrence Block, and Neil Gaiman, and you have a weighty anthology that is bound to entertain you--and disturb you in the process.
February 24, 2017
What an AWESOME chunky book, filled with lots of creepy ass stories.
Early V-Day present from my bf! He knows me so well. ;)
Early V-Day present from my bf! He knows me so well. ;)
October 15, 2012
I like a good anthology and this is a good one. Although titled "Psychos, Serial Killers, Depraved Madmen, and the Criminally Insane," it bleeds over into the accidental and the justified killers as well. I'm a sucker for a revenge story and there are a few contained in these pages. Add to that the writers who always make me squirm like E.A. Poe and Thomas Harris and it just gets better and better. Then there are the surprises. Jack Ketchum has kept me up nights--and not in a good way--and yet his story "The Exit at Toledo Blade Boulevard," broke my heart. Anyone with children will relate to "Mommy Picks Me Up at Daycare," whether they are honest enough to admit it or not. John Boden's story "Intruder" made me check my locks twice and boil my tooth brush. I live in terror of the possibility that "Bucky Goes to Church" could become my grandsons' own personal story. This book whispered bad things in my ear, screamed at me, and slapped me more than once.
This book is big, not just in content but in size. You can't carry it around in your purse or read it in bed unless you are prepared for an upper body workout. Here, bigger is better and I would heartily recommend this anthology to anyone who likes murder and mayhem and perhaps a broken heart along the way.
This book is big, not just in content but in size. You can't carry it around in your purse or read it in bed unless you are prepared for an upper body workout. Here, bigger is better and I would heartily recommend this anthology to anyone who likes murder and mayhem and perhaps a broken heart along the way.
October 2, 2015
Need to be reviewed.
September 25, 2018
3.5/5
This is an interesting anthology. There are some really strange and fascinating short stories in here. I had a few favorites that I really liked and those that I hated; the rest of the stories were in the middle. I would recommend this for anyone wanting different takes on psychopaths and the mentally disturbed.
Favorites:
"Marmalade Wine" by Joan Aiken
"The Small Assassin" by Ray Bradbury
"Lucy Comes to Stay" by Robert Bloch
"Murder for Beginners" by Mercedes M. Yardley (I would read a whole book like this - Amazing!)
Least Favorites:
"Classical Scenes of Farewell" by Jim Shepard
"Damaged Goods" by Elizabeth Massie
This is an interesting anthology. There are some really strange and fascinating short stories in here. I had a few favorites that I really liked and those that I hated; the rest of the stories were in the middle. I would recommend this for anyone wanting different takes on psychopaths and the mentally disturbed.
Favorites:
"Marmalade Wine" by Joan Aiken
"The Small Assassin" by Ray Bradbury
"Lucy Comes to Stay" by Robert Bloch
"Murder for Beginners" by Mercedes M. Yardley (I would read a whole book like this - Amazing!)
Least Favorites:
"Classical Scenes of Farewell" by Jim Shepard
"Damaged Goods" by Elizabeth Massie
May 1, 2018
One of the better short story collections I have read to date. Filled with artfully realistic psychos and bone-chilling stories, that managed to make me feel uneasy despite years of growing immune to horror tales.
August 13, 2012
I got an advanced e-copy of this book through NetGalley. This anthology is edited by John Skipp, and collects a very wide selection of stories involving murderous psychos from various perspectives, some humorous, some chilling. Authors include classics like Poe, Bradbury, Gaiman, Thomas Harris, Lansdale, Bentley Little, Elizabeth Massie, Robert Devereaux, Kathe Koja, and others. To me the absolute chills-down-the-spine standout piece that made the whole anthology worth it was "All Through the House" by Christopher Coake, an author I was unfamiliar with. Skipp gives a brief intro to each story, and in numerous places "warns" the reader how freaky the upcoming story is going to be, but "All Through the House" was one of the only ones that really lived up to that for me. It focuses on a mass murder mainly from the viewpoint of the murderer's best friend, who suffers tremendous survivor's guilt. But the genius of the story is the way it creates a truly haunting (and haunted) sense of history about the location by slipping back in time before the murders, then moving forward to even after the house is burnt down, then backing up to before it was burnt down and a true crime writer was visiting to exploit the event for her own purposes. Another stunningly horrid (in a good way, for a psycho anthology) story was John Gorumba's "Mommy Picks Me Up at Day Care," written very believably from the viewpoint of a little boy. The boy's mother "snaps" and the author is unflinching in the way he shows this young child's mind trying to process and cope with the situation in his limited way. Meanwhile, as the reader you're able to translate the child's perceptions, so you realize what's really happening. Very clever. Included in the appendix is a very thorough and thoughtful afterword about psychos in popular culture by Cody Goodfellow, and then the actual letter sent from cannibal murderer Albert Fish to the mother of one of his victims. It's not for the squeamish. I feel the book as a whole is pretty well done, the second half being more rewarding than the first. The "centerpiece" of the book is a novella by Adam-Troy Castro called "The Shallow End of the Pool," but unfortunately for me it was one of my least favorite in the book. That might just be because it wasn't what I was really hoping for, based on the theme. For other people it might be very worthy precisely because of that, since it's not what you would expect.
July 29, 2014
*** I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads ***
This book is an anthology of horror stories based on the biggest evil of all: Humans. They were collected and combined for the reader by John Skipp with a brief introduction/afterward and individual introductions to each of the stories. Skipp states, “For most folks, the monster of choice is other people.” This idea is one I’ve held forever. I can laugh at horror stories about vampires or demons. But reading true accounts of torture or murder can make my skin crawl. Yet, I’ll keep reading… and this book is perfect for anyone with a little morbid curiosity. Skipp’s writing style is informal and appreciated with this type of book. I was excited to read stories by some of my favorite authors: Neil Gaiman, Thomas Harris, Edgar Allan Poe, and Jack Ketchum. I was familiar with some, like Harris' Red Dragon and Poe's Hop-Frog. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find some stories that were new and terrifyingly entertaining. The Shallow End of the Pool by Adam-Troy Castro was captivating. Twins are raised separately and forced to fight to the death in order to end some unknown disagreement between their parents. Amelia Beamer’s The Meaning of Life narrates a little boy’s journey to becoming a serial killer… from the innocent squishing of a butterfly to more fatal endeavors. Each and every story is a gem and I highly recommend reading it.
This book is an anthology of horror stories based on the biggest evil of all: Humans. They were collected and combined for the reader by John Skipp with a brief introduction/afterward and individual introductions to each of the stories. Skipp states, “For most folks, the monster of choice is other people.” This idea is one I’ve held forever. I can laugh at horror stories about vampires or demons. But reading true accounts of torture or murder can make my skin crawl. Yet, I’ll keep reading… and this book is perfect for anyone with a little morbid curiosity. Skipp’s writing style is informal and appreciated with this type of book. I was excited to read stories by some of my favorite authors: Neil Gaiman, Thomas Harris, Edgar Allan Poe, and Jack Ketchum. I was familiar with some, like Harris' Red Dragon and Poe's Hop-Frog. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find some stories that were new and terrifyingly entertaining. The Shallow End of the Pool by Adam-Troy Castro was captivating. Twins are raised separately and forced to fight to the death in order to end some unknown disagreement between their parents. Amelia Beamer’s The Meaning of Life narrates a little boy’s journey to becoming a serial killer… from the innocent squishing of a butterfly to more fatal endeavors. Each and every story is a gem and I highly recommend reading it.
April 15, 2013
REVIEWED: Psychos: Serial Killers, Depraved Madmen, and the Criminally Insane
EDITED BY: John Skipp
PUBLISHED: September, 2012
It’s hard to say that new John Skipp anthologies are better than the ones before it, because each of his books are a treasure of fiction stories. So with that being said, if you were a fan of his earlier anthologies, “ZOMBIES” or “WEREWOLVES” or “DEMONS,” this latest, “PSYCHOS,” meets the same level of quality horror and depth of genre you may have found before. It’s another immense collection, clocking in at about 600 pages, oversize trim, and 38 stories, plus introduction and various appendices. As before, the book also covers historic fiction, famous reprints, and plenty of new works by some of the best names in dark fiction, such as Neil Gaimon, Jack Ketchum, Joe R. Lansdale, Steve Rasnic Tem, and Bentley Little. Some of my personal favorite stories in this book include the Stoker-nominated tale, “Righteous,” by Weston Ochse, the seminal “Lucy Comes To Stay,” by Robert Bloch, “The Shallow End of the Pool,” by Adam-Troy Castro, “Damaged Goods,” by Elizabeth Massie, and “The Small Assassin” by Ray Bradbury.
Five out of Five stars
EDITED BY: John Skipp
PUBLISHED: September, 2012
It’s hard to say that new John Skipp anthologies are better than the ones before it, because each of his books are a treasure of fiction stories. So with that being said, if you were a fan of his earlier anthologies, “ZOMBIES” or “WEREWOLVES” or “DEMONS,” this latest, “PSYCHOS,” meets the same level of quality horror and depth of genre you may have found before. It’s another immense collection, clocking in at about 600 pages, oversize trim, and 38 stories, plus introduction and various appendices. As before, the book also covers historic fiction, famous reprints, and plenty of new works by some of the best names in dark fiction, such as Neil Gaimon, Jack Ketchum, Joe R. Lansdale, Steve Rasnic Tem, and Bentley Little. Some of my personal favorite stories in this book include the Stoker-nominated tale, “Righteous,” by Weston Ochse, the seminal “Lucy Comes To Stay,” by Robert Bloch, “The Shallow End of the Pool,” by Adam-Troy Castro, “Damaged Goods,” by Elizabeth Massie, and “The Small Assassin” by Ray Bradbury.
Five out of Five stars
December 3, 2021
This collection of twisted short stories has been on my radar for a while. I finally found a copy at a local Half Price Books store. It is a massive collection with 38 stories, including several works by some of my favorite authors. There are a few excellent entries, and more than a few that did not work for me. Here are the standouts:
Hop Frog - Edgar Allen Poe - Parable about power and revenge involving a King, a Fool/Jester, and the Jester's female friend and fellow captive
The Most Dangerous Game - Richard Connell - read this classic originally when I was a child. I probably appreciated it more this time around
Incident on and off a Mountain Road - Joe Landsdale - A woman driving on a deserted mountain road collides with a Serial Killer's vehicle. A deadly cat and mouse chase ensues, complete with a brilliantly bent conclusion. Disturbing imagery abounds
In for a Penny - Lawrence Block - A man does not walk into a bar, at least for the first 90% of this story by my favorite author. The man is a recently released ex-convict, and it turns out there is a good reason he does not walk into that bar
Top 3
Feminine Endings - Neil Gaiman - Stalker tale about a man who performs as a living statue, and the object of his desire. Loved the ultra-creepy ending
All Through the House - Christopher Coake - Twisted love/friendship triangle turns tragic... told chronologically in reverse
...And my favorite...
The Paperhanger - William Gay - I am always biased when it comes to William Gay, and I had read this several years before in the excellent collection I Hate to See That Evening Sun Go Down . The title story of that collection remains one of my favorite short stories of all time. No one writes like William Gay, and he's firing on all cylinders in this tale of a missing little girl, her somewhat-entitled mother, and a man she hires to hang wallpaper. Fantastically twisted denouement.
Hop Frog - Edgar Allen Poe - Parable about power and revenge involving a King, a Fool/Jester, and the Jester's female friend and fellow captive
The Most Dangerous Game - Richard Connell - read this classic originally when I was a child. I probably appreciated it more this time around
Incident on and off a Mountain Road - Joe Landsdale - A woman driving on a deserted mountain road collides with a Serial Killer's vehicle. A deadly cat and mouse chase ensues, complete with a brilliantly bent conclusion. Disturbing imagery abounds
In for a Penny - Lawrence Block - A man does not walk into a bar, at least for the first 90% of this story by my favorite author. The man is a recently released ex-convict, and it turns out there is a good reason he does not walk into that bar
Top 3
Feminine Endings - Neil Gaiman - Stalker tale about a man who performs as a living statue, and the object of his desire. Loved the ultra-creepy ending
All Through the House - Christopher Coake - Twisted love/friendship triangle turns tragic... told chronologically in reverse
...And my favorite...
The Paperhanger - William Gay - I am always biased when it comes to William Gay, and I had read this several years before in the excellent collection I Hate to See That Evening Sun Go Down . The title story of that collection remains one of my favorite short stories of all time. No one writes like William Gay, and he's firing on all cylinders in this tale of a missing little girl, her somewhat-entitled mother, and a man she hires to hang wallpaper. Fantastically twisted denouement.
August 18, 2023
A mixed bag of stories, some great, some terrible, others just alright. Ratings for each story listed below.
Classical Scenes of Farewell: 2/5
Hop Frog: 4/5
Marmalade Wine: 4/5
The Most Dangerous Game: 5/5
The Small Assassin: 5/5
Lucy Comes to Stay: 4/5
Marla’s Eyes: 4/5
The Liar: 3/5
The Paperhanger: 3/5
Red Dragon: 5/5
The Exit at Toledo Blade Boulevard: 3/5
Incident On and Off a Mountain Road: 5/5
Murder For Beginners: 4/5
Jesse: 2/5
In For a Penny: 2/5
Now Hold Still: 2/5
Feminine Endings: 5/5
Going Solo: 2/5
Death-In-Life Love Song: 2/5
Ralph and Jerry: 4/5
And What Did You See in the World?: 4/5
Life With Father: 1/5
The Shallow End of the Pool: 3/5
Mommy Picks Me Up at Daycare: 5/5
When the Zoos Close Down, They’ll Come for Us: 1/5
All Through the House: 4/5
Intruder: 2/5
Straycation: 3/5
Life Coach: 2/5
Righteous: 4/5
The Meaning of Life: 1/5
Damaged Goods: 2/5
Willow Tests Well: 1/5
Serenity Now: 3/5
The Mannerly Man: 5/5
Sensible Violence: 1/5
Bucky Goes to Church: 1/5
At Eventide: 3/5
Classical Scenes of Farewell: 2/5
Hop Frog: 4/5
Marmalade Wine: 4/5
The Most Dangerous Game: 5/5
The Small Assassin: 5/5
Lucy Comes to Stay: 4/5
Marla’s Eyes: 4/5
The Liar: 3/5
The Paperhanger: 3/5
Red Dragon: 5/5
The Exit at Toledo Blade Boulevard: 3/5
Incident On and Off a Mountain Road: 5/5
Murder For Beginners: 4/5
Jesse: 2/5
In For a Penny: 2/5
Now Hold Still: 2/5
Feminine Endings: 5/5
Going Solo: 2/5
Death-In-Life Love Song: 2/5
Ralph and Jerry: 4/5
And What Did You See in the World?: 4/5
Life With Father: 1/5
The Shallow End of the Pool: 3/5
Mommy Picks Me Up at Daycare: 5/5
When the Zoos Close Down, They’ll Come for Us: 1/5
All Through the House: 4/5
Intruder: 2/5
Straycation: 3/5
Life Coach: 2/5
Righteous: 4/5
The Meaning of Life: 1/5
Damaged Goods: 2/5
Willow Tests Well: 1/5
Serenity Now: 3/5
The Mannerly Man: 5/5
Sensible Violence: 1/5
Bucky Goes to Church: 1/5
At Eventide: 3/5
March 9, 2023
Most of the stories in John Skip’s exploitatively-entitled Psychos are okay. A few stand out: “In for a Penny” by Lawrence Block (I’ve heard of that fellow somewhere), “Ralph and Jerry” by Leslianne Wilder (of whom I’ve never heard and by whom I could find nothing else) and “Sensible Violence” by Brian Hodge (whose anthology I’m now looking forward to reading). I skipped Cody Goodfellow’s “Life Coach,” Bradley & Giglio’s “Straycation,” and Amelia Beamer’s “The Meaning of Life” when I saw they were heading toward animal suffering. The decision to include Albert Fish’s letter likely was made by the same [type of] person who thought naming the book “Psychos” would attract the “right” people. If it attracts you, it worked.
August 29, 2022
When I picked it up, I knew nothing about the book save its title. I expected stories with a stronger mental health perspective about who and why these people are. Wrong. This is a fictional exploration into the depravity and gore of these types of persons, some of whom are really off the deep end. The stories were repulsive. Others, by well-known authors of the genre, were great; authors such as Edgar Allen Poe and Ray Bradbury. And still other stories were pretty pedestrian.
That being said, if you have a strong stomach, you may enjoy this book. While I can't say I enjoyed it, the book was intriguing, but I was unable to read many stories in one sitting. Too depraved.
That being said, if you have a strong stomach, you may enjoy this book. While I can't say I enjoyed it, the book was intriguing, but I was unable to read many stories in one sitting. Too depraved.
December 17, 2025
John Skipp compiles 38 stories of psycho killers and madmen (and women) into this massive anthology. Though it has ups and downs, most of the bloody tales are winners and the vicious tonal variety kept things fresh.
My top 5 favorite discoveries were:
1. "Feminine Endings" by Neil Gaiman
2. "The Shallow End of the Pool" by Adam-Troy Castro
3. "The Mannerly Man" by Mehitobel Wilson
4. "Classical Scenes of Farewell" by Jim Shepard
5. "Marla's Eyes" by Ed Kurtz
If you're a horror fan who prefers stories where the monster has a human face, this is highly recommended!
My top 5 favorite discoveries were:
1. "Feminine Endings" by Neil Gaiman
2. "The Shallow End of the Pool" by Adam-Troy Castro
3. "The Mannerly Man" by Mehitobel Wilson
4. "Classical Scenes of Farewell" by Jim Shepard
5. "Marla's Eyes" by Ed Kurtz
If you're a horror fan who prefers stories where the monster has a human face, this is highly recommended!
June 26, 2017
I liked the psycho murderer stories, especially All Through the House. But I felt very strongly that the pedophile/father-daughter rape stories could and should have been in a separate anthology for super psychos. Guess I should have read past "serial killers" in the subtitle of the book.
August 17, 2018
Good collection
As with any collection of short stories, some were ok & some were fantastic. Definitely several stories in this collection to fall into & have a hard time crawling out!
As with any collection of short stories, some were ok & some were fantastic. Definitely several stories in this collection to fall into & have a hard time crawling out!
August 2, 2019
Truly more of a horror anthology and sick, graphic horror, so I can’t even recommend it. I really, REALLY enjoyed the classic stuff “The Most Dangerous Game”, shorts from Poe and Ray Bradbury, but most of the contemporary stuff was too much for me.
February 21, 2023
There are quite a few really good stories in this collection, some that are just okay, and a handful that absolutely made me sick or angry and tainted my entire experience of reading this (i.e. "Life With Father" is a f***ing abomination). I'm definitely reading something lighter after this...
April 9, 2025
got this on interlibrary loan because i wanted some short stories and i remember some of these (the shallow end of the pool, life with father) from when i read this in middle school. often uncomfortable and just as often compelling, this is a really good compilation of stories!
July 11, 2020
The last three or four are good, the beginning was painfully student work.
July 24, 2025
The first story irks me, too perverted.
May 30, 2013
I must preface this review with an embarrassing fact: this anthology took me much longer to read than any other John Skipp production on which I've embarked, and with a very good reason that I will reveal in a moment. For the same very good reason, I will not be able to use any of the following book review cliches while describing my experience with PSYCHOS:
1. "I could not put it down"
2. "I could not stop turning the pages"
3. "I didn't want it to end"
What's my very good reason? It is the simple fact that PSYCHOS did its job and scared the bloody hell out of me. Although it's true that several of the works in this anthology are classics, and that I have read some of those classics many times in other collections (HOP-FROG, THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME), this anthology is no less disturbing for that familiarity. Those particular stories read as uncomfortable visits from some old (albeit criminally insane) friends.
Then there's the new stuff; new to me, anyway. The first time I had to walk away from PSYCHOS was upon finishing Laura Lee Bahr's THE LIAR. This story of a little girl's tortured life with her demented older sister so vividly recalls that first childhood experience of mistrusting someone who is supposed to be looking out for you that you cannot help but be emotionally transported to your younger, not-so-confident-that-someone-you-love-isn't-going-to-try-to-cram-you-down-the-garbage-disposal self. So I put my e-reader down for a while and walked away. I digested what I had read, and I made sure that I had turned on the background noise of a television for a while so my mind didn't wander back to the disturbing images of that tale against my bidding.
So began the vicious cycle. Time passed. I would recover and pick up PSYCHOS to continue reading. Then I would inevitably have to put it down again to recover.
That is not to say that every story in PSYCHOS elicited such reactions from me. Had it been so, this review wouldn't have been written until many months from now. Interspersed among all the truly disturbing stories were a few that seemed to be more of the "just for fun" horror variety. There's nothing wrong with those stories. They're brilliant. And they're the type of fare that most people who read horror for entertainment will turn to in order to be entertained. They'll also offer some minor amount of relief for your embattled humanity following stories like THE LIAR, or WILLOW TESTS WELL, or THE SHALLOW END OF THE POOL, or MARLA'S EYES.
Also, Skipp, your mad hatter tour guide through this midway of maniacs, doesn't let you off the ride when the last word of the last story is read. There are two appendices. The first is a brilliant dissection of deranged characters in literature and film by Skipp compatriot Cody Goodfellow, who himself contributed to the fiction in the anthology with a demented dog and real estate short titled LIFE COACH. The second appendix is the most disturbing piece in the book: a real-life letter from Albert Fish to the parents of a little girl he killed--and ate--in 1928. Within he describes exactly what he did. Far from entertainment, the letter is a stomach-churning reminder of just how evil real-life evil can be.
In Skipp's afterword, he states that his goal in compiling PSYCHOS was to offer "the kinds of insights that great dark fiction seems to best provide: connecting the psychological dots in ways that all but the best nonfiction is as yet unable to do." He most definitely accomplishes that goal. If you're strong enough to look at it, PSYCHOS is more than worth your time. However, the picture that is formed by the lines connecting those dots is not at all easy on the eyes.
1. "I could not put it down"
2. "I could not stop turning the pages"
3. "I didn't want it to end"
What's my very good reason? It is the simple fact that PSYCHOS did its job and scared the bloody hell out of me. Although it's true that several of the works in this anthology are classics, and that I have read some of those classics many times in other collections (HOP-FROG, THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME), this anthology is no less disturbing for that familiarity. Those particular stories read as uncomfortable visits from some old (albeit criminally insane) friends.
Then there's the new stuff; new to me, anyway. The first time I had to walk away from PSYCHOS was upon finishing Laura Lee Bahr's THE LIAR. This story of a little girl's tortured life with her demented older sister so vividly recalls that first childhood experience of mistrusting someone who is supposed to be looking out for you that you cannot help but be emotionally transported to your younger, not-so-confident-that-someone-you-love-isn't-going-to-try-to-cram-you-down-the-garbage-disposal self. So I put my e-reader down for a while and walked away. I digested what I had read, and I made sure that I had turned on the background noise of a television for a while so my mind didn't wander back to the disturbing images of that tale against my bidding.
So began the vicious cycle. Time passed. I would recover and pick up PSYCHOS to continue reading. Then I would inevitably have to put it down again to recover.
That is not to say that every story in PSYCHOS elicited such reactions from me. Had it been so, this review wouldn't have been written until many months from now. Interspersed among all the truly disturbing stories were a few that seemed to be more of the "just for fun" horror variety. There's nothing wrong with those stories. They're brilliant. And they're the type of fare that most people who read horror for entertainment will turn to in order to be entertained. They'll also offer some minor amount of relief for your embattled humanity following stories like THE LIAR, or WILLOW TESTS WELL, or THE SHALLOW END OF THE POOL, or MARLA'S EYES.
Also, Skipp, your mad hatter tour guide through this midway of maniacs, doesn't let you off the ride when the last word of the last story is read. There are two appendices. The first is a brilliant dissection of deranged characters in literature and film by Skipp compatriot Cody Goodfellow, who himself contributed to the fiction in the anthology with a demented dog and real estate short titled LIFE COACH. The second appendix is the most disturbing piece in the book: a real-life letter from Albert Fish to the parents of a little girl he killed--and ate--in 1928. Within he describes exactly what he did. Far from entertainment, the letter is a stomach-churning reminder of just how evil real-life evil can be.
In Skipp's afterword, he states that his goal in compiling PSYCHOS was to offer "the kinds of insights that great dark fiction seems to best provide: connecting the psychological dots in ways that all but the best nonfiction is as yet unable to do." He most definitely accomplishes that goal. If you're strong enough to look at it, PSYCHOS is more than worth your time. However, the picture that is formed by the lines connecting those dots is not at all easy on the eyes.
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"Righteous" by Weston Ochse - A man blows up the military recruiter who sent his son to die in Iraq.
"Intruder" by John Boden - wc
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This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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