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Psychomania: Killer Stories
When journalist Robert Stanhope arrives at the Crowsmoor asylum for the criminally insane to interview the institute's enigmatic director, Dr. Lionel Parrish, little does he realize that an apparently simple series of tests will lead him into a terrifying world of murder and insanity.…
In this chilling new anthology, compiled by multiple award-winning editor Stephen Jones, some of the biggest and brightest names in horror and crime fiction come together to bring you twisted tales of psychos, schizoids, and serial killers with occasional supernatural twists.
Reggie Oliver revives Edgar Allan Poe’s wily French detective, C. Auguste Dupin, and there is a new story from the popular British mystery series, "�Bryant & May”, by Christopher Fowler. Internationally best-selling author Michael Marshall also contributes to this collection with the return of The Straw Men conspiracy.
An original wraparound sequence in the style of John Llewellyn Probert sets the tone for this dark collection of stories, as well as a hitherto unpublished introduction by Robert Bloch, author of Psycho and the inspiration for Alfred Hitchcock’s famous film.
In this chilling new anthology, compiled by multiple award-winning editor Stephen Jones, some of the biggest and brightest names in horror and crime fiction come together to bring you twisted tales of psychos, schizoids, and serial killers with occasional supernatural twists.
Reggie Oliver revives Edgar Allan Poe’s wily French detective, C. Auguste Dupin, and there is a new story from the popular British mystery series, "�Bryant & May”, by Christopher Fowler. Internationally best-selling author Michael Marshall also contributes to this collection with the return of The Straw Men conspiracy.
An original wraparound sequence in the style of John Llewellyn Probert sets the tone for this dark collection of stories, as well as a hitherto unpublished introduction by Robert Bloch, author of Psycho and the inspiration for Alfred Hitchcock’s famous film.
544 pages, Paperback
First published October 17, 2013
54 people are currently reading
179 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Jones
277 books344 followersStephen Jones is an eighteen-time winner of the British Fantasy Award.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 29, 2018
3.5 Stars
Psychomania was an uneven but fun read. The wraparound story by John Llewellyn Probst was overdone and I guessed the "twist" pretty quickly. A lot of the stories were rather average but the great stories were on a whole other level. I rated every single story as I read so I won't go through them again but I will point out a few that I loved.
Essence by Mark Morris was my favorite story out of the whole collection. A husband & wife decide to bring home the wrong girl. So GOOD!
Failure by Michael Marshall - I didn't see the twist coming at all. MIND BLOWN. A father fears his son is a serial rapist.
Wide Shining Light by Rio Youers a man becomes reacquainted with an old friend who has a secret. Just so well written.
I found this book at a yard sale for a quarter and after searching Amazon I realized how rare this book is.
2 ratings?
If you can find this book cheap or for free its an entertaining read.
No rec
Psychomania was an uneven but fun read. The wraparound story by John Llewellyn Probst was overdone and I guessed the "twist" pretty quickly. A lot of the stories were rather average but the great stories were on a whole other level. I rated every single story as I read so I won't go through them again but I will point out a few that I loved.
Essence by Mark Morris was my favorite story out of the whole collection. A husband & wife decide to bring home the wrong girl. So GOOD!
Failure by Michael Marshall - I didn't see the twist coming at all. MIND BLOWN. A father fears his son is a serial rapist.
Wide Shining Light by Rio Youers a man becomes reacquainted with an old friend who has a secret. Just so well written.
I found this book at a yard sale for a quarter and after searching Amazon I realized how rare this book is.
2 ratings?
If you can find this book cheap or for free its an entertaining read.
No rec
March 25, 2014
Pros: frame story that pulls the collection together, high quality writing, diverse stories
Cons: some of the stories were more interesting than others
The collection starts off with an introduction by Robert Block, author of Psycho, followed by a prologue by John Llewellyn Probert. The prologue sets the theme and tone of the series, and gives it cohesion. There are periodic brakes in the collection that returns the reader to the prologue’s scenario. This is a great technique as it gives an inherent reason for the collection. The book ends with short bylines for the contributing authors. At the end of most of the bylines, is a paragraph or two explaining why the author wrote their story.
The quality of stories is consistently high. My reviews of the stories are, of course, subjective. I gave the scariest stories higher ratings as this is a horror anthology. There’s a good variety of tales, and while most of the stories deal with psychotic murderers, there are a few that don’t.
If you like stories of psychos, mysteries and / or scaring yourself, this is a fantastic collection.
***** Prologue, Casefiles & Epilogue by John Llewellyn Probert
A journalist goes for an interview with the head psychologist of a prison for the mentally insane, but before the interview, the psychologist insists on a quiz: to guess which case files he shares are true and which are false. - This is a frame story for the collection but has its own inner logic and conclusion. I was impressed that the casefiles segments refered to the stories around them, giving a real sense of cohesion to the collection.
**** “I Tell You It’s Love” by Joe Lansdale
A sadomasochistic couple experience true bliss. - A creepy story about what people will do for those they love.
*** “The Green Hour” by Reggie Oliver
Private detective Dupin is asked to help solve a series of murders associated with the Paris World’s Fair. - A classic ‘who done it’ with a few twists.
***** “The Secret Laws of the Universe” by Steve Rasnic Tem
Ed knows he can be more than he is, but not so long as his wife’s alive. - Ed’s casual attitude towards the talking inanimate objects and the deaths he causes is quite chilling.
***** “The Recompensing of Albano Pizar” by Basil Copper
A literary agent treats the widow of one of his former clients badly, and faces her terrible vengeance. - Another creepy and well written story. Reminded me of one of Poe’s stories.
**** “Night Soil Man” by David Sutton
A workman tries to hide from a bad influence of his past - I liked the story but found the dialect hard to read.
**** “Let My Smile Be Your Umbrella” Brian Hodge
The narrator has a one-sided discussion about an attempted suicide that should have succeeded. - An interesting story that deals with some deep issues. I’m not sure I understood the ending.
***** “The Trembling Living Wire” by Scott Edelman
Iz is a music teacher who will go to any lengths to help his most promising students reach their full potential. - A fabulous story about obsession.
***** “The Undertaker’s Sideline” by Robert Silverberg
An undertaker has an unexpected side business. - Brilliantly creepy.
**** “The Long Shift” by Joel Lane
Jim’s going for revenge against the manager who belittled and forced numerous people out of their company. - Loved the ending.
**** “The Man Who Photographed Beardsley” by Brian Lumley
A dedicated artist creates modelled photographs out of famous drawings. - More description of Beardsley’s work would have been helpful for those unfamiliar with his work (like me), but it’s not necessary to get the gist of the story.
**** “Hollywood Hannah” by Lisa Morton
A producer’s intern gets more of an education on the movie industry than she expected. - An interesting story about how little acts can eventually corrupt.
**** “I Spy” by Paul McAuley
An abused kid looks for what’s special in himself. - This was a sad, disturbing story.
*** “Reflections on the Critical Process” by Mike Carey
A book critic faces an author who is murderously unhappy by the review his gothic novel received. - While I enjoyed the critic’s sense of humour, the implausibility of the story made me lower its score. At no point does the protagonist think of calling the cops for help. It is, however, a true gothic tale.
**** “The Finger” by David Schow
A man watches in surprise as a finger bone he finds slowly grows into a monster. - The reasonable tone of the narrator somehow makes this story feel less horrific than it is.
***** “Hot Eyes, Cold Eyes” by Lawrence Block
An attractive woman, tired of the stares of men constantly following her, goes for a wild night on the town. - This story does a great job of showing the protagonist’s discomfort and has a great ending.
***1/2 “Hush… Hush, Sweet Shushie” by Jay Russell
A former child star’s wild ex-wife asks him for help. - An intriguing story with several flashbacks to flesh out the characters and situation.
**** “The Gatecrasher” by R. Chetwynd-Hayes
A seance unleashes a spirit that possesses a man and makes him do terrible things. - It centres on a creepy premise that is skillfully told.
**** “That Tiny Flutter of the Heart I Used to Call Love” by Robert Shearman
Karen’s older brother Nicholas teaches her a ritual to perform on her dolls that affects her later in life. - A disturbing story with a sudden ending.
***** “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe
The narrator’s evil deed comes to haunt him. - A brilliant story.
**** “Got to Kill Them All” by Dennis Etchison
A game show host plans revenge on his cheating wife. - An interesting story with a chilling ending.
***** “Essence” by Mark Morris
A middle aged couple target a college girl at a pub. - A very disturbing story.
*** “The Beach” by Michael Kelly
A woman bemoans her loneliness and the loss of growing up. - A sad, somewhat bleak story.
**** “Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper” by Robert Bloch
Sir Guy Hollis asks a psychiatrist’s help in tracking down Jack the Ripper in 1945 Chicago. - I rather enjoyed this story, though I predicted the ending. I should also point out that there is some now politically incorrect language used.
**** “See How They Run” by Ramsey Campbell
Mr. Foulsham is a juror at the trial of Mr. Fishwick. But his concerns about the case don’t end when the trial does. - A compelling read.
**** “Manners” by Conrad Williams
A man living on his own has an unusual diet. - The ambiguous ending allows for a few interpretations of what’s going on. (Though the author’s byline implies that the obvious ending is the correct one.)
***** “Bryant & May and the Seven Points” by Christopher Fowler
Two detectives investigate a side show for a missing spy. - A highly detailed story. Easily solved, but intriguing nonetheless.
*** “All the Birds Come Home to Roost” by Harlan Ellison
Michael Kirxby laments his past relationships, before his former lovers, inexplicably, start looking him up again. - A strange but interesting story that ends too soon.
***** “Wide-Shining Light” by Rio Youers
After separating from his wife, Martin attends a school reunion and meets up with his old best friend, Richard, who helps him get back on his feet in return for a favour later on. - A complex story with a satisfying conclusion.
***** “Feminine Endings” by Neil Gaiman
A man’s love letter to his beloved. - A creepy story with a fantastic ending.
***** “Eater” by Peter Crowther
It’s nighttime at a precinct where three guards are watching a serial killer who ate his victims. - This is a terrifying story.
**** “Mister Mellor Comes to Wyside” by Peter Crowther
Mr Mellor visits a new town. - A continuation of the previous story, with equally horrific connotations.
***** “Failure” by Michael Marshall
A man suspects that his son has taken a wrong turn in life regarding his treatment of women. - Fantastic plot with a great ending.
*** “The Only Ending We Have” by Kim Newman
The shower scene stand in for Hitchcock’s Psycho flees the studio with something precious. - An unsettling story with parallels to Psycho.
**** “Kriss Kross Applesauce” by Richard Christian Matheson
Mrs. Harris writes her annual Christmas letter. - The story’s short but packs quite a punch.
Cons: some of the stories were more interesting than others
The collection starts off with an introduction by Robert Block, author of Psycho, followed by a prologue by John Llewellyn Probert. The prologue sets the theme and tone of the series, and gives it cohesion. There are periodic brakes in the collection that returns the reader to the prologue’s scenario. This is a great technique as it gives an inherent reason for the collection. The book ends with short bylines for the contributing authors. At the end of most of the bylines, is a paragraph or two explaining why the author wrote their story.
The quality of stories is consistently high. My reviews of the stories are, of course, subjective. I gave the scariest stories higher ratings as this is a horror anthology. There’s a good variety of tales, and while most of the stories deal with psychotic murderers, there are a few that don’t.
If you like stories of psychos, mysteries and / or scaring yourself, this is a fantastic collection.
***** Prologue, Casefiles & Epilogue by John Llewellyn Probert
A journalist goes for an interview with the head psychologist of a prison for the mentally insane, but before the interview, the psychologist insists on a quiz: to guess which case files he shares are true and which are false. - This is a frame story for the collection but has its own inner logic and conclusion. I was impressed that the casefiles segments refered to the stories around them, giving a real sense of cohesion to the collection.
**** “I Tell You It’s Love” by Joe Lansdale
A sadomasochistic couple experience true bliss. - A creepy story about what people will do for those they love.
*** “The Green Hour” by Reggie Oliver
Private detective Dupin is asked to help solve a series of murders associated with the Paris World’s Fair. - A classic ‘who done it’ with a few twists.
***** “The Secret Laws of the Universe” by Steve Rasnic Tem
Ed knows he can be more than he is, but not so long as his wife’s alive. - Ed’s casual attitude towards the talking inanimate objects and the deaths he causes is quite chilling.
***** “The Recompensing of Albano Pizar” by Basil Copper
A literary agent treats the widow of one of his former clients badly, and faces her terrible vengeance. - Another creepy and well written story. Reminded me of one of Poe’s stories.
**** “Night Soil Man” by David Sutton
A workman tries to hide from a bad influence of his past - I liked the story but found the dialect hard to read.
**** “Let My Smile Be Your Umbrella” Brian Hodge
The narrator has a one-sided discussion about an attempted suicide that should have succeeded. - An interesting story that deals with some deep issues. I’m not sure I understood the ending.
***** “The Trembling Living Wire” by Scott Edelman
Iz is a music teacher who will go to any lengths to help his most promising students reach their full potential. - A fabulous story about obsession.
***** “The Undertaker’s Sideline” by Robert Silverberg
An undertaker has an unexpected side business. - Brilliantly creepy.
**** “The Long Shift” by Joel Lane
Jim’s going for revenge against the manager who belittled and forced numerous people out of their company. - Loved the ending.
**** “The Man Who Photographed Beardsley” by Brian Lumley
A dedicated artist creates modelled photographs out of famous drawings. - More description of Beardsley’s work would have been helpful for those unfamiliar with his work (like me), but it’s not necessary to get the gist of the story.
**** “Hollywood Hannah” by Lisa Morton
A producer’s intern gets more of an education on the movie industry than she expected. - An interesting story about how little acts can eventually corrupt.
**** “I Spy” by Paul McAuley
An abused kid looks for what’s special in himself. - This was a sad, disturbing story.
*** “Reflections on the Critical Process” by Mike Carey
A book critic faces an author who is murderously unhappy by the review his gothic novel received. - While I enjoyed the critic’s sense of humour, the implausibility of the story made me lower its score. At no point does the protagonist think of calling the cops for help. It is, however, a true gothic tale.
**** “The Finger” by David Schow
A man watches in surprise as a finger bone he finds slowly grows into a monster. - The reasonable tone of the narrator somehow makes this story feel less horrific than it is.
***** “Hot Eyes, Cold Eyes” by Lawrence Block
An attractive woman, tired of the stares of men constantly following her, goes for a wild night on the town. - This story does a great job of showing the protagonist’s discomfort and has a great ending.
***1/2 “Hush… Hush, Sweet Shushie” by Jay Russell
A former child star’s wild ex-wife asks him for help. - An intriguing story with several flashbacks to flesh out the characters and situation.
**** “The Gatecrasher” by R. Chetwynd-Hayes
A seance unleashes a spirit that possesses a man and makes him do terrible things. - It centres on a creepy premise that is skillfully told.
**** “That Tiny Flutter of the Heart I Used to Call Love” by Robert Shearman
Karen’s older brother Nicholas teaches her a ritual to perform on her dolls that affects her later in life. - A disturbing story with a sudden ending.
***** “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe
The narrator’s evil deed comes to haunt him. - A brilliant story.
**** “Got to Kill Them All” by Dennis Etchison
A game show host plans revenge on his cheating wife. - An interesting story with a chilling ending.
***** “Essence” by Mark Morris
A middle aged couple target a college girl at a pub. - A very disturbing story.
*** “The Beach” by Michael Kelly
A woman bemoans her loneliness and the loss of growing up. - A sad, somewhat bleak story.
**** “Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper” by Robert Bloch
Sir Guy Hollis asks a psychiatrist’s help in tracking down Jack the Ripper in 1945 Chicago. - I rather enjoyed this story, though I predicted the ending. I should also point out that there is some now politically incorrect language used.
**** “See How They Run” by Ramsey Campbell
Mr. Foulsham is a juror at the trial of Mr. Fishwick. But his concerns about the case don’t end when the trial does. - A compelling read.
**** “Manners” by Conrad Williams
A man living on his own has an unusual diet. - The ambiguous ending allows for a few interpretations of what’s going on. (Though the author’s byline implies that the obvious ending is the correct one.)
***** “Bryant & May and the Seven Points” by Christopher Fowler
Two detectives investigate a side show for a missing spy. - A highly detailed story. Easily solved, but intriguing nonetheless.
*** “All the Birds Come Home to Roost” by Harlan Ellison
Michael Kirxby laments his past relationships, before his former lovers, inexplicably, start looking him up again. - A strange but interesting story that ends too soon.
***** “Wide-Shining Light” by Rio Youers
After separating from his wife, Martin attends a school reunion and meets up with his old best friend, Richard, who helps him get back on his feet in return for a favour later on. - A complex story with a satisfying conclusion.
***** “Feminine Endings” by Neil Gaiman
A man’s love letter to his beloved. - A creepy story with a fantastic ending.
***** “Eater” by Peter Crowther
It’s nighttime at a precinct where three guards are watching a serial killer who ate his victims. - This is a terrifying story.
**** “Mister Mellor Comes to Wyside” by Peter Crowther
Mr Mellor visits a new town. - A continuation of the previous story, with equally horrific connotations.
***** “Failure” by Michael Marshall
A man suspects that his son has taken a wrong turn in life regarding his treatment of women. - Fantastic plot with a great ending.
*** “The Only Ending We Have” by Kim Newman
The shower scene stand in for Hitchcock’s Psycho flees the studio with something precious. - An unsettling story with parallels to Psycho.
**** “Kriss Kross Applesauce” by Richard Christian Matheson
Mrs. Harris writes her annual Christmas letter. - The story’s short but packs quite a punch.
March 24, 2020
3.5 rounded up
June 19, 2018
Overall good. There were some very good stories and some ok stories. Nothing that just flattened me.
The Prologue by John Lewellyn Probert was pretty interesting, and then I had a hard time with the first few stories; wanting to skip them and read more. That was a bit hard. The stories in the middle were pretty good; but I wasn't as happy with the ending, it wasn't as good as the beginning and middle.
I Tell You It's Love by Joe R. Lansdale was interesting and kinda brutal.
The Green Hour by Reggie Oliver was ok.
The Secret Laws of the Universe by Steve Rasnic Tem was bizarre and pretty good.
The Recompensing of Albano Pizar by Basil Cooper was good; I liked it.
Night Soil Man by David A. Sutton wasn't that interesting for me.
Let My Smile Be Your Umbrella by Brian Hodge was pretty interesting.
The Trembling Living Wire by Scott Edelman was good.
The Undertaker's Sideline by Robert Silverberg was ok; kind of predictable.
The Long Shift by Joel Lane was ok.
The Man Who Photographed Beardsley by Brian Lumley was good; I liked it.
Hollywood Hannah by Lisa Morton I didn't like very much. It's not bad, it just didn't fit me.
I Spy by Paul McAuley was interesting.
Reflections on the Critical Process by Mike Carey was remarkably funny.
The Finger by David J. Schow was interesting.
Hot Eyes, Cold Eyes by Lawrence Block was good; I liked it.
Hush...Hush, Sweet Shushie by Jay Russell was ok.
The Gatecrasher by R. Chetwynd-Hayes was ok.
That Tiny Flutter of the Heart I Used to Call Love by Robert Shearman was bizarre. And maybe good? I'm not sure. Mostly bizarre.
I skipped The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe, because I didn't feel like reading it today.
Got to Kill Them All by Dennis Etchison was ok.
Essence by Mark Morris was really good; I liked it.
The Beach by Michael Kelly was ok. It was atmospheric enough that I don't think I got the point, honestly.
Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper by Robert Bloch was good; but I've read it before.
See How They Run by Ramsey Campbell was good.
Manners by Conrad Williams was good; I really liked it.
Bryant & May and the Seven Points by Christopher Fowler was ok.
All the Birds Come Home to Roost by Harlan Ellison was ok; I think I've read it before.
Wide-Shining Light by Rio Youers was pretty good; I think.
Feminine Endings by Neil Gaiman I've read before. Nice and chilly.
Eater and Mister Mellor Comes to Wayside by Peter Crowther I didn't like.
Failure by Michael Marshall was a slow starter, but a good one in the end.
The Only Ending We Have by Kim Newman was depressing and good.
Kriss Kross Applesauce by Richard Christian Matheson was good.
The Prologue by John Lewellyn Probert was pretty interesting, and then I had a hard time with the first few stories; wanting to skip them and read more. That was a bit hard. The stories in the middle were pretty good; but I wasn't as happy with the ending, it wasn't as good as the beginning and middle.
I Tell You It's Love by Joe R. Lansdale was interesting and kinda brutal.
The Green Hour by Reggie Oliver was ok.
The Secret Laws of the Universe by Steve Rasnic Tem was bizarre and pretty good.
The Recompensing of Albano Pizar by Basil Cooper was good; I liked it.
Night Soil Man by David A. Sutton wasn't that interesting for me.
Let My Smile Be Your Umbrella by Brian Hodge was pretty interesting.
The Trembling Living Wire by Scott Edelman was good.
The Undertaker's Sideline by Robert Silverberg was ok; kind of predictable.
The Long Shift by Joel Lane was ok.
The Man Who Photographed Beardsley by Brian Lumley was good; I liked it.
Hollywood Hannah by Lisa Morton I didn't like very much. It's not bad, it just didn't fit me.
I Spy by Paul McAuley was interesting.
Reflections on the Critical Process by Mike Carey was remarkably funny.
The Finger by David J. Schow was interesting.
Hot Eyes, Cold Eyes by Lawrence Block was good; I liked it.
Hush...Hush, Sweet Shushie by Jay Russell was ok.
The Gatecrasher by R. Chetwynd-Hayes was ok.
That Tiny Flutter of the Heart I Used to Call Love by Robert Shearman was bizarre. And maybe good? I'm not sure. Mostly bizarre.
I skipped The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe, because I didn't feel like reading it today.
Got to Kill Them All by Dennis Etchison was ok.
Essence by Mark Morris was really good; I liked it.
The Beach by Michael Kelly was ok. It was atmospheric enough that I don't think I got the point, honestly.
Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper by Robert Bloch was good; but I've read it before.
See How They Run by Ramsey Campbell was good.
Manners by Conrad Williams was good; I really liked it.
Bryant & May and the Seven Points by Christopher Fowler was ok.
All the Birds Come Home to Roost by Harlan Ellison was ok; I think I've read it before.
Wide-Shining Light by Rio Youers was pretty good; I think.
Feminine Endings by Neil Gaiman I've read before. Nice and chilly.
Eater and Mister Mellor Comes to Wayside by Peter Crowther I didn't like.
Failure by Michael Marshall was a slow starter, but a good one in the end.
The Only Ending We Have by Kim Newman was depressing and good.
Kriss Kross Applesauce by Richard Christian Matheson was good.
February 6, 2018
For a certain period, I had enjoyed this collection. Some of the stories, framed by Sir Probert's delectable prose, had turned out to be dark jewels, gleaming in the dark. Reggie Oliver's Dupin story comes to mind, along with the classic stories penned by past masters. However, after a while the stuff lost its lustre, and the stories started becoming soporific.
Overall, if you are in the mood of reading some stories that depict human psyche through a glass darkly, then go for this.
Otherwise, go for single author collections from Basil Copper and other greats.
Overall, if you are in the mood of reading some stories that depict human psyche through a glass darkly, then go for this.
Otherwise, go for single author collections from Basil Copper and other greats.
June 7, 2025
I have always enjoyed Stephen Jones's anthology because of the quality of the writing he includes. This volume is no exception. I would happily read it again.
October 29, 2016
I thought this was a solid anthology and definitely one of the best I've read since 'Beyond Rue Morgue', though I like to consider this as the other side of the same coin. There's a couple detective stories but a lot of them have a supernatural edge or at the very least revolve around the more eccentric characters and the people we look down on in society, not all of which turn out to be serial killers or psychopaths.
I won't bother with listing each individual story since it's all down to being subjective (although I liked most), though one thing I loved was the framed narrative that links each section of the book together, I thought it brought a thematic link to all of the stories and was nicely done, plus the inclusion of it made it seem like one of those old shows like Night Gallery or The Twilight Zone.
The rating I give this collection is a solid 7.5/10 (because stars are overrated)
:D
I won't bother with listing each individual story since it's all down to being subjective (although I liked most), though one thing I loved was the framed narrative that links each section of the book together, I thought it brought a thematic link to all of the stories and was nicely done, plus the inclusion of it made it seem like one of those old shows like Night Gallery or The Twilight Zone.
The rating I give this collection is a solid 7.5/10 (because stars are overrated)
:D
March 26, 2025
Mediocre stories mainly, the more notable names like Joe Lansdale and Robert Silverberg wrote the better shorts. A forward by another notable Robert Bloch who died years before this book was published. So it's a bit of a cash grab ' get something out before Halloween' ect. Some of the authors wrote these stories years ago, one a decade ago. The publishing company has the rights and the editor wrote a hammer house style montage to link them all together ( they being psychopathic confessions recorded in an asylum). I passed on a few that failed to grab my attention. I paid less than five pounds in kindle. It wasn't worth it.
December 15, 2019
A masterful collection
A masterful collection of unique horror stories. Each story is unique yet all are creatively tied together. This book takes a while to read through, yet every step of the journey is enjoyable and fright filled. Every horror fan should add this anthology to their collection!
A masterful collection of unique horror stories. Each story is unique yet all are creatively tied together. This book takes a while to read through, yet every step of the journey is enjoyable and fright filled. Every horror fan should add this anthology to their collection!
August 15, 2019
Many stories
This book has lots of stories. Some are amusing, some are gruesome which is expected for this type of book. I enjoyed most stories, overall no big surprises, except one I can’t reveal because it would be a spoiler. I think it’s a good book for fans of horror.
This book has lots of stories. Some are amusing, some are gruesome which is expected for this type of book. I enjoyed most stories, overall no big surprises, except one I can’t reveal because it would be a spoiler. I think it’s a good book for fans of horror.
March 28, 2020
Good. Strong writing. Stories, some not so strong.
And a really strange and annoying format problem. Every instance of "mme" is replaced with "Mme.", as if someone were struggling with the abbreviation for Madame. So we get "gliMme.r." and other nonsense.
And a really strange and annoying format problem. Every instance of "mme" is replaced with "Mme.", as if someone were struggling with the abbreviation for Madame. So we get "gliMme.r." and other nonsense.
September 20, 2017
Such an interesting premise behind grouping short stories together. This one stays on my permanent shelf.
March 19, 2020
Good creepy stories
Fun read. Stories just long enough to keep you going but short enough to finish in one quick session. Enjoyable and entertaining.
Fun read. Stories just long enough to keep you going but short enough to finish in one quick session. Enjoyable and entertaining.
December 3, 2016
I was pleasantly surprised by Psychomania. I originally bought this short story collection so I could have something for Joe Lansdale to autograph. (Which he did by the way.) But the stories in this anthology are all surprisingly strong, even the ones I did not personally care for, and there were very few of those. A lot of my favorite authors had entries here: Harlan Ellison, Joe Lansdale, Lawrence Block, Robert Silverberg, Robert Bloch, Neil Gaiman. Even though some of these stories were rereads they were worth looking at again. I did not care for the framing device used to tie all these tales together. It was unnecessary and really did not add anything to the book. But that is a minor quibble. This book was a bunch of sinister fun.
Currently reading
July 14, 2024"I Spy" by Paul McAuley - The narrator is an abused boy who begins killing animals in sacrificial rituals and eventually desecrates his father's grave and murders his mother.
"Essence" by Mark Morris - This story has a plot similar to the Tales of the Unexpected episode "The Flypaper."
"Hot Eyes, Cold Eyes" by Lawrence Block - wc
"Reflections on the Critical Process" by Mike Carey - wc
"Got to Kill Them All" by Dennis Etchison - wc
"The Man Who Photographed Beardsley" by Brian Lumley - wc
"Essence" by Mark Morris - This story has a plot similar to the Tales of the Unexpected episode "The Flypaper."
"Hot Eyes, Cold Eyes" by Lawrence Block - wc
"Reflections on the Critical Process" by Mike Carey - wc
"Got to Kill Them All" by Dennis Etchison - wc
"The Man Who Photographed Beardsley" by Brian Lumley - wc
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews