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The Black Kiss
- GenresHorrorShort Stories
Unknown Binding
Published January 1, 1937
About the author
Robert Bloch
1,102 books1,310 followersRobert Albert Bloch was a prolific American writer. He was the son of Raphael "Ray" Bloch (1884, Chicago-1952, Chicago), a bank cashier, and his wife Stella Loeb (1880, Attica, Indiana-1944, Milwaukee, WI), a social worker, both of German-Jewish descent.
Bloch wrote hundreds of short stories and over twenty novels, usually crime fiction, science fiction, and, perhaps most influentially, horror fiction (Psycho). He was one of the youngest members of the Lovecraft Circle; Lovecraft was Bloch's mentor and one of the first to seriously encourage his talent.
He was a contributor to pulp magazines such as Weird Tales in his early career, and was also a prolific screenwriter. He was the recipient of the Hugo Award (for his story "That Hell-Bound Train"), the Bram Stoker Award, and the World Fantasy Award. He served a term as president of the Mystery Writers of America.
Robert Bloch was also a major contributor to science fiction fanzines and fandom in general. In the 1940s, he created the humorous character Lefty Feep in a story for Fantastic Adventures. He also worked for a time in local vaudeville, and tried to break into writing for nationally-known performers. He was a good friend of the science fiction writer Stanley G. Weinbaum. In the 1960's, he wrote 3 stories for Star Trek.
Bloch wrote hundreds of short stories and over twenty novels, usually crime fiction, science fiction, and, perhaps most influentially, horror fiction (Psycho). He was one of the youngest members of the Lovecraft Circle; Lovecraft was Bloch's mentor and one of the first to seriously encourage his talent.
He was a contributor to pulp magazines such as Weird Tales in his early career, and was also a prolific screenwriter. He was the recipient of the Hugo Award (for his story "That Hell-Bound Train"), the Bram Stoker Award, and the World Fantasy Award. He served a term as president of the Mystery Writers of America.
Robert Bloch was also a major contributor to science fiction fanzines and fandom in general. In the 1940s, he created the humorous character Lefty Feep in a story for Fantastic Adventures. He also worked for a time in local vaudeville, and tried to break into writing for nationally-known performers. He was a good friend of the science fiction writer Stanley G. Weinbaum. In the 1960's, he wrote 3 stories for Star Trek.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 22, 2025
Not a bad story. It's got a bit of a Lovecraftian feel to it. Creepy and fun.
An artist, Graham Dean, inherits a creepy old house in California. This house is haunted by the ghost of his ancient Spanish ancestor, Morello Godoflo, who, according to the legends, was a woman of wicked ways and who cavorted, sexually, with creepy, slimy sea creatures.
Graham Dean moves into the house and is haunted by creepy, aquatic nightmares for a few months. And then, one fateful night, Dean has the worst nightmare of all. He goes for a deep swim with the eerie fishsies and receives the dreaded "Black Kiss" from the nastiest sea vermin of them all, his ancestor, Morello Godoflo, in her true evil form as an evil denizen of the darkest, most evil depths of the sea.
After that, Dean is possessed by Morello Godoflo, becomes a creepy sea creature, and goes hunting for drowned sailors.
The third chapter and the last part of the story doesn't quite surface above the creepy depths of its beginnings. The final denouement is a little flat, not being worked up into the kind of pitch of horror that it could have.
Still it's a fun little horror tale
An artist, Graham Dean, inherits a creepy old house in California. This house is haunted by the ghost of his ancient Spanish ancestor, Morello Godoflo, who, according to the legends, was a woman of wicked ways and who cavorted, sexually, with creepy, slimy sea creatures.
Graham Dean moves into the house and is haunted by creepy, aquatic nightmares for a few months. And then, one fateful night, Dean has the worst nightmare of all. He goes for a deep swim with the eerie fishsies and receives the dreaded "Black Kiss" from the nastiest sea vermin of them all, his ancestor, Morello Godoflo, in her true evil form as an evil denizen of the darkest, most evil depths of the sea.
After that, Dean is possessed by Morello Godoflo, becomes a creepy sea creature, and goes hunting for drowned sailors.
The third chapter and the last part of the story doesn't quite surface above the creepy depths of its beginnings. The final denouement is a little flat, not being worked up into the kind of pitch of horror that it could have.
Still it's a fun little horror tale
August 13, 2025
Interesting story.... to a point.
April 27, 2026
Ye olde decomposed basking shark type of sea monster. Proof that too many authors spoil the froth.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews