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Return To Hell House
In 1927, notorious millionaire occultist Emeric Belasco disappeared from the face of the earth, living behind dozens of dead bodies--all that was left of his cult of former socialites and thrill-seekers--in the isolated, rambling mansion known as Hell House.
In 1931, a group of parapsychologists came to Hell House to attempt to solve the mystery of Belasco's fate, only to meet with horror, madness and death.
Now, in 1940, a group of scientists and psychics--including the famed "Ghost Boy", 15-year-old Benjamin Franklin Fischer, the most gifted physical medium of the modern age--have returned to the most haunted house in the world, only to find Hell House eagerly awaiting its newest guests.
Warning: Contains graphic content.
In 1931, a group of parapsychologists came to Hell House to attempt to solve the mystery of Belasco's fate, only to meet with horror, madness and death.
Now, in 1940, a group of scientists and psychics--including the famed "Ghost Boy", 15-year-old Benjamin Franklin Fischer, the most gifted physical medium of the modern age--have returned to the most haunted house in the world, only to find Hell House eagerly awaiting its newest guests.
Warning: Contains graphic content.
- GenresHorrorParanormalFiction
ebook
First published August 9, 2012
56 people are currently reading
241 people want to read
About the author
Nancy A. Collins
336 books668 followersNancy A. Collins (born 10 September 1959) is a United States horror fiction writer best known for her series of vampire novels featuring her character Sonja Blue. Collins has also written for comic books, including the Swamp Thing series, Jason Vs. Leatherface, Predator: Hell Come A Walkin and her own one-shot Dhampire: Stillborn.
Collins was born in McGehee, Arkansas, United States. She lived in New Orleans, Louisiana in the 1980s; after time in New York City and Atlanta, Georgia she settled in Wilmington, North Carolina in the late 2000s.
Collins has written twenty novels since 1989, many of which refer to and directly include races of creatures the author calls Pretenders, monsters from myth and legend passing as human to better hunt their prey.
Collins has also written a number of highly acclaimed Southern Gothic short stories and novellas, most of which are set in Seven Devils, Arkansas, a highly fictionalized version of her hometown.
Most recently, she has focused her attention onto the Golgotham urban fantasy series,published by Penguin. Golgotham is the 'supernatural' ghetto of New York City, where creatures from myth and folklore--including witches,shapeshifters,leprechauns and centaurs--live and work in uneasy alliance with mankind.
Collins was born in McGehee, Arkansas, United States. She lived in New Orleans, Louisiana in the 1980s; after time in New York City and Atlanta, Georgia she settled in Wilmington, North Carolina in the late 2000s.
Collins has written twenty novels since 1989, many of which refer to and directly include races of creatures the author calls Pretenders, monsters from myth and legend passing as human to better hunt their prey.
Collins has also written a number of highly acclaimed Southern Gothic short stories and novellas, most of which are set in Seven Devils, Arkansas, a highly fictionalized version of her hometown.
Most recently, she has focused her attention onto the Golgotham urban fantasy series,published by Penguin. Golgotham is the 'supernatural' ghetto of New York City, where creatures from myth and folklore--including witches,shapeshifters,leprechauns and centaurs--live and work in uneasy alliance with mankind.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
May 3, 2023
Being a fan of both the original HELL HOUSE and the film version, "The Legend Of Hell House," it's very unlikely that I could give this prequel of the story anything less than 3-stars. For me, this novella basks in the warm glow of those other incarnations.
The original story has a key subplot of one of the members of the team investigating Belasco House having been part of an earlier investigative team there which ended in disaster. This novella is the story of that earlier tragic event.
Frankly, I was expecting this version to be more in the writing style of the writer of HELL HOUSE, Richard Matheson. It is not. Also, there is plenty of fodder for an entire prequel novel without relying on filler to bring it up to full length. Consequently, with its shortened length, RETURN TO HELL HOUSE threw creepy set pieces and horrific moments at me in rapid order, and then finished. I suppose it is good that I left the experience wanting more.
Still, I found this tale to be well-worth reading because it provided some cool backstory details, including "previewing" what was to come afterward at its end. I doubt this would have a lot of appeal to more casual Readers, though.
The original story has a key subplot of one of the members of the team investigating Belasco House having been part of an earlier investigative team there which ended in disaster. This novella is the story of that earlier tragic event.
Frankly, I was expecting this version to be more in the writing style of the writer of HELL HOUSE, Richard Matheson. It is not. Also, there is plenty of fodder for an entire prequel novel without relying on filler to bring it up to full length. Consequently, with its shortened length, RETURN TO HELL HOUSE threw creepy set pieces and horrific moments at me in rapid order, and then finished. I suppose it is good that I left the experience wanting more.
Still, I found this tale to be well-worth reading because it provided some cool backstory details, including "previewing" what was to come afterward at its end. I doubt this would have a lot of appeal to more casual Readers, though.
September 16, 2020
Hell House is one of my favorite horror books from one of my favorite horror authors, so I approached this cautiously. The writing style is absolutely consistent with the original and, strangely, that's the problem I had with it. While it's well set and maintains the integrity of the original, the novella format was not well suited. Matheson tends to spend a great deal of paper setting up the characters and situation to give the reader a flavor of the personalities. This does so, but it feels rushed so that you have the information but not the feel. It starts at a pace set for a full novel and then a few chapters in, rushes to the finish with the horrors of Hell House largely ignored. At the same time, the sexual escapades are given full attention.
At the end I enjoyed it, but really, really wish it had been a full novel. The writing style and language would have been more powerful had the self imposed limitations of the form not stunted the atmosphere that never reaches fruition. I will look into other full length novels by the writer as I think they would be immensely enjoyable!
At the end I enjoyed it, but really, really wish it had been a full novel. The writing style and language would have been more powerful had the self imposed limitations of the form not stunted the atmosphere that never reaches fruition. I will look into other full length novels by the writer as I think they would be immensely enjoyable!
February 11, 2014
This novella was dumb. Bad writing, bad horror, and forget the 'erotic' elements......not a worthy prequel in the slightest.
September 21, 2020
Too short to actually be much of a story.
February 3, 2019
Despite the title, this is actually a prequel to Richard Matheson's classic novel, Hell House. I enjoyed it every bit as much as the original. I especially liked the "ghost boy" character, the 15 year old medium who joins the party of paranormal investigators at Hell House. Like the original novel, this is an exploration of how one man's evil and depravity can infect others. Another great read from Nancy Collins!
September 29, 2025
Tremendously boring if you’ve just read the original hell house. The Mathewson book actually doesn’t leaving you wanting more info about Ben’s first time there. So when you end up getting that info anyway— especially when it’s written so bloodlessly and mechanically as it is here, with none of the carnal tension of the original novel—it’s a bizarre let down.
Mathewson actually left no room in his tale for any other ancillary texts to be written. He was a tv and movie writer so he wrapped every loose end, covered every motivation, and hit every beat.
So what was the point of this exercise? It reads like some diffident spinster re-telling the plot of the Matheson novel to their elderly grandma. It lacks any momentum whatsoever. And…we solved the thing! In the future! And in the future we found out what happened in this episode which, I assure you, was better when it was merely hinted at.
I know nothing about the burners of publishing and probably good piece of cynical fluff made a tidy little profit. If I’d been at the publisher as an editor I’d have strongly advised against it, which would make me the idiot.
Mathewson actually left no room in his tale for any other ancillary texts to be written. He was a tv and movie writer so he wrapped every loose end, covered every motivation, and hit every beat.
So what was the point of this exercise? It reads like some diffident spinster re-telling the plot of the Matheson novel to their elderly grandma. It lacks any momentum whatsoever. And…we solved the thing! In the future! And in the future we found out what happened in this episode which, I assure you, was better when it was merely hinted at.
I know nothing about the burners of publishing and probably good piece of cynical fluff made a tidy little profit. If I’d been at the publisher as an editor I’d have strongly advised against it, which would make me the idiot.
May 13, 2025
This book wasn't bad until the end. The ending almost completely erased a reason to read this book in the first place. I don't recommend this book at all. Which is sad because it was a very mid but enjoyable short book until then.
Other than that, the biggest issue was that the characters felt extremely recycled. We basically got the exact same characters from Hell House but less fleshed out, and you don't care when anyone dies. I do understand this is a shorter book, but it was disappointing.
The formula to this book is just too similar to be anything but basically a rewrite in a lot of aspects. It would have been hard to be original, and it wasn't. I went in knowing things would be similar, and like I said, I would have recommended it if people loved Hell House if it weren't for that sorry excuse of an ending.
Other than that, the biggest issue was that the characters felt extremely recycled. We basically got the exact same characters from Hell House but less fleshed out, and you don't care when anyone dies. I do understand this is a shorter book, but it was disappointing.
The formula to this book is just too similar to be anything but basically a rewrite in a lot of aspects. It would have been hard to be original, and it wasn't. I went in knowing things would be similar, and like I said, I would have recommended it if people loved Hell House if it weren't for that sorry excuse of an ending.
October 5, 2024
I don't normally like prequels. They seem cheap, low effort trash to me. However I rather enjoyed this Hell House prequel.
Written by Nancy A. Collins, who I know from her tenure on the Swamp Thing, following Alan Moore's run. She does a good job here. Well written and a quick read, she seems to have mastered Matheson's style.
The ending was wild. Fans of the original novel will likely enjoy this one as well. It is also very affordable. It has even been included in some Matheson short story collections.
Written by Nancy A. Collins, who I know from her tenure on the Swamp Thing, following Alan Moore's run. She does a good job here. Well written and a quick read, she seems to have mastered Matheson's style.
The ending was wild. Fans of the original novel will likely enjoy this one as well. It is also very affordable. It has even been included in some Matheson short story collections.
February 18, 2024
Straight to the point
Succinct story gets straight to the point and neither dillies nor dallies about what we already know will happen. It's missing much of the character development and corruption which made the first interesting, but the cast of characters is so similar to the original that it likely would have been repetitive. Overall I enjoyed reading this, especially right after the original
Succinct story gets straight to the point and neither dillies nor dallies about what we already know will happen. It's missing much of the character development and corruption which made the first interesting, but the cast of characters is so similar to the original that it likely would have been repetitive. Overall I enjoyed reading this, especially right after the original
February 1, 2024
Hell House is an absolute masterpiece and this was a really fun prequel, though I would have liked to see it drawn out to be a full length novel. I would have also preferred a more sophisticated writing style to mirror Matheson’s writing. Still great though!
November 1, 2024
I enjoyed this story. It was nice to get more in depth information about the earlier psychic exploration. It made it easier to not only understand Ben Fischer and even Bolasco, his wife, and his son.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2025
I could definitely tell this prequel was written by a different author than the original.
It felt really rushed, and put way too much emphasis on certain aspects of the story instead of actual horror.
It felt really rushed, and put way too much emphasis on certain aspects of the story instead of actual horror.
October 26, 2025
I decided to read this and Hell House in the wrong order. I started with the prequel written decades after the original and I'm not sorry. This one was so fun, I loved it. Now on to Richard Matheson's original and I am so excited 😁.
December 24, 2023
A solid prequel to the original novel.
October 23, 2024
Good read
It reads like a prequel to the movie. It's just to short. It answers some questions but lacks depth. It's worth a read.
It reads like a prequel to the movie. It's just to short. It answers some questions but lacks depth. It's worth a read.
June 30, 2025
I enjoyed reading it more than I expected. But that doesn’t mean it’s equal to the first one. A decent prequel, not that bad also not that great.
July 7, 2025
Contemporary horror, with some juicy elements, but well-written and gripping. If you're into horror but a bit bored of the tropes, give this one a try.
November 18, 2023
Short, dark & twisted. Obviously, not much could live up to the work of Matheson... but this is good. There were a couple subtle little nods Stephen King's work included as well, which is a nice touch in light of King being a part of the "He is Legend" tribute Anthology.
"You can only judge a man's character by his perversions since virtue can be so easily faked."
Return to Hell House by Nancy A. Collins
"You can only judge a man's character by his perversions since virtue can be so easily faked."
Return to Hell House by Nancy A. Collins
January 2, 2025
I found this prequel to be not only filling in the gap in story well. But also providing me more of what I felt was missing in the original . It’s a great addition which matches the authors style of prose so well that had I not seen another authors name on the cover I likely wouldn’t have noticed.
January 2, 2017
Okay-ish prequel to Matheson's classic original, featuring Ben Fisher and a few other familiar characters. Collins got the tone right, and there are some enjoyable debauched sections, but overall it feels a little cheap and borderline heartless. Still worth a listen, if you're a fan of the original.
August 16, 2013
I liked this because it was not just a rehashing of the original story but brought something new to the table. With that said it was still true to the original in tone.
This novella is based on Hell House by Richard Matheson. It is a prequel which gives an early view of Belasco House and the power which was gathered within it's walls.
Emeric Belasco was a depraved man who built his house as playground for those who were willing to participate in all manner of perversion and depravity. When everyone died within its walls his body was not among them but the evil lived on. In 1931 an investigation as launched that resulted in the death of all involved. In 1940 another attempt was made to investigate Hell House, this is their story. Dr's Rand and Graham are there to prove that ghosts do not exist, they have brought three others as well. There is Grace Lauter, a mental medium who wishes to prove that her ex-fiance did not commit murder in Hell House in 1931. Benjamin Fischer, a 15 year old physical medium who wishes to shed his moniker as 'Ghost Boy' but has not been allowed to truly grow up. And finally there is Professor Fenley a friend of Ben's mother and a dedicated spiritualist. What they find in Belasco House is stronger and more terrifying than anything they could have imagined.
An enjoyable and quick read for fans of Richard Matheson. This story can also be found in 'He is Legend' edited by Christopher Conlon.
This novella is based on Hell House by Richard Matheson. It is a prequel which gives an early view of Belasco House and the power which was gathered within it's walls.
Emeric Belasco was a depraved man who built his house as playground for those who were willing to participate in all manner of perversion and depravity. When everyone died within its walls his body was not among them but the evil lived on. In 1931 an investigation as launched that resulted in the death of all involved. In 1940 another attempt was made to investigate Hell House, this is their story. Dr's Rand and Graham are there to prove that ghosts do not exist, they have brought three others as well. There is Grace Lauter, a mental medium who wishes to prove that her ex-fiance did not commit murder in Hell House in 1931. Benjamin Fischer, a 15 year old physical medium who wishes to shed his moniker as 'Ghost Boy' but has not been allowed to truly grow up. And finally there is Professor Fenley a friend of Ben's mother and a dedicated spiritualist. What they find in Belasco House is stronger and more terrifying than anything they could have imagined.
An enjoyable and quick read for fans of Richard Matheson. This story can also be found in 'He is Legend' edited by Christopher Conlon.
April 18, 2014
I was a little wary of reading this, as Hell House is one of my favorite books. Could anyone other than Matheson write a prequel to one of the best haunted house stories ever? Turns out, yes. Collins captures the tone and mood of the original. My only gripe is that I wish it was longer...a full fledged novel. And if Ms. Collins decides to flesh this puppy out and write more, I'm there!
July 9, 2014
Intense and explicit
As a prequel - but read only after the original - this is a successful, if short, work. Be warned, though: this work is much more graphic and intense (and thus less atmospheric) than Hell House. If you can accept that intensity, it does give more depth to the original. I enjoyed this quick read, but it is not for the faint-of-heart.
As a prequel - but read only after the original - this is a successful, if short, work. Be warned, though: this work is much more graphic and intense (and thus less atmospheric) than Hell House. If you can accept that intensity, it does give more depth to the original. I enjoyed this quick read, but it is not for the faint-of-heart.
January 6, 2016
I liked this better then the original, but I think that is mostly because I like the author. As with the origianl, the book dosen't quite manage to be creepy or eerie and leans to much on being shocking instead.
August 5, 2013
Meh... An interesting take on the 1940 crew from the original book but not alot of content.
November 14, 2013
Very entertaining prequel to Richard Matheson's Hell House...
July 22, 2013
A fantastic prequel. Really enjoyed this one.
April 14, 2014
Really didn't like it. Didn't finish.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews