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A Tide of Terror: An Anthology of Rare Horror Stories.
CONTENTS:
ix • Preface (A Tide of Terror) • (1972) • essay by Hugh Lamb
1 • Introduction (A Tide of Terror) • (1972) • essay by Peter Haining
3 • The Red Lodge • (1928) • short story by H. Russell Wakefield [as by H. R. Wakefield]
17 • His Unconquerable Enemy • (1889) • short story by W. C. Morrow
27 • On the Elevator • (1953) • short story by Joseph Payne Brennan
35 • The Closed Window • (1903) • short story by A. C. Benson
46 • The Step • (1931) • short story by E. F. Benson
60 • Father Brent's Tale • (1907) • short story by R. H. Benson
69 • Some New Pleasures Prove • (1964) • short story by Charles Birkin
89 • The Dogs of Pemba • (1931) • short story by Margery Lawrence [as by M. H. Lawrence]
105 • Full Circle • (1925) • short story by Algernon Blackwood
116 • The Tregannet Book of Hours • (1949) • short story by A. N. L. Munby
124 • The Master of Hollow Grange • (1918) • short story by Sax Rohmer
141 • The Trapdoor • (1936) • short story by C. D. Heriot
153 • The Sign of the Spider (excerpt) • (1972) • short fiction by Bertram Mitford
168 • Some Haunted Houses • [Some Haunted Houses] • (1964) • short story by Ambrose Bierce
190 • The Eyes • non-genre • (1934) • short story by T. O. Beachcroft
201 • Johnson Looked Back • (1935) • short story by Thomas Burke
206 • The Twelve Apostles • (1929) • novelette by Eleanor Scott
229 • Mrs. Lunt • (1926) • short story by Hugh Walpole
ix • Preface (A Tide of Terror) • (1972) • essay by Hugh Lamb
1 • Introduction (A Tide of Terror) • (1972) • essay by Peter Haining
3 • The Red Lodge • (1928) • short story by H. Russell Wakefield [as by H. R. Wakefield]
17 • His Unconquerable Enemy • (1889) • short story by W. C. Morrow
27 • On the Elevator • (1953) • short story by Joseph Payne Brennan
35 • The Closed Window • (1903) • short story by A. C. Benson
46 • The Step • (1931) • short story by E. F. Benson
60 • Father Brent's Tale • (1907) • short story by R. H. Benson
69 • Some New Pleasures Prove • (1964) • short story by Charles Birkin
89 • The Dogs of Pemba • (1931) • short story by Margery Lawrence [as by M. H. Lawrence]
105 • Full Circle • (1925) • short story by Algernon Blackwood
116 • The Tregannet Book of Hours • (1949) • short story by A. N. L. Munby
124 • The Master of Hollow Grange • (1918) • short story by Sax Rohmer
141 • The Trapdoor • (1936) • short story by C. D. Heriot
153 • The Sign of the Spider (excerpt) • (1972) • short fiction by Bertram Mitford
168 • Some Haunted Houses • [Some Haunted Houses] • (1964) • short story by Ambrose Bierce
190 • The Eyes • non-genre • (1934) • short story by T. O. Beachcroft
201 • Johnson Looked Back • (1935) • short story by Thomas Burke
206 • The Twelve Apostles • (1929) • novelette by Eleanor Scott
229 • Mrs. Lunt • (1926) • short story by Hugh Walpole
243 pages, Hardcover
Published October 1, 1973
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November 12, 2025PLACEHOLDER REVIEW
"Mrs. Lunt" by Hugh Walpole - an author tells of his Christmas trip to meet Mr. Lunt (another author and a bit of a recluse) on the coast of Cornwall, at the latter's invitation. On arriving at the desolate, remote mansion he finds a nervous, pleading, pathetic man who seems to fear his wife, who died a year ago. The place itself seems haunted by the specter of a severe older woman who is only barely glimpsed - and eventually, Lunt confesses to his fear that his dead wife is attempting to exact revenge. This is not a bad - if somewhat familiar story - loaded with atmosphere (the cold carriage ride through the snowstorm from the train station, the pounding ocean, disagreeable smells in the house) before it follows its usual "revenge of the dead" plot. Notable most, to me at least, for two things. One is the fixation on companionship between Lunt and the narrator which (following the narrator's distaste at Lunt's physical embraces and Lunt's confession that he married his wife merely because that was what was done) could be read as merely the English upper-class distaste for shows of overt emotion, or something more. Secondly, the opening (in which our frame narrator introduces our author narrator) contains some rather pointed observations of the lives and personalities of "minor authors" - those who toil away in obscurity, ignored by the press and the public, knowing only that they may - long after their deaths - achieve some recognition. Which seems to apply to both our author narrator and Mr. Lunt (who is compared to the authorial type who writes a half-novel/half-poetry book like Walter de la Mare's The Return - which I've read and reviewed!).
Margery Lawrence'S "The Dogs Of Pemba" is a club tale, as an old adventurer relates a tales from his time on the African island of Pemba, working under another Colonial Commander, an anxious & belligerent alcoholic with a gentle wife, who seems to be plagued by the cries of phantom animals, as part of some local curse by the natives... There are many stories of white men succumbing to the "dark magics" of Africa, but this is one of the better ones. Yes, the word that dare not be used gets thrown around and, yes, despite going out of its way to make the victim of the curse a deserving, thuggish brute - there's still some reactionary racism. But it's written well and just clips along.
"Mrs. Lunt" by Hugh Walpole - an author tells of his Christmas trip to meet Mr. Lunt (another author and a bit of a recluse) on the coast of Cornwall, at the latter's invitation. On arriving at the desolate, remote mansion he finds a nervous, pleading, pathetic man who seems to fear his wife, who died a year ago. The place itself seems haunted by the specter of a severe older woman who is only barely glimpsed - and eventually, Lunt confesses to his fear that his dead wife is attempting to exact revenge. This is not a bad - if somewhat familiar story - loaded with atmosphere (the cold carriage ride through the snowstorm from the train station, the pounding ocean, disagreeable smells in the house) before it follows its usual "revenge of the dead" plot. Notable most, to me at least, for two things. One is the fixation on companionship between Lunt and the narrator which (following the narrator's distaste at Lunt's physical embraces and Lunt's confession that he married his wife merely because that was what was done) could be read as merely the English upper-class distaste for shows of overt emotion, or something more. Secondly, the opening (in which our frame narrator introduces our author narrator) contains some rather pointed observations of the lives and personalities of "minor authors" - those who toil away in obscurity, ignored by the press and the public, knowing only that they may - long after their deaths - achieve some recognition. Which seems to apply to both our author narrator and Mr. Lunt (who is compared to the authorial type who writes a half-novel/half-poetry book like Walter de la Mare's The Return - which I've read and reviewed!).
Margery Lawrence'S "The Dogs Of Pemba" is a club tale, as an old adventurer relates a tales from his time on the African island of Pemba, working under another Colonial Commander, an anxious & belligerent alcoholic with a gentle wife, who seems to be plagued by the cries of phantom animals, as part of some local curse by the natives... There are many stories of white men succumbing to the "dark magics" of Africa, but this is one of the better ones. Yes, the word that dare not be used gets thrown around and, yes, despite going out of its way to make the victim of the curse a deserving, thuggish brute - there's still some reactionary racism. But it's written well and just clips along.
July 23, 2025
[W. H. Allen] (1972). HB/DJ. 1/1. 243 Pages. Signed, dated and inscribed. Northumberland County Library. Purchased from John Smith (smiththings) - Side Real Press.
Contains a Preface by Hugh Lamb (1946-2019) and an Introduction from Peter Haining (1940-2007).
His first anthology is ‘a superior affair’ - not one of the many tedious, formulaic assemblages cranked out by others through the 1960s and ‘70s - this is an inspired and interesting collection. There are only three ‘stinkers’ in the mix.
That’s exactly what he set out to deliver: no “…old warhorses dragged out…”
The oft-published and mediocre “Man-Size in Marble” (December 1887), by Edith Nesbit (1858-1924), is thus thankfully absent.
“The Red Lodge” (1928) is an unusually weak offering from the great HRW (1888-1964).
I’d not previously heard of Joseph Payne Brennan (1918-1990), as far as I can recall. “On the Elevator” (1953) is a strange, atmospheric, enthralling story - which is rather clumsily executed. Often, prose written by poets, is strong: James Dickey, Dylan Thomas, Philip Larkin spring to mind. I checked some of his work out; it’s good. "The Silent Houses" (1964), for example, is superb. Odd, then.
“Full Circle” (1929) is a sad and beautiful lament for lost youth; cut from the same cloth as the Dylan Thomas’ (1914-1953) masterpiece, “Fern Hill” (October 1945).
“The Red Lodge” – H. R. Wakefield [8/20]
“His Unconquerable Enemy” – W. C. Morrow [10/20 - Disgusting]
“On the Elevator” – Joseph Payne Brennan [15/20]
“The Closed Window” – A. C. Benson [10/20]
“The Step” – E. F. Benson [16/20]
“Father Brent’s Tale” – R. H. Benson [13/20]
“Some New Pleasures Prove” – Charles Birkin [16/20]
“The Dogs of Pemba” – M. H. Lawrence [4/20 - Daft]
“Full Circle” – Algernon Blackwood [15/20]
“The Tregannet Book of Hours” – A. N. L. Munby [11/20]
“The Master of Hollow Grange” – Sax Rohmer [9/20]
“The Trapdoor” – C. D. Heriot [14/20]
“The Sign of the Spider” (fragment) – Bertram Mitford [2/20 - Ludicrous]
“Some Haunted Houses” – Ambrose Bierce [12/20 - Six pieces]
“The Eyes – T. O. Beachcroft [11/20]
“Johnson Looked Back” – Thomas Burke [10/20]
“The Twelve Apostles” – Eleanor Scott [5/20]
“Mrs. Lunt” – Hugh Walpole [12/20]
Some errors and omissions are evident in the prefatory author profiles. For example, in the case of Charles Birkin (1907-1985 (p. 69)), it’s stated that his first collection was “The Kiss of Death” (1964). In reality, it was “The Devil’s Spawn” (1936). No mention is made of the landmark ‘Creeps’ series (Philip Allan). His contribution here - “Some New Pleasures Prove” (1964) - is a typically nasty yarn with a fine ending twist. I found this sweeping remark to be cheap and, frankly, rather bitchy in tone: “Ambrose Bierce (1842-1913?) was second only to Edgar Allan Poe in his mentally unbalanced view of life…” (p. 168). HL’s prose is occasionally amateurish, for instance: “Horror is a personal thing but most of us are horrified by death and would be even more horrified if we were watched dying…” (p. 190).
Contains a Preface by Hugh Lamb (1946-2019) and an Introduction from Peter Haining (1940-2007).
His first anthology is ‘a superior affair’ - not one of the many tedious, formulaic assemblages cranked out by others through the 1960s and ‘70s - this is an inspired and interesting collection. There are only three ‘stinkers’ in the mix.
That’s exactly what he set out to deliver: no “…old warhorses dragged out…”
The oft-published and mediocre “Man-Size in Marble” (December 1887), by Edith Nesbit (1858-1924), is thus thankfully absent.
“The Red Lodge” (1928) is an unusually weak offering from the great HRW (1888-1964).
I’d not previously heard of Joseph Payne Brennan (1918-1990), as far as I can recall. “On the Elevator” (1953) is a strange, atmospheric, enthralling story - which is rather clumsily executed. Often, prose written by poets, is strong: James Dickey, Dylan Thomas, Philip Larkin spring to mind. I checked some of his work out; it’s good. "The Silent Houses" (1964), for example, is superb. Odd, then.
“Full Circle” (1929) is a sad and beautiful lament for lost youth; cut from the same cloth as the Dylan Thomas’ (1914-1953) masterpiece, “Fern Hill” (October 1945).
“The Red Lodge” – H. R. Wakefield [8/20]
“His Unconquerable Enemy” – W. C. Morrow [10/20 - Disgusting]
“On the Elevator” – Joseph Payne Brennan [15/20]
“The Closed Window” – A. C. Benson [10/20]
“The Step” – E. F. Benson [16/20]
“Father Brent’s Tale” – R. H. Benson [13/20]
“Some New Pleasures Prove” – Charles Birkin [16/20]
“The Dogs of Pemba” – M. H. Lawrence [4/20 - Daft]
“Full Circle” – Algernon Blackwood [15/20]
“The Tregannet Book of Hours” – A. N. L. Munby [11/20]
“The Master of Hollow Grange” – Sax Rohmer [9/20]
“The Trapdoor” – C. D. Heriot [14/20]
“The Sign of the Spider” (fragment) – Bertram Mitford [2/20 - Ludicrous]
“Some Haunted Houses” – Ambrose Bierce [12/20 - Six pieces]
“The Eyes – T. O. Beachcroft [11/20]
“Johnson Looked Back” – Thomas Burke [10/20]
“The Twelve Apostles” – Eleanor Scott [5/20]
“Mrs. Lunt” – Hugh Walpole [12/20]
Some errors and omissions are evident in the prefatory author profiles. For example, in the case of Charles Birkin (1907-1985 (p. 69)), it’s stated that his first collection was “The Kiss of Death” (1964). In reality, it was “The Devil’s Spawn” (1936). No mention is made of the landmark ‘Creeps’ series (Philip Allan). His contribution here - “Some New Pleasures Prove” (1964) - is a typically nasty yarn with a fine ending twist. I found this sweeping remark to be cheap and, frankly, rather bitchy in tone: “Ambrose Bierce (1842-1913?) was second only to Edgar Allan Poe in his mentally unbalanced view of life…” (p. 168). HL’s prose is occasionally amateurish, for instance: “Horror is a personal thing but most of us are horrified by death and would be even more horrified if we were watched dying…” (p. 190).
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews