The Hand of Dracula

Dracula Horror Series #2

by Robert Lory

A strange undertaker who evinces more than a professional interest in corpses. Mysterious coffins containing more than a dead body...

These are only a few of the strange happenings in a seemingly respectable undertaker's. Dracula, with the scientist Dr Damien Harmon, the eerie woman Ktara and the faithful giant Cam, unravel this latterday chamber of horrors.

In the second fearful book of the return of of Dracula, his evil is still unsurpassed. This tale leads to even greater spine-chilling suspense.

Cover illustration: Bruce Pennington.

Genres: Horror, Adventure

127 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

Lory is the son of Edward and Dorothy Lory. He studied history and social sciences at Harpur College, Binghamton, where he graduated in 1961 with a bachelor's degree. In 1964 he completed a Famous Writers Course and in 1973 a course of the Washington School of Art . After completing his studies, he was a temporary folk singer , industrial photographer , advertising and public relations officer for an electricity and gas utility, sales promotion for a supplier and supervised publications of the Reynolds Metals Company . From 1967 he worked for the Exxon Corporation , first as editor of the Esso Manhattan , Exxon Manhattan and Esso Eastern Review magazines, then as a PR consultant for Esso Eastern Inc. Since 1968, Lory is married to Barbara Banner, with whom he has four children. Since 1971 he is a freelance writer.

1963 Lory published his first SF short story Rundown Worlds of If, more stories followed, which appeared in 1970 collected in A Harvest of Hoodwinks . In 1969 appeared a first fantasy novel, The Eyes of Bolsk, followed in 1970 by the sequel Master of the Etrax.

The nine-volume series Return of Dracula is a mixture of action thriller and horror novels tells the adventures of rich Professor Damien Harmon, telekinetic and paralyzed as a victim of a crime, now in the manner of a vigilante a vendetta against the crime, where he is the help served by the immortal Count Dracula , whom he forces to cooperate with an implanted wooden stake. Supported by Cameron Sanchez, an expert in martial arts , and shapeshifter Ktara, several super villains are being routed and their infernal plans thwarted.

Another romance cycle is Horrorscope , in which an overpowering being - demon or embodied fate - brings the zodiac signs to life and brings horrific unhappiness and death over innocent people.

Both series are according to the lexicon of horror literature , "pure Pulphorror for the mass market." Lorry's science fiction is described by John Clute as "mainly light, fantasy-driven adventure stories, unassuming but neat."

Under the publishing pseudonym Paul Edwards Lory wrote several volumes of the novel series John Eagle, Expeditor, a series of secret agent thrillers.

Reviews

[Edwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sure, it's silly, but it's a blast to read. An oddball team consisting of a wheelchair bound professor, who's quite an ass, an enormous Puerto Rican ex-cop, a shape-shifting, mind reading woman enslaved by Dracula, and of course the extremely violent Count who is always on the verge of being out of control, and who hates the professor and subverts his efforts when he can. The oddball team works together to solve a murder mystery with a wager between the Count and the professor on the line. There's a lot of weirdness going on, a Manson-like cult, Mafia hit men, a nefarious funeral director and his brutish hunchback assistant, all of which make for a fun and crazy ride.

[Jayaprakash Satyamurthy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dracula meets the Manson Family! Not really, but this novel sees the fanged one coming head to head with a hippie commune that practices occult rituals and human sacrifice. He also confronts a murderous undertaker, settling the score as to who is the real master of death.

It's a rather convoluted plot with all sorts of unlikely things happening and a veritable mess of characters scuttling about in confusion towards the end. The editing is as bad as it gets and there are times when I wondered if native English speakers were really involved in making this book.

This series has a bit of a cult following in some circles, but as far as I am concerned, it's firmly in the so-bad-it's-fun camp.

[Wayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never was a big fan of Vampires in fiction. Rarely do I find myself reading and liking something with Dracula in it. This, though, is one of those times. Book two in the Dracula Horror Series has all the makings of great 70's pulp charm. Although in the first half of this, Dracula is featured very little. Instead a bullet headed ex-cop working for the Doctor who brought the fiend back from the dead is the one who seeks out a cult that maybe involved in human sacrifices.

The book cover made me think I was going to read something along the lines of The Monster Squad, that crazy kids show from the 1970's with Gofer from the Love Boat. No. Thank goodness. Not heavy on the sleaze and sex, but it is there. Dracula does come back into the book at the end when we switch from cult to crooked funeral director and his hunchbacked servant that has dealings with the mob. This was very fun to read.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second entry in the series is a murder mystery more than anything else with a friend of Damien Harmon's niece Jenny as the accused. Eventually a cult-like group enters the picture as well as a very sinister funeral director and the fun begins. Cam Sanchez appears blithely unaware that Jenny has a crush on him and anyway, this series isn't about sex but good ol' supernatural dealings. Dracula is as urbane, bloodthirsty, and deadly as usual. He and Damien now have a wager on concerning the mystery. If Damien wins, Dracula will do his bidding for 6 months, If Dracula wins...you don't want to know.

It won't keep you awake at night but it's entertaining "fun" all the same.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay follow-up to the ridiculously fun first book. This one's a pretty slapdash mystery that seems to have been written on the fly. A dash of Manson family, a dash of funeral home ghoul, a hunk of hunchback...it will write itself.

[Sidney · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun entry in the Dracula horror series which brings Dracula to the present day and puts him under scientific control.

[Phillip Fuller · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was entertaining with Dracula seemingly amused with the workings of the human mindset as he does Dr Harmon's bidding. Robert Lory drew on the Manson family in creating the Paulus Aleister cult that Dracula destroyed during the course of Dr Harmon's quest to exonerate an innocent man. The plot was very intriguing but don't try to find any deep literary meaning in this novel.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

I first read this book when I was around 12. While it doesn't stand up well as a reread, it scratched an itch.

[F · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice entertaining read- had it been a movie it would be called a popcorn flick- not deep, but worth the watch.

[Joel Manuel · Rating 3 out of 5]

So-so second entry in the Dracula series. I wish they'd focused more on the funeral parlor angle than the Manson-esque cult. Still, a quick & enjoyable read.

[Vinnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

reads like a cheesy 70's Hammer Horror flick :) love it