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Mr. Tilling's Basement & Other Stories
For more than three decades, Edward Lee has defined the extreme horror genre with his unnerving macabre stories. Described as "the hardest of the hardcore horror writers" by Cemetery Dance , and a "legend of literary mayhem" by Richard Laymon, Lee will take you on a journey as thought-provoking as it is depraved. Collected here for the first time, Deadite Press presents four new stories of liminal spaces, sexual perversion, and the dark side of human nature.
Mr. Tilling's Basement If an intriguing woman knocked on the door to your craptastic new house and offered to sell you some knowledge about it for a small fee, and then she showed you a secret room in your basement where the former owner smoked hallucinogens and performed occult rituals, would you be curious to explore it with her? If you're a morose and horny retired professor like Herman Tilling, you sure as Hell would! But it might not end up the way you expect.
The Night-Sitter When Jessica accepts an offer of free room & board and $500 per night from a reclusive retiree to house-sit for him while he sleeps, she figures there must be some kind of catch. But it's easier money than being a cam-girl. And he doesn't want sex. He just wants her to stay awake all night and keep an ear out for unusual noises. He's probably just paranoid, right?
An American Tourist in Poland Foster Morley, a retired professor, travels to Poland in the hopes of satisfying his sexual appetites at the local fleshpots, only to run into unexpected and increasingly deranged events.
The Statement of Sgt. Jessop Sgt. Jessop of the Innsmouth Police Department was on patrol when he first realized something was seriously wrong. In this interview, he recounts his first-hand experience as one of the only living survivors of the cosmic horror that transpired that day.
Mr. Tilling's Basement If an intriguing woman knocked on the door to your craptastic new house and offered to sell you some knowledge about it for a small fee, and then she showed you a secret room in your basement where the former owner smoked hallucinogens and performed occult rituals, would you be curious to explore it with her? If you're a morose and horny retired professor like Herman Tilling, you sure as Hell would! But it might not end up the way you expect.
The Night-Sitter When Jessica accepts an offer of free room & board and $500 per night from a reclusive retiree to house-sit for him while he sleeps, she figures there must be some kind of catch. But it's easier money than being a cam-girl. And he doesn't want sex. He just wants her to stay awake all night and keep an ear out for unusual noises. He's probably just paranoid, right?
An American Tourist in Poland Foster Morley, a retired professor, travels to Poland in the hopes of satisfying his sexual appetites at the local fleshpots, only to run into unexpected and increasingly deranged events.
The Statement of Sgt. Jessop Sgt. Jessop of the Innsmouth Police Department was on patrol when he first realized something was seriously wrong. In this interview, he recounts his first-hand experience as one of the only living survivors of the cosmic horror that transpired that day.
- GenresHorror
196 pages, Paperback
Published July 26, 2022
20 people are currently reading
121 people want to read
About the author
Edward Lee
269 books1,455 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Edward Lee is an American novelist specializing in the field of horror, and has authored 40 books, more than half of which have been published by mass-market New York paperback companies such as Leisure/Dorchester, Berkley, and Zebra/Kensington. He is a Bram Stoker award nominee for his story "Mr. Torso," and his short stories have appeared in over a dozen mass-market anthologies, including THE BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES OF 2000, Pocket's HOT BLOOD series, and the award-wining 999. Several of his novels have sold translation rights to Germany, Greece, and Romania. He also publishes quite actively in the small-press/limited-edition hardcover market; many of his books in this category have become collector's items. While a number of Lee's projects have been optioned for film, only one has been made, HEADER, which was released on DVD to mixed reviews in June, 2009, by Synapse Films.
Lee is particularly known for over-the-top occult concepts and an accelerated treatment of erotic and/or morbid sexual imagery and visceral violence.
He was born on May 25, 1957 in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Bowie, Maryland. In the late-70s he served in the U.S. Army's 1st Armored Division, in Erlangen, West Germany, then, for a short time, was a municipal police officer in Cottage City, Maryland. Lee also attended the University of Maryland as an English major but quit in his last semester to pursue his dream of being a horror novelist. For over 15 years, he worked as the night manager for a security company in Annapolis, Maryland, while writing in his spare time. In 1997, however, he became a full-time writer, first spending several years in Seattle and then moving to St. Pete Beach, Florida, where he currently resides.
Of note, the author cites as his strongest influence horror legend H. P. Lovecraft; in 2007, Lee embarked on what he calls his "Lovecraft kick" and wrote a spate of novels and novellas which tribute Lovecraft and his famous Cthulhu Mythos. Among these projects are THE INNSWICH HORROR, "Trolley No. 1852," HAUNTER OF THE THRESHOLD, GOING MONSTERING, "Pages Torn From A Travel Journal," and "You Are My Everything." Lee promises more Lovecraftian work on the horizon.
Edward Lee is an American novelist specializing in the field of horror, and has authored 40 books, more than half of which have been published by mass-market New York paperback companies such as Leisure/Dorchester, Berkley, and Zebra/Kensington. He is a Bram Stoker award nominee for his story "Mr. Torso," and his short stories have appeared in over a dozen mass-market anthologies, including THE BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES OF 2000, Pocket's HOT BLOOD series, and the award-wining 999. Several of his novels have sold translation rights to Germany, Greece, and Romania. He also publishes quite actively in the small-press/limited-edition hardcover market; many of his books in this category have become collector's items. While a number of Lee's projects have been optioned for film, only one has been made, HEADER, which was released on DVD to mixed reviews in June, 2009, by Synapse Films.
Lee is particularly known for over-the-top occult concepts and an accelerated treatment of erotic and/or morbid sexual imagery and visceral violence.
He was born on May 25, 1957 in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Bowie, Maryland. In the late-70s he served in the U.S. Army's 1st Armored Division, in Erlangen, West Germany, then, for a short time, was a municipal police officer in Cottage City, Maryland. Lee also attended the University of Maryland as an English major but quit in his last semester to pursue his dream of being a horror novelist. For over 15 years, he worked as the night manager for a security company in Annapolis, Maryland, while writing in his spare time. In 1997, however, he became a full-time writer, first spending several years in Seattle and then moving to St. Pete Beach, Florida, where he currently resides.
Of note, the author cites as his strongest influence horror legend H. P. Lovecraft; in 2007, Lee embarked on what he calls his "Lovecraft kick" and wrote a spate of novels and novellas which tribute Lovecraft and his famous Cthulhu Mythos. Among these projects are THE INNSWICH HORROR, "Trolley No. 1852," HAUNTER OF THE THRESHOLD, GOING MONSTERING, "Pages Torn From A Travel Journal," and "You Are My Everything." Lee promises more Lovecraftian work on the horizon.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 16, 2023
JESSOP: Well...how did you kill them all like that? At first I thought it might be something like nerve gas or something, but then I would’ve died too, right?
INTERVIEWER: It wasn’t us, sergeant. You really want to know what killed all those things? Well, I’ll tell you. It was the fucking Coronavirus...
INTERVIEWER: It wasn’t us, sergeant. You really want to know what killed all those things? Well, I’ll tell you. It was the fucking Coronavirus...
August 8, 2022
Great collection of Lee stories. Included are 4 extreme stories filled with sex and gore. Every story I would rate 5 stars. I can't pick a favorite, because of how good the stories were.
August 14, 2022
There's a reason why Edward Lee is considered the master of extreme horror. This collection feels like vintage Lee, with plenty of sex, gore and nastiness.
January 31, 2023
Mr. Tilling's Basement:
Mr. Tilling is retired and has just bought himself a home. Upon moving in, he is surprised by a knock on the door - even more so to see it's such an attractive, young woman. She assures him she's selling nothing but knowledge, and asks if he knew the man who used to live here. The woman, Tevi, offers to tell Mr. Tilling about the house for $30, and he agrees. She leads him to the basement, where she shows him a secret room.
She tells him that Jerry, the previous owner, an old man pushing 90, was brilliant and used that room to smoke hallucinogens and perform occult rituals.
Tevi met Jerry around the neighborhood and eventually he hired her to sit with him in the room while he went on his vision quests. She tells Mr. Tilling she tried the ritual herself once - and went straight to hell - and offers to teach him how to do it himself. For the first time since retirement, maybe even ever, Mr. Tilling finds his spirits elevated and some excitement brought into his life.
However, there's more going on in Hell - more going on with Tevi than he realizes - and by the time Mr. Tilling learns the grim truth, it'll be too late.
The Night Sitter:
Jessica is a cam girl, and that's how she meets Edmund - although he's certainly not interested in what most customers are, instead offering her a job - $500 a night to house sit, with optional free room and board. Of course that sounds too good to be true, but he assures Jessica he simply wants "an attractive young woman to sit up at night while I'm asleep."
The job seems straightforward, the house normal - besides for that one locked closet...
Edmund is a reclusive, rich, collector and has many sentimental items; he tells Jessica it's her job to guard against break-ins and to wake him if she hears any odd noises.
His room has always been off limits, but one day, Edmund has a heart attack and is rushed to the hospital, and Jessica's curiosity gets the best of her. She decides to snoop around in his room, and what she finds will change things forever.
An American Tourist in Poland:
Forster Morley is a wealthy older man with a passion for travel. He visits Wroclaw, Poland for the second time and vows never to return, despite his love for the city. One close online friend recounts his trip to Wroclaw and why he will never return. This time, Mr. Morley chose a new hotel, the Iblis, meaning "The Devil," and right away, odd things begin happening to him - worst of all, the SD card filled with snuff porn someone at the hotel slipped into his bag.
On the card is a foreign word he doesn't know the meaning of, and later that night, he runs into an old gypsy woman who tells him a local legend, using that same word again, right before warning him to stay out of the woods and disappearing into the night.
Mr. Morley has inadvertently gotten himself wrapped up in some occult activity - and they are quickly closing in on him.
The Statement of Sgt. Jessop:
Police Sargent Jessop gives his account of the day he saw his town overrun with creatures from the old Innsmouth legends.
------------------
I love everything Edward Lee writes, and this was no exception.
The first story had a really good twist at the end and was probably my favorite, although they were all very good.
Mr. Tilling is retired and has just bought himself a home. Upon moving in, he is surprised by a knock on the door - even more so to see it's such an attractive, young woman. She assures him she's selling nothing but knowledge, and asks if he knew the man who used to live here. The woman, Tevi, offers to tell Mr. Tilling about the house for $30, and he agrees. She leads him to the basement, where she shows him a secret room.
She tells him that Jerry, the previous owner, an old man pushing 90, was brilliant and used that room to smoke hallucinogens and perform occult rituals.
Tevi met Jerry around the neighborhood and eventually he hired her to sit with him in the room while he went on his vision quests. She tells Mr. Tilling she tried the ritual herself once - and went straight to hell - and offers to teach him how to do it himself. For the first time since retirement, maybe even ever, Mr. Tilling finds his spirits elevated and some excitement brought into his life.
However, there's more going on in Hell - more going on with Tevi than he realizes - and by the time Mr. Tilling learns the grim truth, it'll be too late.
The Night Sitter:
Jessica is a cam girl, and that's how she meets Edmund - although he's certainly not interested in what most customers are, instead offering her a job - $500 a night to house sit, with optional free room and board. Of course that sounds too good to be true, but he assures Jessica he simply wants "an attractive young woman to sit up at night while I'm asleep."
The job seems straightforward, the house normal - besides for that one locked closet...
Edmund is a reclusive, rich, collector and has many sentimental items; he tells Jessica it's her job to guard against break-ins and to wake him if she hears any odd noises.
His room has always been off limits, but one day, Edmund has a heart attack and is rushed to the hospital, and Jessica's curiosity gets the best of her. She decides to snoop around in his room, and what she finds will change things forever.
An American Tourist in Poland:
Forster Morley is a wealthy older man with a passion for travel. He visits Wroclaw, Poland for the second time and vows never to return, despite his love for the city. One close online friend recounts his trip to Wroclaw and why he will never return. This time, Mr. Morley chose a new hotel, the Iblis, meaning "The Devil," and right away, odd things begin happening to him - worst of all, the SD card filled with snuff porn someone at the hotel slipped into his bag.
On the card is a foreign word he doesn't know the meaning of, and later that night, he runs into an old gypsy woman who tells him a local legend, using that same word again, right before warning him to stay out of the woods and disappearing into the night.
Mr. Morley has inadvertently gotten himself wrapped up in some occult activity - and they are quickly closing in on him.
The Statement of Sgt. Jessop:
Police Sargent Jessop gives his account of the day he saw his town overrun with creatures from the old Innsmouth legends.
------------------
I love everything Edward Lee writes, and this was no exception.
The first story had a really good twist at the end and was probably my favorite, although they were all very good.
April 6, 2025
As with the other Lee books I’ve read, I just tend to finish these stories disappointed. First and foremost, Lee needs an editor. This book was filled with typos, word misusage, and missing or incorrect articles. I’m also convinced that at times Lee uses incorrect language and, as an English professor once told me, uses the “cousin” of a word instead of the correct word. And then lastly, Lee’s endings seem to be poorly executed. Of the four stories in this book I was interested in all of them in the beginning and then the endings were ridiculously stupid, nonsensical, or deflating. There’s also the problem with gratuitous and nonsensical actions the characters perform, and they nearly all speak in false dialogue. Outside of those issues, a great read.
October 17, 2022
It’s been a while since fans of Edward Lee could pick up a new book, but man did it ever feel great to do just that! This past summer Deadite Press released a short collection of Lee stories that felt flavorful and classic. Our favorite outlandish wordsmith is back on the horse in a huge way.
Kicking off the collection was the title story, “Mr. Tilling’s Basement.” We see an old retired egg-head professor who is newly retired moving into a modest house to finish off the rest of his days unbothered and unfettered. Cue the door-bell and his commonplace life as he knew it was finished. Enter the beautiful, mysterious and crass Tevi only described in true Lee fashion (an ex porn star - never!). Tevi explains to Tilling how the house used to belong to her very close elderly companion, Jerry Orne who is now spending his final days at a special needs retirement home incapable of taking care of himself or much else. Over a short time Tevi fills the professor in on what had transpired in the basement when Orne was able bodied and her participation in such events. I don’t want to give too much of the story away because it really is such a good one. Long time fans will be so thrilled to be placed right back in Lee’s classic Mephistopolis from the beloved Infernal collection. Like a walk through fucked up memory lane. In the story, the screwer becomes the screwee and man is there ever an evil, unexpected twist at the end. Ouch! Just when we were starting to dig the professor, a guy almost feels sorry for him.
“The Night-sitter” is the second story in this collection. A re-write from a collection Lee contributed to from Gerard Houarner’s infamous Necro Publications “Painfreak”. He really liked the story, so he re-tooled it with a different abomination so as to not step on Gerard’s toes.
Cam-girl Jessica gets approached by an elderly “client” Edmund to house-sit for him, from dusk until dawn for $500 a night. No sexual propositions involved. We learn Mr Roulet is a bit of a wealthy recluse and hires young, beautiful women in the industry for various household tasks. Elated to start this new job and get life back on track, Jessica takes the job. Accordingly, the house is placed on the spot of a brutal battle between the US Army and the Seminole Indians in 1830... ah yes what could possibly go wrong? Deadpasses with gorgeous bald succubus’ and melting corpse companions of course!
“An American Tourist in Poland”, the third in the collection features a retired man, Foster Morley heads to poland to satisfy his bestial needs. A bit of a deviant we find as he searches out some carnal encounters but ends up in progressively demoralized circumstances, sicker than the SD card films he unwittingly screens. Some pretty sick torture, occult components mixed with horrendous
aberrations make this one a disordered thrill.
“The Statment of Sgt. Jessop” is the last quicky we procure in the collection. Sgt. Jessop reveals to the interviewer his first-hand account of exactly what he saw that day. Lee having fun with modern day exploits.
A great little collection proving our man is back in a big way and we can’t wait to see what else Lee churns out over years to come.
Kicking off the collection was the title story, “Mr. Tilling’s Basement.” We see an old retired egg-head professor who is newly retired moving into a modest house to finish off the rest of his days unbothered and unfettered. Cue the door-bell and his commonplace life as he knew it was finished. Enter the beautiful, mysterious and crass Tevi only described in true Lee fashion (an ex porn star - never!). Tevi explains to Tilling how the house used to belong to her very close elderly companion, Jerry Orne who is now spending his final days at a special needs retirement home incapable of taking care of himself or much else. Over a short time Tevi fills the professor in on what had transpired in the basement when Orne was able bodied and her participation in such events. I don’t want to give too much of the story away because it really is such a good one. Long time fans will be so thrilled to be placed right back in Lee’s classic Mephistopolis from the beloved Infernal collection. Like a walk through fucked up memory lane. In the story, the screwer becomes the screwee and man is there ever an evil, unexpected twist at the end. Ouch! Just when we were starting to dig the professor, a guy almost feels sorry for him.
“The Night-sitter” is the second story in this collection. A re-write from a collection Lee contributed to from Gerard Houarner’s infamous Necro Publications “Painfreak”. He really liked the story, so he re-tooled it with a different abomination so as to not step on Gerard’s toes.
Cam-girl Jessica gets approached by an elderly “client” Edmund to house-sit for him, from dusk until dawn for $500 a night. No sexual propositions involved. We learn Mr Roulet is a bit of a wealthy recluse and hires young, beautiful women in the industry for various household tasks. Elated to start this new job and get life back on track, Jessica takes the job. Accordingly, the house is placed on the spot of a brutal battle between the US Army and the Seminole Indians in 1830... ah yes what could possibly go wrong? Deadpasses with gorgeous bald succubus’ and melting corpse companions of course!
“An American Tourist in Poland”, the third in the collection features a retired man, Foster Morley heads to poland to satisfy his bestial needs. A bit of a deviant we find as he searches out some carnal encounters but ends up in progressively demoralized circumstances, sicker than the SD card films he unwittingly screens. Some pretty sick torture, occult components mixed with horrendous
aberrations make this one a disordered thrill.
“The Statment of Sgt. Jessop” is the last quicky we procure in the collection. Sgt. Jessop reveals to the interviewer his first-hand account of exactly what he saw that day. Lee having fun with modern day exploits.
A great little collection proving our man is back in a big way and we can’t wait to see what else Lee churns out over years to come.
November 20, 2024
A collection of four short stories, ranging from a high that can take you straight to hell, to smut films being linked to a female ran cult of sex workers. Every single story is so Edward Lee, his use of history, grisly details of mutilation and of course sex, this was my favorite so far of his short story collections.
April 30, 2024
3.5 STARS
I've been reading Edward Lee from his early years at Leisure Books with the fantastic, City Infernal, to even earlier with Ghouls, and The Chosen, at Pinnacle. Although this collection is very enjoyable, the endings on all of them feel a bit rushed and sort of jarring. My favorite is Mr. Tilling's Basement, which is presented here for the first time, along with The Night-Sitter and An American Tourist In Poland. I don't really count the last entry, The Statement of Sgt. Jessop, as the story is only four pages long. While this is not a must read, Edward Lee fans should still pick this up for the title story, the largest and best in the short collection. All the stories cover fairly standard Lee territory, with all the gratuitous sex, violence, and gore, and always with a wink to the audience not to take it too seriously. For the woke audience, there are so many triggers, you should stay far away.
I've been reading Edward Lee from his early years at Leisure Books with the fantastic, City Infernal, to even earlier with Ghouls, and The Chosen, at Pinnacle. Although this collection is very enjoyable, the endings on all of them feel a bit rushed and sort of jarring. My favorite is Mr. Tilling's Basement, which is presented here for the first time, along with The Night-Sitter and An American Tourist In Poland. I don't really count the last entry, The Statement of Sgt. Jessop, as the story is only four pages long. While this is not a must read, Edward Lee fans should still pick this up for the title story, the largest and best in the short collection. All the stories cover fairly standard Lee territory, with all the gratuitous sex, violence, and gore, and always with a wink to the audience not to take it too seriously. For the woke audience, there are so many triggers, you should stay far away.
December 26, 2023
I can still remember reading Stephen King novels and other trashy horror fiction as a kid and thinking I was really getting away with something illicit. Violence, sex, and all kinds of other newfound adult behavior. It’s been a while since I’ve felt that way, and despite all his flaws as a writer, Edward Lee has brought those feelings rushing back. Even as an adult, I kept thinking to myself: Should I be reading this? Am I going to get in trouble for reading this?
Lee is most well known for his depictions of extreme sex and violence, and those elements are certainly present in the four stories in this collection. And they certainly are extreme and shocking. Just when you think he can’t go any further, get any more depraved, he does.
Yet what I actually enjoyed the most was the sense of dread Lee is able to create before delving into his trademark over the top violence. He drops little hints of the occult or portending violence or glimmers of fetid bodies, and while you know things are going to get messy before the end, it’s not always clear where the story’s going. The narratives are pretty well constructed and more intricate than they might first appear. And this aspect of his storytelling left me feeling queasier than some of the gross out imagery.
In fact, some of the scenes of carnage only serve to deflate the tension. Hearing a character freak out about what they saw in hell is, in many ways, more grueling than seeing graphic descriptions of it. Even with all of Lee’s creativity, he can’t live up to what the mind can create for itself.
Otherwise, his writing style is pretty solid, but he has a tendency toward narration and dialogue that makes it sound like every character is either the most pretentious college professor ever or a sex-crazed girl from an older man’s fantasy. And there are just too many horny old men constantly lusting after young girls.
But, this was one hell of a unique experience, one that left me a bit floored by its intensity. And that, I think, is what Lee seems to be aiming for.
Lee is most well known for his depictions of extreme sex and violence, and those elements are certainly present in the four stories in this collection. And they certainly are extreme and shocking. Just when you think he can’t go any further, get any more depraved, he does.
Yet what I actually enjoyed the most was the sense of dread Lee is able to create before delving into his trademark over the top violence. He drops little hints of the occult or portending violence or glimmers of fetid bodies, and while you know things are going to get messy before the end, it’s not always clear where the story’s going. The narratives are pretty well constructed and more intricate than they might first appear. And this aspect of his storytelling left me feeling queasier than some of the gross out imagery.
In fact, some of the scenes of carnage only serve to deflate the tension. Hearing a character freak out about what they saw in hell is, in many ways, more grueling than seeing graphic descriptions of it. Even with all of Lee’s creativity, he can’t live up to what the mind can create for itself.
Otherwise, his writing style is pretty solid, but he has a tendency toward narration and dialogue that makes it sound like every character is either the most pretentious college professor ever or a sex-crazed girl from an older man’s fantasy. And there are just too many horny old men constantly lusting after young girls.
But, this was one hell of a unique experience, one that left me a bit floored by its intensity. And that, I think, is what Lee seems to be aiming for.
October 15, 2024
Super hard to review. The writing is excellent, the suspense, the craft itself. The content is gruesome, expected in the way grindhouse films, slasher films are, and in that same way can be considered 'good' if disgusting. But there is a lot of same-ness in here between the stories, a lot of retread ground, for all the Lovecraftian / slasher quality. A lot of lazy shorthand as well, mentioning things that are horrible by name as a shorthand for horror, instead of relying on describing novel events or horrors. And there is perhaps a bit of wish fulfillment, author inserts, and beating up on the spirits of well-known evil people. It was in a way what I expected, perhaps a bit less than, and I cannot recommend it unless you already know you want to read it - Edward Lee is an acquired taste.
December 31, 2023
It could have had more stars. It's just extremely misogynistic and ignorant. I can see why this book appeals to some. Who dosent want to succumb to the fantasy of being like any of the male protagonists (old, fat and "smart") in this book and get the same kind of treatment from big breasted smooth skinned toned females that just can't help themselves in close proximity to some kind of fatherly savior figure.
Statements made about Europe are just incorrect, prejudiced, and ignorant (and very outdated)
Mr. Lee. I would have loved your stories if it wasn't for the aforementioned.
I know I'm just not your target audience.
Statements made about Europe are just incorrect, prejudiced, and ignorant (and very outdated)
Mr. Lee. I would have loved your stories if it wasn't for the aforementioned.
I know I'm just not your target audience.
March 20, 2023
Not his best, not his worst. It definitely feels…maybe not forced, but like he’s trying to hold on to an edge he’s slowly losing…a tad desperate.
I liked the punchline of the last story, though. It’s very topical.
I liked the punchline of the last story, though. It’s very topical.
April 19, 2024
It's Edward Lee. I've always liked Lee's short stuff more than his novels, because the writing is a lot tighter and the stories punch harder. If you like Ed Lee, it's worth reading. If you don't know if you like Edward Lee or not, you probably don't.
December 29, 2023
Great!
March 23, 2025
Absolutely ridiculous in a fun way. Lots of sex and gross gory stuff. Not for the faint of heart for sure, but I definitely chuckled a few times at the sheer absurdity.
August 30, 2025
Mr. Lee's depictions of Hell are incredibly creative and entertaining, although very graphic. Recommended for extreme horror fans.
November 22, 2023
Edward Lee has published a great many short stories and novellas throughout the years, but aside from reading the Pig Trilogy in an omnibus edition, I've never read any of his collections. So I think it's finally time to change that and give this novella collection a go!
Mr. Tilling's Basement:
Mr. Tilling has finally retired from being a professor and now he lives in a small apartment that used to be owned by Mr. Orne before being sent off to a retirement home. But when a mysterious yet attractive woman comes by to introduce herself to Mr. Tilling he realizes that the previous owner may very well have been an occultist and that a gateway of sorts is hidden away in the basement. Mr. Tilling is about to find out that heaven and hell are very much real.
Edward Lee has written a terrific novella that continues the wonderful legacy of the Infernal series with a short atmospheric story filled with sex, violence, and some of the most gruesome imagery ever imagined. What really makes this story work however is the twist at the very end, which whilst fairly simple you don't see coming. I highly recommend you don't flick to the end before or halfway through reading this story, since you will be spoiling an incredibly twisted ending for yourself! 10/10
The Night-Sitter:
Jessica is desperate to get out of the business of being a webcam girl and finds herself house-sitting an old man's house during the nighttime. But why does this reclusive old man need someone to house-sit for him when he's at home? and why is he so paranoid about the outside world or the closet door next to the bathroom? Jessica is about to discover something very horrible about her new employer.
Edward Lee has written a really engaging short novella that has an eerie atmosphere to the mystery that slowly unfolds throughout the story. When all the puzzle pieces slip into place towards the end of the narrative, the truth is horrifying. I love how again very much like the previous story, it connects somewhat to his infernal series. 9/10
An American Tourist in Poland:
Foster Morley, a retired professor returns to Poland in the hopes of an exciting adventure to relieve his sexual desires. However, instead, he finds himself stumbling upon an ancient evil that will change his life forever.
Edward Lee is an author I mostly enjoy, but sometimes his work can be a little too much even for me. This novella, however, I have very mixed feelings on. There are elements here I like such as it being set in a completely different country and the world-building is nicely done. I also found the snuff-film-related scenes to be suitably terrifying. But on the other hand, the main character wasn't easy to sympathize with and I ultimately just didn't get what Lee was going for here. This just wasn't for me, unfortunately. I didn't dislike it, but I didn't love it either. 4/10
The Statement of Sgt. Jessop:
Sergeant Jessop is being interviewed to find out just what had happened to Innsmouth that day, it turns out the town won't ever be the same again.
Edward Lee has written a quick little short story that acts as a sequel of sorts to The Shadow Over Innsmouth by H.P. Lovecraft (a story I haven't read). It's an eerie and gruesome little read that I admire due to just how different it was from everything else I've ever read by Lee considering it's a short interview told over a couple of pages. The ending of this one will be a mixed bag for people, but I didn't mind it. 8/10
Overall: 31/40
Mr. Tilling's Basement:
Mr. Tilling has finally retired from being a professor and now he lives in a small apartment that used to be owned by Mr. Orne before being sent off to a retirement home. But when a mysterious yet attractive woman comes by to introduce herself to Mr. Tilling he realizes that the previous owner may very well have been an occultist and that a gateway of sorts is hidden away in the basement. Mr. Tilling is about to find out that heaven and hell are very much real.
Edward Lee has written a terrific novella that continues the wonderful legacy of the Infernal series with a short atmospheric story filled with sex, violence, and some of the most gruesome imagery ever imagined. What really makes this story work however is the twist at the very end, which whilst fairly simple you don't see coming. I highly recommend you don't flick to the end before or halfway through reading this story, since you will be spoiling an incredibly twisted ending for yourself! 10/10
The Night-Sitter:
Jessica is desperate to get out of the business of being a webcam girl and finds herself house-sitting an old man's house during the nighttime. But why does this reclusive old man need someone to house-sit for him when he's at home? and why is he so paranoid about the outside world or the closet door next to the bathroom? Jessica is about to discover something very horrible about her new employer.
Edward Lee has written a really engaging short novella that has an eerie atmosphere to the mystery that slowly unfolds throughout the story. When all the puzzle pieces slip into place towards the end of the narrative, the truth is horrifying. I love how again very much like the previous story, it connects somewhat to his infernal series. 9/10
An American Tourist in Poland:
Foster Morley, a retired professor returns to Poland in the hopes of an exciting adventure to relieve his sexual desires. However, instead, he finds himself stumbling upon an ancient evil that will change his life forever.
Edward Lee is an author I mostly enjoy, but sometimes his work can be a little too much even for me. This novella, however, I have very mixed feelings on. There are elements here I like such as it being set in a completely different country and the world-building is nicely done. I also found the snuff-film-related scenes to be suitably terrifying. But on the other hand, the main character wasn't easy to sympathize with and I ultimately just didn't get what Lee was going for here. This just wasn't for me, unfortunately. I didn't dislike it, but I didn't love it either. 4/10
The Statement of Sgt. Jessop:
Sergeant Jessop is being interviewed to find out just what had happened to Innsmouth that day, it turns out the town won't ever be the same again.
Edward Lee has written a quick little short story that acts as a sequel of sorts to The Shadow Over Innsmouth by H.P. Lovecraft (a story I haven't read). It's an eerie and gruesome little read that I admire due to just how different it was from everything else I've ever read by Lee considering it's a short interview told over a couple of pages. The ending of this one will be a mixed bag for people, but I didn't mind it. 8/10
Overall: 31/40
March 11, 2023
You've undoubtedly heard the name. He's a legend in the genre of extreme horror fiction. And I'll confess, while I'm not a huge fan of extreme or hardcore horror (I do enjoy some of it), I've been a fan of Ed Lee since the mid to late 90s. I'll buy and read everything he's published. This collection of stories doesn't disappoint either. For my money, when it comes to the extreme/hardcore stuff, he's the best!
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