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The Playboy Book of Horror and the Supernatural
This treasury of a book holds 28 of the best horror and supernatural stories penned in the past dozen years. Written by modern writers for modern readers, many are free of the quaint cobwebs and monsters of long ago, relying wisely on psychological cobwebs and implied monsters; yet in others, blood flows copiously, hideous creatures stalk, demons and warlocks and the Devil incarnate do their damnedest. The most provocative practitioners in this time-honored field are represented here by their finest work: Ray Bradbury, Robert Bloch, Charles Beaumont, John Collier, Fredric Brown, David Ely, Ray Russell, Richard Matheson and 14 other master spellbinders all share a common goal--to appealingly appall you, fill you with delightful dread, and echo Hamlet's warning that there are more things in Heaven and Earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
- GenresHorrorAnthologies
390 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1967
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251 people want to read
About the author
Ray Russell
120 books110 followersRay Russell was an American editor and writer of short stories, novels, and screenplays. Russell is best known for his horror fiction, although he also wrote mystery and science fiction stories.
His most famous short fiction is "Sardonicus", which appeared in the January 1961 issue of Playboy magazine, and was subsequently adapted by Russell into a screenplay for William Castle's film version, titled Mr. Sardonicus. American writer Stephen King called "Sardonicus" "perhaps the finest example of the modern gothic ever written"."Sardonicus" was part of a trio of stories with "Sanguinarius" and "Sagittarius".
see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Russell and http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-ent...
His most famous short fiction is "Sardonicus", which appeared in the January 1961 issue of Playboy magazine, and was subsequently adapted by Russell into a screenplay for William Castle's film version, titled Mr. Sardonicus. American writer Stephen King called "Sardonicus" "perhaps the finest example of the modern gothic ever written"."Sardonicus" was part of a trio of stories with "Sanguinarius" and "Sagittarius".
see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Russell and http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-ent...
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 31, 2012
I came across this short-story collection in a weird bookshop in Algiers. The book was in a rather bad condition but I decided to take a chance and buy it. I am glad I did.
The Playboy Book of Horror and the Supernatural contains a few gems that were nothing short of mindblowing. My favorites are the following:
Nasty by Fredric Brown - Easily the funniest piece of the collection. Be careful what you wish for !
Sardonicus by Ray Russell - Fantastic. I had no idea who Ray Russell was and that was one hell of an introduction.
The Jam by Henry Slesar - It reminded my of Dan Rather's quote : "Americans will put up with anything provided it doesn't block traffic.”
The Manuscript of Dr. Arness by Gahan Wilson - A clever and unpredictable tale of a scientific experiment gone awry.
The Party by William F. Nolan - Very freaky and imaginative take on a man's journey to hell. I have to admit this story messed up my dreams for a while.
Burnt Toast by Mack Reynolds - You gotta love a good 'sell your sou to devil' story. This one has a good twist as well.
Rendezvous by John Christopher - One of the most original ghost stories I have ever read.
The Sea Was Wet as Wet Could Be by Gahan Wilson - This one is my favorite off the collection by a country mile. Again, I have no idea who Gahan Wilson is but both his short stories in this collection struck me as magnificent. This particular tale of cannibalism is just plain weird. I loved it.
I'm Yours by Charles Schafhauser - Insanely creepy and quite X-Filesque story of a femme fatale who has a very peculiar way of showing affection.
Double Explosure by John Reese - I am very keen on strange phenomenons involving photographs.
Black Country by Charles Beaumont - I am extremely passionate about music and Jazz is one of my favorites genres. Black Country is a very touching ghost story centered on a jazz band and a saxophone genius.
Comet Wine by Ray Russell - Yay! Another story about musical genius! And it's a Ray Russell story! And it is a sort of sequel to Sardonicus ! A perfect closer to this great collection.
The Playboy Book of Horror and the Supernatural contains a few gems that were nothing short of mindblowing. My favorites are the following:
Nasty by Fredric Brown - Easily the funniest piece of the collection. Be careful what you wish for !
Sardonicus by Ray Russell - Fantastic. I had no idea who Ray Russell was and that was one hell of an introduction.
The Jam by Henry Slesar - It reminded my of Dan Rather's quote : "Americans will put up with anything provided it doesn't block traffic.”
The Manuscript of Dr. Arness by Gahan Wilson - A clever and unpredictable tale of a scientific experiment gone awry.
The Party by William F. Nolan - Very freaky and imaginative take on a man's journey to hell. I have to admit this story messed up my dreams for a while.
Burnt Toast by Mack Reynolds - You gotta love a good 'sell your sou to devil' story. This one has a good twist as well.
Rendezvous by John Christopher - One of the most original ghost stories I have ever read.
The Sea Was Wet as Wet Could Be by Gahan Wilson - This one is my favorite off the collection by a country mile. Again, I have no idea who Gahan Wilson is but both his short stories in this collection struck me as magnificent. This particular tale of cannibalism is just plain weird. I loved it.
I'm Yours by Charles Schafhauser - Insanely creepy and quite X-Filesque story of a femme fatale who has a very peculiar way of showing affection.
Double Explosure by John Reese - I am very keen on strange phenomenons involving photographs.
Black Country by Charles Beaumont - I am extremely passionate about music and Jazz is one of my favorites genres. Black Country is a very touching ghost story centered on a jazz band and a saxophone genius.
Comet Wine by Ray Russell - Yay! Another story about musical genius! And it's a Ray Russell story! And it is a sort of sequel to Sardonicus ! A perfect closer to this great collection.
April 15, 2020
I nicked this from a second-hand bookshop during the mid-eighties. What amazes me is that it still smells like it just came out of the printing machine and the pages have not acquired the yellowish tint which is common in most paperbacks. Kudos to Playboy for not going cheap on the paper and ink.
Not much straight horror in this tome though. It seems that Playboy did not want to go for the jugular. Most of the stories are quite, suggestive, pieces with strong psychological undertones with the occasional surrealistic and gothic piece. These stories are better suited for readers who want to expand their definition of horror while those who are looking for a fast, gory, read may find it disappointing.
However, it is a handsome little tome that looks good on the shelf and lets not forget that smell. Every once and I while I open this book and shove it into my face. The smell of this book is irresistible and quite unique.
Not much straight horror in this tome though. It seems that Playboy did not want to go for the jugular. Most of the stories are quite, suggestive, pieces with strong psychological undertones with the occasional surrealistic and gothic piece. These stories are better suited for readers who want to expand their definition of horror while those who are looking for a fast, gory, read may find it disappointing.
However, it is a handsome little tome that looks good on the shelf and lets not forget that smell. Every once and I while I open this book and shove it into my face. The smell of this book is irresistible and quite unique.
February 23, 2022
all reviews in one place:
night mode reading ;
skaitom nakties rezimu
About the Book: A large handful of horror tales, where the goosebumps running down your skin are as much from the supernatural beings that keep appearing, the strange powers, curses, but due to the human nature too.
My Opinion: Some were mediocre, still, usually they proved to be at least interestingly written, if not at all good in the tale they told. Others were pretty good. And then, some were absolutely amazing, making the whole book very worth the time it took to read. All the stories are short, so it’s easy to get through.
night mode reading ;
skaitom nakties rezimu
About the Book: A large handful of horror tales, where the goosebumps running down your skin are as much from the supernatural beings that keep appearing, the strange powers, curses, but due to the human nature too.
My Opinion: Some were mediocre, still, usually they proved to be at least interestingly written, if not at all good in the tale they told. Others were pretty good. And then, some were absolutely amazing, making the whole book very worth the time it took to read. All the stories are short, so it’s easy to get through.
September 3, 2014
The majority of the stories in this volume have a comical trait characteristic of Playboy's articles and ribald tales. I searched for the "serious" accounts of the supernatural. My favorite was "Heavy Set" by Ray Bradbury as it depicts a bodybuilder in his thirties that lives with his mom and devotes his life to this practice. This carries a series of mental health issues that I can certify as this is my own case. "Virginia" is the tale of an unexpected guest that drastically changes the life of a swinger couple. I also have the four year visit of a "peculiar" uncle in my house, lool;this too causes changes...
"Sardonicus" and "Comet Wine" are stories of Faustian comeuppance that deal with the supernatural written in a quite convincing 19 century style beautifully crafted. "Rendezvous" by John Christopher and "Hey, Look at Me!" by Jack Finney are the stories that make the unbeliever believe; when I've met skeptics that suddenly go sick with pallor in their smug faces is a real delight to see.
"Side by Side" by John Tomerlin is a clear example of attachment whether it is a selfish or unselfish one for the dead that I can well feel empathy for. In my case was pure love. "For the Rich They Sing-Sometimes" by Ken W.Purdy I can testify that women with uncanny powers of prescience really exist, sometimes with disastrous consequences, BEWARE!!
"Double Exposure" deals with photography, a gamine and supernatural manifestation, can this be matched? It is absolutely non pareil!! It is exactly what I look for whenever I get off my house,lool.
"Sardonicus" and "Comet Wine" are stories of Faustian comeuppance that deal with the supernatural written in a quite convincing 19 century style beautifully crafted. "Rendezvous" by John Christopher and "Hey, Look at Me!" by Jack Finney are the stories that make the unbeliever believe; when I've met skeptics that suddenly go sick with pallor in their smug faces is a real delight to see.
"Side by Side" by John Tomerlin is a clear example of attachment whether it is a selfish or unselfish one for the dead that I can well feel empathy for. In my case was pure love. "For the Rich They Sing-Sometimes" by Ken W.Purdy I can testify that women with uncanny powers of prescience really exist, sometimes with disastrous consequences, BEWARE!!
"Double Exposure" deals with photography, a gamine and supernatural manifestation, can this be matched? It is absolutely non pareil!! It is exactly what I look for whenever I get off my house,lool.
December 10, 2015
First read this book when I was about 14 and still remembered 2 of the stories to this day. My daughter found this on eBay for me and voila! I love old "horror" stories because it is much more psychological and less gore. Still great stories, I especially loved Heavy Set for it's general creepiness and truly unsettling ending. Still a great read 49+ years later!
December 24, 2012
Suprisingly good. More "weird" tales than horror, but Ray Bradbury's "Heavy Set" is worth picking up the anthology for. Also, some of these guys can write! Charles Beaumont's "Black Country" is a terrific exercise in voice, written in bebop slang. Loved it.
January 27, 2019
This is a pretty bad collection. First of all, most of the stories shouldn't count as horror and they only have some vague hint to the supernatural, and secondly, they were terribly average for a collection from featured writers.
Having said that, the two offerings from Richard Matheson were just swell, and along with his novel I Am Legend, is the third story I have read of his, and all are great. Double Exposure by John Reese is not horror or supernatural, but is just a good story in that it creates an interesting dilemma and messes with your mind. The Party by William F. Nolan had such engaging writing and I could read something like this all day—great story idea, too. And Sardonicus by Ray Russell was probably the stand-out of the whole collection; it was the longest of the stories and had a great gothic horror plot and late 19th/early 20th century style of writing and language that based on Ray Russell's other story was just his style. Those were all good, but out of 30 stories that's not much. Disappointing.
Having said that, the two offerings from Richard Matheson were just swell, and along with his novel I Am Legend, is the third story I have read of his, and all are great. Double Exposure by John Reese is not horror or supernatural, but is just a good story in that it creates an interesting dilemma and messes with your mind. The Party by William F. Nolan had such engaging writing and I could read something like this all day—great story idea, too. And Sardonicus by Ray Russell was probably the stand-out of the whole collection; it was the longest of the stories and had a great gothic horror plot and late 19th/early 20th century style of writing and language that based on Ray Russell's other story was just his style. Those were all good, but out of 30 stories that's not much. Disappointing.
October 13, 2021
A fine old anthology of the kind I grew up with. There are some real gems in here, not least of which is the excellent and lyrical "Black Country" by Charles Beaumont. This collection shows why some of these guys are still in the popular consciousness and considered masters of their form.
October 5, 2025
A pleasant surprise. One of the interesting things about reading an anthology this old is to see how well it holds up. This must have been exceptionally well curated, because except for a few stories, the book as a whole holds up very well
September 13, 2024
A great mix of short stories
November 7, 2025
This is a nice collection of weird tales. Some definitely have elements of horror, and some are just kind of weird. But they all fit together nicely in this collection.
September 3, 2015
Have I whined enough lately about my inability to find a good collection of short stories? Yes, I have? Okay, fine.
I found this while looking for Richard Matheson audiobooks. I have a serious literary hard on for Richard Matheson, and his short stories are clearly the best. I found this audiobook, and thought, "Oh, man, this is going to be GOOD."
This was published during an era where The Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents were airing. Some of these authors wrote stories for both of those shows that I loved so much in reruns (I'm old, I'm not that old). Unlike the super stereotype, the few times I've read a Playboy magazine, I actually read the articles. This is going to be the best book ever!!
.....
Yeah.
Okay.
Whatever.
God, these stories are such shit. SUCH SHIT. Good horror and supernatural is timeless. And Playboy has a history of featuring stories by some of the greatest writers of the last ridiculous amount of years. How is it fucking possible that they put together a collection of the WORST STORIES OF THE ERA?
Fuck this editor. He's totally got to be dead already, which means I can't yell at him. So fuck him.
I found this while looking for Richard Matheson audiobooks. I have a serious literary hard on for Richard Matheson, and his short stories are clearly the best. I found this audiobook, and thought, "Oh, man, this is going to be GOOD."
This was published during an era where The Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents were airing. Some of these authors wrote stories for both of those shows that I loved so much in reruns (I'm old, I'm not that old). Unlike the super stereotype, the few times I've read a Playboy magazine, I actually read the articles. This is going to be the best book ever!!
.....
Yeah.
Okay.
Whatever.
God, these stories are such shit. SUCH SHIT. Good horror and supernatural is timeless. And Playboy has a history of featuring stories by some of the greatest writers of the last ridiculous amount of years. How is it fucking possible that they put together a collection of the WORST STORIES OF THE ERA?
Fuck this editor. He's totally got to be dead already, which means I can't yell at him. So fuck him.
March 19, 2015
Loved this compilation! One of my all time favorites!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews