The mystery of Bella in the Witch Elm - a tale as twisted as the gnarled branches of the tree itself. In the grim year of 1943, while the world was busy tearing itself apart in the throes of World War II, four boys stumbled upon something even more ghastly than the Luftwaffe’s finest. They … Continue reading Bones, Branches, and Bad Omens: The Twisted Tale of Bella in the Witch Elm
Tag: horror
The King in Yellow: A Curious Case of Cosmic Horror and Turn-of-the-Century Angst
The unifying thread in the best stories is a mysterious, fictional play - also called The King in Yellow - which is said to drive anyone who reads it into a state of gibbering madness. Of course, Chambers teases us with snippets of this forbidden text but never lets us see the full thing, much like … Continue reading The King in Yellow: A Curious Case of Cosmic Horror and Turn-of-the-Century Angst
To the Devil a Disappointment: Wheatley’s Satanic Soap Opera
Dennis Wheatley’s To the Devil a Daughter was supposed to be a spine-tingling foray into occult horror, but I found myself laughing more often than shivering. From the first page, I was ready for a clever, suspenseful narrative, only to be greeted by a clunky mix of melodrama, cardboard characters, and a plot that wobbled like an … Continue reading To the Devil a Disappointment: Wheatley’s Satanic Soap Opera
Psycho by Robert Bloch: An Enthusiastic Dissection
If we're not gallivanting around in the car, revelling in spontaneous outings with sandwiches and a thermos flask of tea, Dad and I while away our hours with books and puzzle magazines - his favourite pass-time being the latter. While Dad is glued to the TV, a hobby that doesn't quite capture my interest, I … Continue reading Psycho by Robert Bloch: An Enthusiastic Dissection
Death’s Grand Masquerade: The Ironic Revelry in Poe’s The Masque of the Red Death
Most people prefer not to discuss the inevitable - death - but alas, it visits us all in due course. I find myself in a particularly sombre phase at present, which invariably leads me to peruse my cherished collection of Poe's works. Last week, my father received the devastating news that he has inoperable, terminal … Continue reading Death’s Grand Masquerade: The Ironic Revelry in Poe’s The Masque of the Red Death
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