Trash Horror from the 70's and 80's

I was a bit dismissive of chunky horror books... so lets pedal back a bit. They can be good fun (with those the childhood memories of their spooky covers, leering at you on beach towels and library carousels)

But I can't claim to be an expert on this 'media'.. nevertheless ..,here are three door-stoppers I have very fond memories of. Not really scary, but full of gore, violence, action and succcubi wrapped up and rolling along at a rattling pace.

Censored by Queen Vic.

John Harris
All Heads Turn When the Hunt Goes by.

Isn't that the best title EVER? And check out the typography on the cover. This book means business. Its Southern Gothic at its very very best. It has an astonishingly violent and shocking opening that the rest of the book struggles to keep up with. But it is solid trash entertainment. Overgrown southern plantations, snake cults, saucy demonesses - its got the full whack...though completely - and almost heroically - un-scary. Slows a bit mid-way then slithers away to not a bad ending.

It is also incredibly racist - but in such an ignorant, half-arsed way you would struggle to find offence. It would be like a zombie being offended by Michael Jackson's Thriller video.

Joe R Lansdale
The Nightrunners

This one is a higher order of schlock. Highly rated by the more sophisticated Gore Hounds who worship Richard Laymon - but it is better than the porn misogyny of the author of Beasthouse.

A cult of murderous teenagers called "The Goblins" go on a killing spree while hunting down a newly married couple. Ok - so no marks for originality, but it runs at a blistering pace, has a few nice angles, and if its unsentimental violence you want - it delivers.

The supernatural element is fairly subtle for this kind of book. Its been 20 years since I read this, but I can still remember the story - and I usually forget the stories in trashy novels. So I give it a bloodied thumbs up.

Bentley Little
The Store

Now this really is a better class of trash. Its basically a full-bodied (with requisite sex, horror and violence) Marxist take-down of Wall-Mart...in the guise of a holiday blockbuster. Yes that's right. It shows its age in its free-spirited perviness. But that's only really a dozen pages in a fairly meaty door-stopper.

It takes its premise seriously... a demonic grocery chain controlled by a Scientology style cult.

But Mr. Little carefully builds the engine ...and then like a child, lets it accelerate out of control for the fuck of it.

One of its strengths is its crystal clear scene descriptions. You know where the aisles are in the store; how many levels lie underneath it; the layout of the front car-park etc.... As a result the action sequences are almost cinematic in their editing and clarity.

This should have been filmed a long time ago. It does waffle a bit in the middle and it takes a while to fit the pieces together to drag itself to the climax. But all horror books of this ilk suffer from the same malaise. This is a superior one. Only very slightly spooky in about 3 places. But its a damn good read.

On a Final Note...

Man those old books had cracking titles... here are my favourites:


All Heads turn when the hunt goes by 

The Stress of her Regard

We Have Always Lived in the Castle

...welcome any other suggestions from readers...