CATACOMB OF TERROR
 

THE PAN BOOK OF HORROR STORIES VOLUME 13

 

Alan Hillery - The Man Whose Nose Was Too Big - A nauseous account of mini-beast invasion that sees a gratuitous tale of pure Pan horror unfold before our disbelieving peepers.  It is a theme already tackled in an earlier volume but let's face it, we but these books because we love tales such as this.

Norman Kaufman – Flame – An evil and vindictive hater of children gets his comeuppance by two misdirected youngsters who are armed with matches and innocence – a dangerous combination to say the very least.

Harry Turner - The Twins – Reminiscent of the film ‘Freaks’ this excellent tale of twisted fate, betrayal, spite and revenge is delightfully written and invokes a feeling of sympathy for those both cursed and far from innocent.

Carl Thompson - The Swans - A very romantic and tender tale takes a turn for the nasty with a short temper throwing two-lives off course and ultimately destroying any of Cupid's plans.  One that unsettles and brings together two opposing angles and makes for a minor highlight.

David Farrar - The Revenge - 2 business men meet in coincidental circumstances after years apart.  It seems as though the past has seen some dubious dealings and grudges haven't been properly dealt with.  What unfolds is a sexually warped and weird tale with a finale that may not have heavy fact on its side but one which still has the power to appal.

Dulcie Gray - The Window Watcher - Jennifer is not right in the head and disappointingly fat, a big let down to her parents it seems, and everyone else.  The trouble is is that Jennifer is a voyeur with a vengeful streak and knows how to stir up a bit of trouble for those she takes a dislike to, especially the well-to-do couple over the road.

John Ware - Spinalonga - A ghostly tale that sees a group of tourists visit a Greek island leper colony where one member of the party steals an ikon from a derelict church despite ominous warnings from a sinister priest-like figure.  Returning home and revenge comes in real force - as if we didn't expect it!

L Micallef - Aggrophobia - A weak tale that sees an American student (Alfrida) studying psychology and anthropology take up with Tom, a man suffering from agoraphobia and who has a unsettling edge to him.  Alfrida tries to cure Tom by tricking him to going to the open space of Hampstead Heath but the payback she gets is not what she bargained for - a brutal, murderous finale.

Norman Kaufman - Awake, Sleeping Tigress - A cruel tale of an old lady who has led a life of subservience both mentally and physically with sexual abuse accepted as the norm.  With years of non-existent desires suddenly at the age of 90, a new found lust arises and after ten years of waiting a victim is found to satiate her needs - a real bout of disgust.

David Case - The Dead End - A lengthy closure to this collection with adventure, experimentation and Frankensteinian dabblings all combining to make for a predictable tale that is well written and has a Universal type cop out finale with one final warped twist.