Horror Stories

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28524, 1 March 1958, Page 3

Horror Stories

Best Horror Stories. Edited by John Kerr Cross. Faber and Faber. 300 pp. Upon The Midnight. An Anthology of Ghost and Horror Stories. Edited by R. C. Bull. Macdonald. 286 pp.

An anonymous two-sentence tale which Mr Cross quotes as containing the essence of a horror story embodies the reason for the success of his volume and the lesser impact of R. C. Bull’s. It runs: “You suddenly -awake in the middle of the night with a feeling that there is something in the room with you. You reach out for the matches to reassure yourself; and quite simply and silently the box is placed in your hand.” “Best Horror Stories” is an anthology of tales with punch, a minimum of distracting 'explanation, and a horrifying switch from the familiar to the unexpected. Mr Bull’s selection, which contains a number of “oldfashioned” stories, lacks this approach; some of the stories fail for just the reasons Mr Cross’s succeed. Mr Cross does not presume to name the 16 best horror stories—the title is from the “Best Stories” series published by Faber—but his stories are certainly in the best class. Many are well-known, but can stand re-reading. There is M. R. James’s “antiquary” tale “Whistle and I’ll Come to You, My Lad,” William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily,” and R. L. Stevenson’s “Thrawn Janet.” ' Other writers represented include Ambrose Bierce, Angus Wilson. Conan Doyle. Kipling, Graham Greene and, of course, Edgar Allan Poe. Ray Bradbury, twice represented, finds horror in the future. Generally, the selection as far as the reading-in-bed -enthusiast is concerned, is not conducive to a healthy night’s rest.