Lost horror novel back in print: a must-read for October

Lost horror novel back in print: a must-read for October

(Valencourt Books/KSL.com)


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SALT LAKE CITY — It's a common tale: an older book goes out of print because shelf space and reader attention are given to the most recent best sellers. Stories are lost and forgotten, only to be found buried in the dusty shelves of used bookstores.

But some stories are too good not to resurrect.

"The Elementals," the fourth novel from author Michael McDowell — and one of his most popular — was published in 1981 and went out of print shortly after the author's death in 1999. Thanks to Valancourt Books, a small publisher that specializes in reviving classic supernatural novels, this book is back in print, along with four other McDowell books. The reprint edition has a great new cover and an introduction by award-winning horror author Michael Rowe.

McDowell held English and creative writing degrees from Harvard and Brandeis University. He is most well-known for his screenplays for Tim Burton's "Beetlejuice" and "The Nightmare Before Christmas."

But McDowell was also a talented horror novelist, producing over 30 works before his death in 1999. Steven King called McDowell "the finest writer of paperback originals in America today."

"The Elementals," a Southern gothic horror novel, starts with the funeral of Marian Savage, during which her adult son must follow family tradition and thrust a knife into her chest. Fleeing Mobile, seeking solace, the family heads to a remote Alabama beach known as Beldame.


"The Elementals" is a fantastic haunted-house tale loaded with dread, eerie moments and good characters. Plain white sand has never been this scary or malevolent.

At Beldame three ancient Victorian houses stand in the sand. The third house, abandoned as long ago as anyone can remember, is nearly filled with sand. No one goes in the house — no one should. For lurking inside is something no one wants to meet.

"The Elementals" is a fantastic haunted-house tale loaded with dread, eerie moments and good characters. Plain white sand has never been this scary or malevolent. It's the perfect book to read this October.

(Content note: The novel contains frequent swearing, including the F-word, a couple of brief sexual references and, of course, scary moments and some creepy gore.)

4 more vintage scares:

1. "Ghost Stories of an Antiquary" by M.R. James (1904)

Lost horror novel back in print: a must-read for October

English writer and scholar M. R. James is best known for his ghost stories. He's credited with pulling the genre out of dusty gothic forms and into contemporary settings. In this collection, a painting of a house replays a gruesome scene, an inn that once belonged to an alchemist changes during the night, and more. Though a century old, these stories of the mundane twisted into the scary are still some of the best.

2. "The Ghost Stories of Edith Wharton" by Edith Wharton (1904-1937)

Lost horror novel back in print: a must-read for October

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Edith Wharton is best known for her social and literary writings, but she also had a love for the supernatural. These traditional New England ghost stories chronicle hauntings, spirits and other spine-chilling adventures.

3. "At the Mountains of Madness" by H.P. Lovecraft (1931)

Lost horror novel back in print: a must-read for October

This short novel is hailed as one of H.P. Lovecraft's best and most twisted tales. A group from Miskatonic University sets off on a scientific exhibition through the barren lands of the Antarctic. There they find the unexpected, including a lost civilization and untold evil.

4. "The October Country" by Ray Bradbury (1955)

Lost horror novel back in print: a must-read for October

Ray Bradbury's second collection of short stories, also once out of print, is a mystical journey through the dark and bizarre. Encounter fun house mirrors, weird poker chips and more in these stories from the master of imagination.

What is your favorite "old" scary book? Share in the comments section below.


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About the Author: Teri Harman -----------------------------

Teri Harman, author and book enthusiast, writes a monthly column for KSL.com and contributes book-related segments to "Studio 5." Her novels, "Blood Moon," "Black Moon" and "Storm Moon" are now available. Join in the magic and chaos at teriharman.com.

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