Welcome to Litsy!

7th Story: "The Idol of the Flies" by Jane Rice, in which we learn that over-indulging children can have unfortunate consequences for their carers, and that naughty children should be careful what they ask for. 3.5/5 ?

6th Story: I actually found C. M. Eddy's Ripperesque story rather disturbing. A collaboration with Lovecraft, this one was heavily criticised upon publication for its graphic treatment of taboo subjects including necrophilia, serial murder & suicide. Written to shock, I think it still has the power to do that - I didn't find it a comfortable read, by any means. In a way, I could give it 1🌟, but insofar as it's effect was as intended, 5🌟it is.

5th Story: I doubt there'll be a better story in the collection than Hodgson's "The Whistling Room". 5/5?from me.
A haunted castle, a new Lord, an ancient legend of betrayal and death, resulting in a centuries-old curse, may seem rather clichéd and Baskervillesque, but occult investigator Thomas Carnacki finds himself pitted against something altogether extraordinary, before which his modern methods seem soul-threateningly inadequate!

4th Story: With "The Brazilian Cat" by Conan Doyle, the editor moves from supernatural horror to mystery thriller, and I enjoyed this adventure by the master.
But, goodness! Victorian men could be dense at times! ? This protagonist may well have deserved the fate laid up in store for him. 4/5?

3rd Story: "In the Vault" is a Lovecraft I was surprised to find I hadn't read before, though as it's not, I think, one of his best I'm ok with that. Not that it's bad, either, it's just that it's more of a "campfire horror" than his best Cosmic Horror. Still 3/5 ? If you're susceptible to anxiety at the thought of being trapped at night in a cryptful of neighbours you've nailed into their coffins, you might find this more horripilating ?‍♂️⚰

2nd Story: "The Open Window" by Saki: A slight, somewhat amusing tale. Teenagers! ? 3/5?

1st Story: "The Hands of Mr Ottermole" by Thomas Burke.
While rather different in plot, the atmosphere of the story suggests Hitchcock's silent film, "The Lodger", and Lang's "M". A city in the grip of terror during the deadly reign of The London Strangler! Hitchcock did adapt it for his TV show, and in 1949, the tale was voted the best crime story ever!
Burke was already famous for his Limehouse stories of London's Chinese immigrants, banned??

"Criminologists and detectives tell us that 'every' murderer, however intelligent or cunning, always makes one slip in his tactics - one little slip that brings the affair home to him. But that is only half-true. It is only true of the murderers who are caught. Scores of murderers are not caught: therefore scores of murderers did not make any mistake at all. This man didn't."
- 'The Hands of Mr. Ottermole' by Thomas Burke

"Fear of the unknown is mankind's greatest horror."

I hadn't realised that the editor of this horror anthology, Anthony Masters, was also the author of a book of vampire lore that I used to scare myself with when I was 13. Old stories, but there are several I already know and love, so I'm hopeful of finding some new favourites ??‍♀️
Terrifying #catsoflitsy ???

Forty years a tbr, tonight its time has come! Some classics in this one, including Lovecraft, Doyle, Hodgson, James and Jacobs. The cover illustration is freaky!