Midnight Pleasures

By Robert Bloch

Book Overview

Fourteen classic tales of terror by the author of Psycho

Midnight Dreams (1987) collects some of Robert Bloch's best tales from later in his career, featuring his trademark blend of spine-chilling terror and gallows humor and an eclectic mix that includes three Halloween-themed stories, a Christmas horror story, and a previously uncollected tale first published in Weird Tales in 1939.

In "Pumpkin," a boy wanting to carve a Halloween jack-o'-lantern finds the perfect pumpkin in an unkempt garden, not suspecting whose garden it is or the horror that will follow. In "The Night Before Christmas," an adulterous couple looks forward to a quiet evening decorating the tree, but the woman's sadistic husband has other plans. And in "Pranks," trick-or-treaters get more than they bargained for when they visit the house of a kindly old couple with a dark and deadly secret. These and eleven other stories represent some of the best of the prolific Bloch's later work. This new edition, the first in decades, features a new introduction by Bloch scholar Bill Gillard.

"Just the thing to while away a sleepless night." - The Washington Post Book World

"A hundred years from now, devotees of this genre will still be reading Robert Bloch." - Richard Matheson

"Robert Bloch has become part of the popular psyche. A dark part, to be sure, but a permanent one." - Gahan Wilson

"Any time devoted to studying this master is time well spent." - Fangoria

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1960241451
• ISBN13: 9781960241450
• Release Date: March 2025
• Publisher: Valancourt Books
• Length: 166 Pages
• Weight: 0.37 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.0" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Bloch always a joy to read, no matter what the time.

While Robert Bloch, author of Psycho, wrote many novels and screenplays, his biggest area of success was in the short story. Whether it be horror, psychological suspense, satire, or out and out comedy, Bloch never fails to entertain. Any collection of his work guarantees well spent reading time. Highly recommended.