Most of John Blackburn’s work is out of print.
Children of the Night — (1966) Publisher: A series of unfathomable but violent incidents has begun to plague the picturesque moorside village of Dunstonholme, none of which can be satisfactorily explained. The famed explorer, J Molden Mott, is staying in the village and is keen to investigate, especially after the Rev Ainger, a noted local historian, takes the time to fill him in on more detail. It seems that similar incidents have been going ever since a fanatical religious sect called the Children of Paul massacred the entire village before heading out to sea where they were presumed drowned. But Ainger believes otherwise, and Mott and the local doctor, Tom Allen, come to agree with his incredible theories that the sect actually stayed on the mainland and settled down Pounder’s Hole, a deep local cave, where they still remain nearly 700 years later as mutated creatures, telepathic and extremely dangerous. They also agree on a plan of action to deal with the sect before they return to the surface to act out the Day of Judgement. However, Ainger’s attempts to persuade his bishop backfires horribly, as he leads a thousand-strong crowd up onto the moors to greet the sect with love.
Bury Him Darkly — (1969) Publisher: A diabolically imaginative story of murder by unseen forces, from the author of Children of the Night.
For Fear of Little Men — (1972) Publisher: One of the author’s best novels. Occult thriller about the revival of a pagan cult and its followers’ efforts to exterminate humanity.
Our Lady of Pain — (1974) Publisher: John Blackburn again displays his talent for the macabre combined with the hair-raising suspense which has delighted so many readers. As Blackburn addicts have grown to expect from him, this is a real don’t-turn-off-the-lights horror story with a final, unthinkable twist at the end.
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