If you’re looking for great prose and lyricism, turn away. Ray Russell is not that author. His is a mind steeped in pulp noir, full of sordid imaginings and grotesques, the kind that don’t hammer home until the last sentence is read. Maybe it’s cheap, but it sure is fun. The seven tales of this collection (which includes the S novellas—Sardonicus, Sagittarius, and Sanguinarius) perfectly capture their age, and are a delight to read. They’re the kind of stories you might read aloud on Halloween or while camping. They remind me, in their own way, of the old EC comics: there’s always a twist, even if it’s only a small one, that sends a shiver up your spine and puts a smile on your face. They’re also incredibly effective and affecting little romps through the macabre. They won’t keep you up at night by any means, but they’ll give you that little jolt of creep that you crave so much.