I don't read a lot of horror, but I love the Cthulhu Mythos and their ilk, and I'd say Bloch comes closest to Lovecraft in his contributions to the mythos while still remaining original. This collection is also a good spectrum of a writer's development, from young apprentice to skilled journeyman. But even the earlier, less developed stories are worth reading. I like how Bloch experiments with different stylistic approaches and characters; his narrators are more diverse than Lovecraft's in tone.

My favorite story in this collection is Notebook Found in a Deserted House. Very creepy, very visual and with a fantastic narrative voice. ( )