My top-ten horror films #4

4 – KING KONG (1933) You might think this an odd choice. A dated film with hammy acting, too much screaming and obvious models. And yes, it is a creaky old thing. But it contains more charm than any other film on this top ten, and it resonates with me to the point where my […]

My top-ten horror films #5

5 – THE WICKER MAN (1973) Some of the most effective horror films are penned or directed by people who aren’t immersed in the genre. Anthony Shaffer, who scripted the film, is best known for his play Sleuth and his foray into Agatha Christie territory with a couple of scripts featuring Hercule Poirot. Director Robin […]

My top-ten horror films #6

6 – THE OMEN (1976) There’s plenty to like in this film. The performances, by some real heavyweights, are excellent (David Warner as the doomed photographer Jennings is a standout). It’s played straight and seriously despite some dialogue that would sound terrible coming from lesser mouths (Troughton: His mother was a jackal!). Jerry Goldsmith’s score […]

Head Injuries

For a limited time only my first novel, Head Injuries, is available for the Kindle at a reduced price of 77p (99c for my American friends). You’ll also find two short stories bundled with the novel: The Return and MacCreadle’s Bike. Grab a bargain! “I loved it. His portraits of everyday loneliness are brilliant. Altogether I […]

My top-ten horror films #7

7 – THE THING (1982) Along with Eraserhead, this film elicited the most WTFs from me when I first watched it. It retains its power 30 years on. Few films can be set in wide open spaces and produce an unbearably claustrophobic atmosphere. A huge influence on my novel The Unblemished – I was deeply […]

My top-ten horror films #8

8 – JACOB’S LADDER (1990) Absolutely terrifying. Tim Robbins plays Jacob Singer, a Vietnam vet with a filthy chuckle who is suffering from hallucinations. It becomes likely these are post-traumatic flashbacks, incited by his experiences during the war, a suspicion enforced when ex-Army colleagues begin to show up, convinced they are at the heart of […]

The Best Horror of the Year

Available now, Ellen Datlow’s annual anthology contains my story The Pike.