Paperbacks from Hell: The Twisted History of '70s and '80s Horror Fiction

Grady Hendrix documents the commercial explosion of the horror paperback market following the monumental success of Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist. He categorizes this era into specific subgenres, including killer animals, occult children, demonic possessions, and medical nightmares. The text traces how cover art evolved from subtle gothic atmosphere to garish, embossed depictions of gore and skeletons. Hendrix provides biographical sketches of prolific authors and details how skyrocketing demand led to increasingly absurd plots involving sentient slime, nazi leprechauns, and haunted toys before the market eventually collapsed.

This history serves readers who collect vintage mass-market fiction or study the evolution of 20th-century pop culture. It functions as a taxonomic guide for horror fans looking to identify forgotten titles and understand the industry trends that shaped modern tropes. Readers finish the book with a comprehensive list of obscure recommendations and a technical understanding of how art direction and publishing house rivalries dictated what appeared on grocery store spinner racks for two decades.