Mark McLaughlin's Blog: Revenge of the B-Movie Monster, page 5

Top 13 Lovecraftian Movies NOT Based on Lovecraft

Top 13 Lovecraftian Movies *Not* Based on the Cthulhu Mythos

by Mark McLaughlin

Part 1: What Gives a Movie a Lovecraftian Flair?

There are plenty of great movies based on the fiction of H.P. Lovecraft, creator of the Cthulhu Mythos. And, there are many, equally entertaining movies of a Lovecraftian nature that aren’t based on his stories – but they have a lot in common with his works, so they are often associated with him.

What elements make a movie appear to be Lovecraftian? Basically, if the movie features any of the usual trappings one might find in a Cthulhu Mythos story, that will forge a connection in the minds of viewers. Those elements can include:

1. Hideous life-forms with tentacles and/or misshapen bodies. These life-forms can include otherworldly gods with strange, polysyllabic names. Monstrous, otherworldly oceanic beings also give off a Lovecraftian vibe. A shark movie like JAWS would not be considered Lovecraftian, since a shark is simply a large, ferocious beast out of nature.

2. Gateways to Hell-like alternate dimensions. PHANTASM, with its bizarre, barren dimension of evil hooded minions, provides a great example.

3. An evil book with unholy powers. Lovecraft’s age-old grimoire, the Necronomicon, plays a pivotal role in the Cthulhu Mythos, since it’s the Bible of Lovecraft’s universe. If a horror movie has an evil book in it, chances are, the filmmakers were trying to capture that Lovecraftian Necronomicon vibe.

4. Lost races and human regression. Folks who have devolved into subhuman or fishlike creatures are essential to Lovecraftian fiction. The Lovecraft stories The Rats in the Walls and The Shadow over Innsmouth are prime examples.

5. Obscure pagan cults and rituals. A movie about a Satanic cult, like THE DEVIL’S RAIN, would not be considered Lovecraftian because it concerns Christianity. THE OMEN would not be considered Lovecraftian for that same reason. The sinister, inhuman cult in THE VOID is extremely Lovecraftian.

6. Egyptian horror. Lovecraft’s character Nyarlathotep is an essential element of the Mythos. The androgynous god Ra in the movie STARGATE is an example of a Nyarlathotep-like being, though less sinister than Lovecraft’s character. If the horror element is just the presence of mummies, that’s not enough to regard the movie as Lovecraftian. Mummies are really just undead folks, and Lovecraft covered the topic of the undead extensively in two stories (The Case of Charles Dexter Ward and Herbert West–Reanimator) that had nothing to do with mummies.

Part 2: Honorable Mentions
Below, I list the top 13 Lovecraftian movies that are not based on the Cthulhu Mythos. But before I do, here are some honorable mentions.

GHOSTS OF MARS (2001), written and directed by John Carpenter, tells of malevolent Martian spirits who enter and possess human visitors to the red planet. The combination of science-fiction and undead alien souls has a strong Lovecraftian feel to it. QUATERMASS AND THE PIT, 1967, (also known as FIVE MILLION YEARS TO EARTH) also concerns malevolent Martian spirits. In this movie, alien spirits have come to Earth and they begin to possess humans. The Martians look like a horrific cross between gargoyles and locusts.

Many of director John Carpenter’s movies, like THE THING (1982) and its 2011 prequel of the same name, directed by Matthijs van Heijningen Jr., have a Lovecraftian feel to them, since they feature shape-shifting, otherworldly monsters. But, they are ultimately great monster movies, without the surreal or mystic complexities to be found in true Lovecraftian movies. John Carpenter’s PRINCE OF DARKNESS (1987) also had a Lovecraftian feel to it, but it concerned a Satanic cult, not a pagan or otherworldly cult, as one might find in a Lovecraft story.

The PHANTASM franchise, which began in 1979, features a strong mix of horror and science-fiction elements, including gateways to a dimension of evil robed creatures, as noted above. STARGATE (1994) features an androgynous, evil pharaoh, reminiscent of Nyarlathotep, also noted above.

THE MAZE (1953) is a black-and-white 3D movie about a family curse, and the plot has a few elements in common with The Shadow over Innsmouth. BLACK SUNDAY (1960) is reminiscent of Lovecraft’s The Case of Charles Dexter Ward. Both feature a deceased practitioner of the dark arts who strives to take the place of a look-alike modern descendant.

Part 3: The Top 13

I now offer you the top 13 movies that appear to be Lovecraftian, but aren’t – revealed in reverse order. I also provide the year in which each was released.

13. MONSTER ON THE CAMPUS (1958): Most people probably would not associate this movie with Lovecraft. Even so, I think Cthulhu Mythos enthusiasts would enjoy it. A scientist accidentally discovers a way to turn life-forms into devolved/prehistoric versions of themselves. The pseudo-science of this B-movie epic is delightfully bizarre.

12. THE CAT CREATURE (1973 TV movie): I’ve always loved this moody film. The title monster is an Egyptian shape-shifter, and in one of its forms, it reminds me of Nyarlathotep when taking on a human form. Also, the tone of the movie, like that of some of Lovecraft’s stories, is reminiscent of a detective mystery. Lovecraft wrote during the era of pulp magazines and many of his stories featured the breathless tone found in mystery tales at that time.

11. THE MOLE PEOPLE (1956): Lovecraft wrote frequently about lost races, secret societies, and beings that dwell in darkness. With that in mind, THE MOLE PEOPLE is entertainment pay-dirt for anyone who enjoys Lovecraft’s work. It’s a thrilling adventure set deep underground in Asia, where a race of albino Sumerians dwell in an ancient stone city. The Sumerians have enslaved a grotesque mutant race of mole-like humanoids, who make great pseudo-Lovecraftian creatures.

10. GARGOYLES (TV movie, 1972): Like THE MOLE PEOPLE, GARGOYLES is an exciting tale about a lost race. I rank this one a notch higher than THE MOLE PEOPLE because it works to establish the fact that gargoyles are a part of human history. We learn that long-ago memories of the gargoyles are what led to humanity’s belief in demons. That assertion actually makes the movie seem more real – because it makes sense. The gargoyles do look demonic.

9. HELLRAISER franchise (first movie 1987): HELLRAISER, as most horror movie fans know, is about the Cenobites, a cult of sadistic pleasure-seekers who visit Earth from their Hell-dimension. The Cenobites are always working to bring recruits into their realm of horrors. The cult has a highly sexual, pain-oriented manifesto, which detracts from the more Lovecraftian themes.


8. DAGORA, THE SPACE MONSTER (1964): Dagora is a gigantic, jellyfish-like space creature that feasts on carbon in its many forms. This Japanese movie monster is quite interesting, but it never really captured America’s imagination as Godzilla did. Dagora looks very much like a jellyfish and so has no eyes. Audiences probably would have connected more with the creature if it had been given expressive eyes. Still, the movie is well-developed and entertaining.

7. THE GREEN SLIME (1968): THE GREEN SLIME comes alive with a swarm of tentacled, one-eyed, human-sized monsters, all invading a busy space station. The single red eye of each monster gives them a savage, evil look … far more malevolent than eyeless Dagora. The movie is unintentionally campy, but I rank it fairly high because it doesn’t skimp on the monsters. It trots out a veritable space-army of rubbery mini-Cthulhus, and that makes me smile.

6. THE BEYOND (1981): This brooding Italian horror is reminiscent of Dreams in the Witch House. A woman inherits a hotel which may also hold a gateway to a Hell-like dimension … just as the witch house offers access to an evil realm. The film is surreal, nightmarish and mesmerizing, and the presence of a grimoire entitled Eibon amps up the Lovecraftian mood. The Cthulhu Mythos includes a grimoire called the Book of Eibon, but that name is probably the most that the two fictitious books have in common.

5. GODZILLA franchise (first movie 1954): Like Cthulhu, Japanese movie monster Godzilla is a gigantic, dragon-like horror that rises from the sea to destroy humanity. Also, both Godzilla and Cthulhu can hibernate for great lengths of time. Many of the later Godzilla movies are campier than the original, and so, are less Lovecraftian. Godzilla’s universe also features many other oversized monstrosities, just as Lovecraft’s universe features more creatures than just Cthulhu. A rival studio released a different movie series about GAMERA, a gigantic turtle – but let’s face it, a turtle isn’t all that scary. Most Gamera movies were aimed at younger, pet-turtle-loving viewers.

4. ALIEN franchise (first movie 1979): The monster in this movie franchise isn’t as big as Godzilla, but it is far more terrifying. Its appearance is completely unearthly, and more insectile than humanoid. It is also a ravenous eating machine, a predator with no concern whatsoever for other living beings. It does not try to connect with its victims in any way. In that regard, the Alien is just like Cthulhu, who has no concern whatsoever for humans.

3. EVENT HORIZON (1997): EVENT HORIZON presents the concept of a haunted house in outer space, a spaceship being the house. The movie fulfills that vision with horrendous, Lovecraftian gusto. What we have here is a spaceship that has visited a Hell-dimension … and brought back some of that Hell with it. After all, can anyone dip into a universe of evil and emerge unscathed? It’s a gloriously dark, multi-layered movie that has become a cult classic.

2. THE VOID (2016): Speaking of cult movies…. THE VOID is, in fact, a cult movie about a cult. A small town is besieged by the robed followers of an unearthly religion, and before long, a group of people find themselves trapped in a hospital. The followers have black triangles for faces and are genuinely disturbing. Tentacled monsters and horrific rituals are plentiful in this nightmarish adventure throughout the film. The movie is practically condensed cream-of-Lovecraft soup, with all the things you love about the Cthulhu Mythos, boiled down into a thick, savory bisque.

1. This list began with a John Carpenter movie (in the Honorable Mentions section), and ends with one: IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS (1994): I’ve watched this one several times, and it never disappoints. I always notice something new with each viewing. What we have here is a robust horror film with thinly veiled references to the works of Lovecraft and Stephen King. This movie is the ultimate Lovecraftian meta-fiction. But really, isn’t a meta-fiction, in itself, a surreal concept worthy of Lovecraft himself – an unearthly story within a story? IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS captures the very essence of insanity: not being able to tell fact from fantasy. It also features macabre mysticism, passageways to other dimensions, ghoulish monsters, and of course, plenty of tentacles.

So there you have it: my top 13 Lovecraftian movies not based on Lovecraft. If you love the works of H.P. Lovecraft as much as I do, perhaps you might enjoy reading my tales of Lovecraftian horror, co-written by Michael Sheehan, Jr.:

HORRORS & ABOMINATIONS: 24 Tales Of The Cthulhu Mythos. Paperback available on Amazon:
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1791560520/
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1791560520/

THE HOUSE OF THE OCELOT & More Lovecraftian Nightmares. Paperback available on Amazon:
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1795518367/
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1795518367/

NIGHTMARES & TENTACLES: 13 Tales of the Cthulhu Mythos. Available on Kindle Unlimited, forthcoming as a paperback.
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09LRH6S4T/
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09LRH6S4T/

These books are all companion volumes, and many of the tales are continuations of Lovecraft’s best stories. In addition to co-authoring the books, I also created the cover art for the books. I feel the effort was well worth it.

The Hell Next Door: A Novel

Your New Neighbor Has A Surprise For You….


THE HELL NEXT DOOR: A NOVEL by Mark McLaughlin
FREE on Kindle Unlimited: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08...
Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DBHCYT4

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...


Miles Cooper is surprised when the workers in three moving vans drop off expensive furniture at the empty house across the lane. One item is a huge black door with a beautiful face carved on one side and the image of a skull on the other. So begins an adventure that takes Miles to Hell and back.

In the Hell dimension, Miles encounters the legendary demons Asmodeus, Pazuzu, and Lilith, and learns what really happens to the souls of the dead. He befriends the angel Paxton and the demon Berath, and realizes that relationships in the Afterlife can be just as complex as those in the mortal world.

A demonic scheme backfires and before long, Heaven, Hell, and the human world are threatened with destruction. To save those he loves, Miles must work with his new friends to defeat a rampaging, merciless evil, far more powerful and destructive than any demon in Hell.

Bram Stoker Award-winner Mark McLaughlin is the author of the novels, HUMAN DOLL and THE HELL NEXT DOOR, and the story collections, THE WEIRD WORLD OF MARK McLAUGHLIN MEGAPACK®, EMPRESS OF THE LIVING DEAD, BEST LITTLE WITCH-HOUSE IN ARKHAM, and HIDEOUS FACES, BEAUTIFUL SKULLS. Also, Mark has written many Lovecraftian tales, both solo and in collaboration with his best friend, Michael Sheehan, Jr.

Sexuality in Lovecraftian Horror

INJECTABLES: A NOVEL OF LOVECRAFTIAN HORROR
by Mark McLaughlin

Available as a paperback and FREE on Kindle Unlimited:
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08JVMS26R/
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08JVMS26R/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

My new novel INJECTABLES is different from many Lovecraftian works in that it features characters with sexual issues. For example, there is a character who struggles with the true nature of his sexual preference, and so, explores different options. There is also a character who is descended from the Deep Ones, and she worries about revealing the inhuman aspects of her physique, once she is ready to enter a physical relationship with a fully human man. I address these themes directly in the storyline, as opposed to the more subdued way found in Lovecraft’s stories, which were mostly published in the 1920s and ‘30s.

Spoiler Alert: some of the content below reveals key plot points from several Lovecraft stories. So, please stop reading if that’s a concern.

The sexual content of Lovecraft’s stories may have been subdued, due to the time period, but he did touch upon some surprisingly intense adult concepts. In “The Dunwich Horror,” a young woman is impregnated during a ritual by the cosmic deity Yog-Sothoth. In “The Shadow over Innsmouth,” some of the townspeople have bred with the Deep Ones, who are fishlike humanoids. In "Facts Concerning the Late Arthur Jermyn and His Family,” a man practices bestiality with a female ape, who bears his young.

I believe Lovecraft was able to feature those concepts because he phrased the story’s adult concepts in discreet, downplayed ways. It is interesting to note that the sexual scenarios presented by Lovecraftian were between humans and inhuman beings or animals. His storylines didn’t address interpersonal concerns like gender identity or sexual preference. Only one Lovecraft story comes close to mentioning gender identity, and that’s “The Thing on the Doorstep,” in which an evil woman uses magic to possess a man’s body. But, her reasons for doing so aren’t about sexual identity or fulfillment.

Every writer who contributes to Lovecraft’s literature should try to add some new element. With INJECTABLES, along with many of my past Mythos stories, I explore the more intimate aspects of how the influence of cosmic forces can affect the ways that people interact.

Kindle Sale: THE HELL NEXT DOOR

KINDLE SALE
The Kindle version of THE HELL NEXT DOOR: A NOVEL is on sale on Amazon for only $0.99 (US) or £0.99 (UK).

The US sale lasts until 12 a.m. PST Tues., Jan. 26. The UK sale lasts until 12 a.m. GMT Tues., Jan. 26.

THE HELL NEXT DOOR: A NOVEL by Mark McLaughlin
U.S. Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08...
U.K. Kindle: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

Miles Cooper is surprised when the workers in three moving vans drop off expensive furniture at the empty house across the lane. One item is a huge black door with a beautiful face carved on one side and the image of a skull on the other. So begins an adventure that takes Miles to Hell and back.

In the Hell dimension, Miles encounters the legendary demons Asmodeus, Pazuzu, and Lilith, and learns what really happens to the souls of the dead. He befriends the angel Paxton and the demon Berath, and realizes that relationships in the Afterlife can be just as complex as those in the mortal world.

A demonic scheme backfires and before long, Heaven, Hell, and the human world are threatened with destruction. To save those he loves, Miles must work with his new friends to defeat a rampaging, merciless evil, far more powerful and destructive than any demon in Hell.

Bram Stoker Award-winning author Mark McLaughlin is the author of the novels, HUMAN DOLL and INJECTABLES, and the story collections, THE WEIRD WORLD OF MARK McLAUGHLIN MEGAPACK®, EMPRESS OF THE LIVING DEAD, BEST LITTLE WITCH-HOUSE IN ARKHAM, and HIDEOUS FACES, BEAUTIFUL SKULLS. Also, Mark has written many Lovecraftian tales, both solo and in collaboration with his best friend, Michael Sheehan, Jr.

Injectables: A Novel Of Lovecraftian Horror

The Kindle version of my novel INJECTABLES: A NOVEL OF LOVECRAFTIAN HORROR is on sale on Amazon for only $0.99 (US) or £0.99 (UK). Regular prices: $2.99 (US) or £2.39 (UK).

INJECTABLES: A NOVEL OF LOVECRAFTIAN HORROR by Mark McLaughlin
Available as a paperback and FREE on Kindle Unlimited:
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08JVMS26R/
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08JVMS26R/

The US sale lasts from 8 a.m. PST Sat., Dec. 5, to 12 a.m. PST Sat., Dec. 12. The UK sale lasts from 8 a.m. GMT Sun., Dec. 6, to 12 a.m. GMT Sun., Dec. 13.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

INJECTABLES combines and continues concepts found in the H.P. Lovecraft stories, “The Shadow over Innsmouth,” “At the Mountains of Madness,” and "Herbert West–Reanimator.”

At her unlicensed clinic in Innsmouth, Mother Sharps performs incredible cosmetic procedures using three injectable solutions. She charges bargain rates and her clients are delighted with the results. But, more is happening at the clinic than people realize.

Mother Sharps’ injectable solutions are linked to the Miskatonic region’s most disturbing secrets. In her private life, her family is connected to the Deep Ones, an aquatic race living in the underwater city of Y'ha-nthlei. When a procedure conducted at the clinic spirals out of control, an unspeakable monstrosity is brought to life. Mother Sharps sides with a new ally, trying to stop the creature. Will they be able to prevent the horror from destroying countless lives?

Bram Stoker Award-winner Mark McLaughlin is the author of the novels, HUMAN DOLL and THE HELL NEXT DOOR, and the story collection, THE WEIRD WORLD OF MARK McLAUGHLIN MEGAPACK®. With Michael Sheehan, Jr., he has written HORRORS & ABOMINATIONS, THE HOUSE OF THE OCELOT, and more.

Five Books of Lovecraftian Horror

Five Books of LOVECRAFTIAN HORROR
A Novel by Mark McLaughlin
and Four Story Collections by Mark McLaughlin & Michael Sheehan, Jr.

INJECTABLES: A NOVEL OF LOVECRAFTIAN HORROR
by Mark McLaughlin
INJECTABLES combines and continues concepts found in the H.P. Lovecraft stories, “The Shadow over Innsmouth,” “At the Mountains of Madness,” and "Herbert West–Reanimator.”
Available as a paperback and FREE on Kindle Unlimited:
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08JVMS26R/
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08JVMS26R/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

HORRORS & ABOMINATIONS: 24 Tales Of The Cthulhu Mythos
Enter a midnight world of grotesque creatures and ancient deities from nightmare dimensions. This collection presents 24 stories of Lovecraftian fantasy and horror.
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1791560520/
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1791560520/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

THE HOUSE OF THE OCELOT & More Lovecraftian Nightmares
Tales of Lovecraftian fantasy and horror, as well as an epic poem regarding the return of Nyarlathotep to the modern world.
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1795518367/
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1795518367/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

CITY OF LIVING SHADOWS & More Lovecraftian Tales
Unearthly fantasy and horror tales of the Cthulhu Mythos, crawling with Lovecraftian creatures.
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1687570779/
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1687570779/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

THE PRISONER OF CARCOSA & More Tales Of The Bizarre
Tales of the bizarre, featuring Lovecraftian horrors, alien nightmares, oceanic monstrosities, an account of The King In Yellow, and much more.
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1659240719/
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1659240719/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

Halloween Kindle Sale on HUMAN DOLL

HALLOWEEN KINDLE SALE
This week until Halloween morning, the Kindle version of my novel HUMAN DOLL will be on sale on Amazon for only $0.99 (U.S.) or £0.99 (U.K.). Regular prices: $2.99 (U.S.) or £2.39 (U.K.).

HUMAN DOLL: A NOVEL by Mark McLaughlin.
FREE on Kindle Unlimited: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08...
Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0863VPT35/
Feel free to visit the HUMAN DOLL Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/HumanDollANo...

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

Beautiful cast members and special guests from two TV shows are being killed in bizarre ways. One show is a medical reality show and the other is a talent competition for drag queens. The performers are appalled by the deaths of their friends, and some wonder if they should quit working with the shows. Even if they did, would they still be marked for death?

Male model December Storm frequently appears as a special guest on both shows. The media calls December a ‘human doll’ because he regularly receives procedures to enhance his looks.

December’s life partner, Dr. Gabe Martin, who is also his plastic surgeon, is the host of the medical reality show. December knows that he needs to beware, since he might be the next beautiful person to die. To learn the identity of the killer, he calls upon the assistance of his best friend, an exotic, avant-garde artist with an incredible grasp of futuristic technology….

Bram Stoker Award-winner Mark McLaughlin is the author of the novels, HUMAN DOLL, THE HELL NEXT DOOR, and INJECTABLES.

Mark McLaughlin Novels for Halloween

Need something new to read for Halloween? Be sure to check out the three horror novels released by Mark McLaughlin in 2020….

THE HELL NEXT DOOR by Mark McLaughlin
FREE on Kindle Unlimited: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08...
Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DBHCYT4
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

Miles Cooper is surprised when the workers in three moving vans drop off expensive furniture at the empty house across the lane. One of the items is a huge black door with a beautiful face carved on one side and the image of a skull on the other. He befriends the new residents of the house -- a young man and his three aunts, all of whom share a bizarre secret. So begins an adventure that takes Miles to Hell and back as he learns the truth about the Afterlife.

HUMAN DOLL by Mark McLaughlin.
FREE on Kindle Unlimited: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08...
Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0863VPT35/
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

The media calls male model December Storm a ‘human doll’ because he regularly receives procedures to enhance his looks. December appears on TV regularly and is one of America’s most popular, compelling personalities. But, his growing fame has a frightening downside. Beautiful guests and cast members from two TV shows are being killed in bizarre ways, and December frequently appears as a special guest on both. Soon it becomes clear that December needs to beware. He might be the next beautiful person to die.

INJECTABLES: A NOVEL OF LOVECRAFTIAN HORROR by Mark McLaughlin
FREE on Kindle Unlimited: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08JVMS26R/
Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08K4NVCFQ/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

At her unlicensed clinic in Innsmouth, Mother Sharps performs incredible cosmetic procedures using three injectable serums. Her clients are delighted with the results, but more is happening at the clinic than people realize. Mother Sharps’ serums are linked to the Miskatonic region’s most disturbing secrets. When a procedure conducted at the clinic spirals out of control, an unspeakable monstrosity is brought to life. Mother Sharps sides with a new ally, trying to stop the creature. Will they be able to prevent the horror from destroying countless lives?

HUMAN DOLL: A NOVEL

HUMAN DOLL: A NOVEL by Mark McLaughlin
FREE on Kindle Unlimited: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08...

Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0863VPT35/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

Beautiful cast members and special guests from two TV shows are being killed in bizarre ways. One show is a medical reality show and the other is a talent competition for drag queens. The performers are appalled by the deaths of their friends, and some wonder if they should quit working with the shows. Even if they did, would they still be marked for death?

Male model December Storm frequently appears as a special guest on both shows. The media calls December a ‘human doll’ because he regularly receives procedures to enhance his looks.

December’s life partner, Dr. Gabe Martin, who is also his plastic surgeon, is the host of the medical reality show. December knows that he needs to beware, since he might be the next beautiful person to die. To learn the identity of the killer, he calls upon the assistance of his best friend, an exotic, avant-garde artist with an incredible grasp of futuristic technology….

Bram Stoker Award-winner Mark McLaughlin is the author of the novels, HUMAN DOLL and THE HELL NEXT DOOR, and the story collections, THE WEIRD WORLD OF MARK McLAUGHLIN MEGAPACK®, EMPRESS OF THE LIVING DEAD, BEST LITTLE WITCH-HOUSE IN ARKHAM, and HIDEOUS FACES, BEAUTIFUL SKULLS. Also, Mark has written many Lovecraftian tales, both solo and in collaboration with his best friend, Michael Sheehan, Jr.

Four Books Of LOVECRAFTIAN/WEIRD STORIES By Mark McLaughlin & Michael Sheehan, Jr.

HORRORS & ABOMINATIONS: 24 Tales Of The Cthulhu Mythos
Enter a midnight world of grotesque creatures and ancient deities from nightmare dimensions. This collection presents 24 stories of Lovecraftian fantasy and horror.
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1791560520/
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

THE HOUSE OF THE OCELOT & More Lovecraftian Nightmares
Tales of Lovecraftian fantasy and horror, as well as an epic poem regarding the return of Nyarlathotep to the modern world.
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1795518367/
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

CITY OF LIVING SHADOWS & More Lovecraftian Tales
Unearthly fantasy and horror tales of the Cthulhu Mythos, crawling with Lovecraftian creatures.
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1687570779/
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

THE PRISONER OF CARCOSA & More Tales Of The Bizarre
Tales of the bizarre, featuring Lovecraftian horrors, alien nightmares, oceanic monstrosities, an account of The King In Yellow, and much more.
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1659240719/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...