That Hell-Bound Train

Robert Bloch (1917-1994) authored crime-fiction, horror, and fantasy over a writing career that lasted 60 years. Best known for Psycho, Bloch authored hundreds of short stories. I recently stumbled upon a collection of his work titled The Early Fears. The story I chose to read and review is “That Hell-Bound Train”, originally published in 1958 in the Magazine of Fantasy & Science-Fiction. 

The story's title comes from an old song that Martin, the main character, could remember his drunk father singing after returning home from his job at the railroad. Martin's childhood veered off course when his mother ran away with a traveling salesman and his father died on the rails. Martin hits the road to live life as a drifter, stumbling from town to town for years. But, his only consistent fixture in life was the railroad work – wherever he drifted he always worked the railroad jobs.

One evening a long black train appeared in the night and the Devil, working as The Conductor, welcomes Martin to board the train. It's implied that Martin's life of bad and unwholesome ventures has led to a one-way trip to a hot spot down south. But, Martin, in a last ditch effort to avoid an eternity of fire, asks for one of those special deals with the Devil. At first The Conductor isn't that interested in any more bargains. But, Martin comes up with an intriguing request that Old Scratch hadn't heard before.

Martin asks if he can have a watch that will allow him to stop time. The deal will allow him to stop time once, a timepiece that Martin will only use when he finds a place in his life when he is content and happy. When he finds that place in life, he will stop time and then enjoy happiness forever. The Devil provides him a railroad watch in a silver case and then agrees to get Martin later in life. There's no stopping Hell, just delaying it.

“That Hell-Bound Train” is just terrific and teaches a life lesson that no one will ever be truly satisfied. It's a flaw in the human condition. The need to always seek the next best thing. The notion that the newest and greatest thing can still be found if we don't stay content and keep working, buying, clawing our way to more and infinite more. It's the proverbial “the grass is always greener on the other side” cautionary tale. At 13 pages Bloch accomplishes more than some authors strive for their entire career. This one is a recommended read.

The Curse of the House

“The Curse of the House” is an early short story authored by Robert Bloch (1917-1994). It first appeared in the February 1939 issue of Strange Stories. It was later included in Subterranean Press's The Reader's Bloch series that concentrates on the writer's fantasy, horror, and science-fiction offerings. 

One of the unique features of “The Curse of the House” is that it upends the haunted house formula, proving that Bloch was already thinking outside of the box with his macabre artistic style. Instead of the average-man thrust into nightmarish home ownership or positioned as a haunted house-guest, Bloch flips the narrative by having a house “haunt” the average-man. The key is that this haunted dwelling can travel and follow the man throughout his life. It is an animate object with the ability to transcend boundaries – both physical and literary.  

The story is presented in first-person perspective by an unnamed doctor. He is interviewing his newest patient, a guy named Will Banks. Banks explains to the doctor that a house is haunting him. He then reveals that as a student he delved into the Black Arts. So much so that he traveled across the globe in a pursuit of olden devil-worship. His most alarming stop is in Edinburgh. It's here that Banks interviewed a warlock, Brian Droome. Droome invites Banks into his home and explains that his family have generations upon generations of active witchcraft. Droome is very open and hospitable to Banks, but as he temporarily leaves he instructs Banks to never go into the home's basement. He is adamant about this. But, Banks does and this creates the awful predicament that plagues his every waking moment. The house is alive.

There is a lot to this story that I can't divulge here. If you enjoy a classic horror tale that offers a non-traditional approach then look no further than Bloch's excellent “The Curse of the House”. While I'm not certain what Bloch is transcribing here, my guess is that it is a look at the mental health industry and its inner strengths and weaknesses in the early 20th century. The basement could represent an abstract approach to healthcare with authorities suggesting it is off-limits. The side-effects and long-term ailments could parallel the idea of the “house” haunting the patient. 

You can read this story HERE.

Paperback Warrior Podcast - Episode 85

On Episode 85 of the Paperback Warrior Podcast, we take a look at the life and work of Clifton Adams. Also discussed: Spur Award! Ninja Book Critic! Men’s Adventure vs. Crime Noir! Matt Helm! Nick Carter: Killmaster! Benedict & Brazos! Much more! Listen on your favorite podcast app or paperbackwarrior.com or download directly HERE 

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The Kidnaper

Because of the association with his mentor H.P. Lovecraft and the success of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho,” author Robert Bloch (1917-1994) is remembered as a horror writer, but he also did a lot of work in the crime fiction genre. In fact, I would maintain that “Psycho” is more of a suspenseful crime fiction story than a horror novel anyway, but that’s a different argument for a different day.

Bloch’s novel “The Kidnaper” was released by upstart crime fiction paperback house, Lion Books in 1954 - five years before “Psycho.” It was reprinted by Tor Books in 1988 with a horror-themed cover and a modernized spelling of the title as “The Kidnapper.” Decades later, Bloch cited the novel as among his best work.

Our narrator is Steve Collins, a freight train riding drifter and petty criminal who breezes into town and lands a job working the night shift at a factory. Steve’s not a very nice guy, and you need to be comfortable spending 180 pages with a cold antihero operating with a severely-busted moral compass. If you need a white-hat protagonist in your fiction, look elsewhere.

Shirley Mae is the four year-old daughter of a wealthy businessman in town. Steve’s new girlfriend is the kid’s nanny, and he sees this as a real opportunity to make some big cash in a kidnapping and ransom gambit. He enlists the help of his dimwitted friend in the execution of the scheme which goes very wrong, and the majority of the novel is Steve’s attempts to salvage the operation, get the dough, and get lost.

This is a seriously dark noir novel that was clearly inspired by Jim Thompson, who was doing basically the same thing at the same time. It was also an excellent book if you’re looking for something gritty as hell to read. Steve is an unapologetic sociopath but otherwise logical and level-headed, so the book doesn’t force you into a mentally ill mind for the narration as in many of Thompson’s paperbacks. Bloch does a fantastic job keeping the action moving, and the tension-filled pages really fly by.

As long as you know what you’re getting and are comfortable with untidy crimes in your crime fiction, “The Kidnaper” is an easy recommendation.

Buy a copy of the book HERE