Sphere horror paperbacks were published in the UK during the 1970s and 1980s. They were hugely popular and many – such as Lust for a Vampire, Blind Terror, The Ghoul, Squirm and Dawn of the Dead – were movie tie-ins and novelisations. The initial novels chosen for publication focused on the occult. Sphere published pulp fiction novels by famous authors, such as Richard Matheson, Ray Russell, Colin Wilson, Graham Masterson, Clive Barker and Robert Bloch whilst also providing a vehicle for British career writers such as Guy N. Smith and Peter Tremayne, plus many lesser known writers whose work received a boost by being part of the Sphere publishing machine. Occasionally, they also published compilations of short stories and “non-fiction” titles such as What Witches Do. In the early years, like many other opportunistic publishers, they reprinted the vintage work of writers – such as Sheridan Le Fanu – with lurid cover art.
The listing below provides a celebration of the photography and artwork used to sell horror books by one particular British publishing company. For more information about each book visit the excellent Sordid Spheres web blog.
1970
John Blackburn – Bury Him Darkly
Robert Bloch and Ray Bradbury – Fever Dream
Robert Bloch – The Living Demons
Robert Bloch – Tales in a Jugular Vein
Angus Hall – Madhouse
Sheridan Le Fanu – The Best Horror Stories
Michel Parry - Countess Dracula
Sarban – The Sound of his Horn
Ray Russell – The Case Against Satan
William Seabrook – Witchcraft (non-fiction)
Kurt Singer (ed.) – The Oblong Box
Kurt Singer (ed.) – Plague of the Living Dead
Kurt Singer – (ed.) The House in the Valley
Robert Somerlott – The Inquisitor’s House
1971
Richard Davis (ed.) – The Year’s Best Horror Stories 1
Peter Haining (ed.) – The Wild Night Company
Angus Hall – The Scars of Dracula
Angus Hall – To Play the Devil – Buy on Amazon.co.uk
William Hughes – Blind Terror (Blind Terror film on Horrorpedia)
William Hughes – Lust for a Vampire (Lust for a Vampire film on Horrorpedia)
Ray Russell – Unholy Trinity
E. Spencer Shew – Hands Of The Ripper
Kurt Singer (ed) – The Day of the Dragon
David Sutton (ed.) – New Writings in the Horror and Supernatural 1
Alan Scott – Project Dracula
1972
Richard Davis (ed.) – The Year’s Best Horror Stories 2
Peter Haining (ed.) – The Clans of Darkness
Laurence Moody – What Became Of Jack And Jill?
Ronald Pearsall – The Exorcism
David Sutton (ed.) – New Writings in the Horror and Supernatural 2
Richard Tate – The Dead Travel Fast
Sam Moskowitz (ed.) – A Man Called Poe
1973
Richard Davis (ed.) – The Year’s Best Horror Stories 3
Stewart Farrar – What Witches Do: The Modern Coven Revealed (Non-Fiction)
Brian J. Frost (ed.) – Book of the Werewolf
Melissa Napier – The Haunted Woman
Daniel Farson – Jack The Ripper [non-fiction]
Raymond Rurdoff – The Dracula Archives
1974
Theodore Sturgeon – Caviar
1976
C L Moore – Shambleau
Guy N. Smith – The Ghoul
Robert Black – Legend of the Werewolf
Richard Curtis – Squirm
Ron Goulart – Vampirella 1:Bloodstalk
1977
August Derleth (ed.) – When Evil Wakes
Ron Goulart – Vampirella 2: On Alien Wings
Ron Goulart – Vampirella 3: Deadwalk
Ken Johnson – Blue Sunshine
Fritz Leiber - Night’s Black Agents
Robert J Myers – The Slave of Frankenstein
Robert J Myers – The Cross of Frankenstein
Jack Ramsey – The Rage
Ray Russell – Incubus
Andrew Sinclair – Cat
Colin Wilson – Black Room
1978
Ethel Blackledge – The Fire
John Christopher – The Possessors
John Christopher – The Little People
Basil Copper – Here Be Daemons
Basil Copper – The Great White Space
Giles Gordon (ed.) – A Book of Contemporary Nightmares
Peter Haining – Terror! A History Of Horror Illustrations From The Pulp Magazines
Peter Haining (ed) – Weird Tales
Peter Haining (ed) – More Weird Tales
Peter Haining (ed) – Ancient Mysteries Reader 1
Peter Haining (ed) – Ancient Mysteries Reader 2
Richard Matheson – Shock!
Richard Matheson – Shock 2
Richard Matheson – Shock 3
Stephen Marlowe – Translation
Michael Robson – Holocaust 2000
Peter Tremayne – The Ants
Peter Tremayne – The Vengeance Of She
1979
John Clark and Robin Evans – The Experiment
William Hope Hodgson – The Night Land
Robert R. McCammon – Baal
Kirby McCauley – Frights
Kirby McCauley – Frights 2
Jack Finney – Invasion Of The Body Snatchers
Graham Masterton – Charnel House
Graham Masterton – Devils of D-Day
Susan Sparrow – Dawn of the Dead
Gerald Suster – The Devil’s Maze
Peter Tremayne – The Curse of Loch Ness
1980
Les Daniels – The Black Castle
Gerald Suster – The Elect
Jere Cunningham – The Legacy
William Hope Hodgson – The House On The Borderland
Robin Squire – A Portrait Of Barbara
John Cameron – The Astrologer
Robert McCammon – Bethany’s Sin
William H. Hallahan – Keeper Of The Children
Ray Russell – The Devil’s Mirror
Roy Russell – Prince Of Darkness
1981
Basil Copper – Necropolis
M. Jay Livingstone – The Prodigy
Andrew Coburn – The Babysitter
Peter Tremayne – Zombie!
Graham Masterton – The Heirloom
Owen West [Dean R. Koontz] – The Funhouse
William Hope Hodgson – The Ghost Pirates
Graham Masterton - The Wells Of Hell
Graham Masterton – Famine
Marc Alexander – The Devil Hunter [non-fiction]
Guy Lyon Playfair – This House Is Haunted [non-fiction]
Robert R. McCammon – They Thirst
1982
Ronald Patrick – Beyond The Threshold
Peter Tremayne – The Morgow Rises
William Hope Hodgson – The Boats Of The Glen Carrig
Stephen Gallagher – Chimera
Marc Alexander – Haunted Houses You May Visit [non-fiction]
Michelle Smith & Lawrence Pazder – Michelle Remembers [non-fiction]
Dillibe Onyearma – Night Demon
Robert R. McCammon – The Night Boat
Ray Russell – Incubus
1983
James Darke – The Witches 1. The Prisoner
James Darke – The Witches 2. The Trial
James Darke – The Witches 3. The Torture
Basil Copper – Into The Silence
Les Daniels – The Silver Skull
1984
Peter Tremayne – Kiss Of The Cobra
Clive Barker – Books Of Blood 1
Clive Barker - Books Of Blood 2
Clive Barker – Books Of Blood 3
Graham Masterton – Tengu
George R. R. Martin – Fevre Dream
James Darke – Witches 4. The Escape
1985
Peter Tremayne – Swamp!
Peter Tremayne – Angelus!
Stephen Laws – The Ghost Train
Clive Barker – Books Of Blood 4
Clive Barker – Books Of Blood 5
Clive Barker – Books Of Blood 6
Rosalind Ashe – Dark Runner
James Darke – Witches 5. The Meeting
James Darke – Witches 6. The Killing
1986
Christopher Fowler - City Jitters
James Darke – Witches 7. The Feud
James Darke – Witches 8. The Plague
Clive Barker – The Damnation Game
Graham Masterton – Night Warriors
Lisa Tuttle – A Nest Of Nightmares
1987
Peter Tremayne – Nicor!
Peter Tremayne – Trollnight
Lisa Tuttle – Gabriel
1988
Alan Ryan (ed.) – Halloween Horrors
Guy N. Smith – Fiend
Stephen Laws – Spectre
Graham Masterton – Mirror
Eric Sauter – Predators
Robert McCammon – Swan Song
1989
Stephen Laws – Wyrm
Guy N. Smith – The Camp
Guy N. Smith – Mania
Graham Masterton – The Walkers
Graham Masterton – Ritual
Bernard King – Witch Beast
The listing above and many of the cover images are reproduced from the Sordid Spheres web blog. Bar the odd addition and amendment, the list first appeared in Paperback Fanatic 3 (August 2007). For more information about each title, its author and links to reviews, visit Sordid Spheres
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