Valancourt 20th Century Classics

Strange mysteries abound in a small Maine town. Why did the brilliant, but cruel, Dr. Gideon Wyck perform an unnecessary amputation on one of his patients? Why does that patient now insist that black devils are trying to steal his soul? What is behind the series of monster babies being born to apparently normal, healthy women? And when Wyck is found dead under peculiar and inexplicable circumstances, who is responsible—and why?

The Cadaver of Gideon Wyck, Alexander Laing’s odd hybrid of horror, crime and science fiction, was an unlikely bestseller and critical success when first published in 1934, and it was later selected by Karl Edward Wagner as one of the top horror novels of all time. This new edition reprints the unabridged text of the first edition along with a reproduction of its dust jacket art and frontispiece by Lynd Ward.

"A genuine tour de force ... grisly and evocative." - Robert Bloch, author of Psycho

"Part mystery novel, part Gothic mad scientist tale, part grotesque horror story ... a classic ... so singular it defies imitation." - William Hjortsberg, author of Falling Angel

"Abnormalities and perversions ... demon-belief, unnatural crimes, strange experiments ... Not for the squeamish, but it is so well done that it carries suspense and is morbidly fascinating." - Kirkus Reviews