Herbert Van Thal – Pan Horror 18

Herbert Van Thal (ed.) – The 18th Pan Book Of Horror Stories (1977)

Carolyne L. Bird – Meat
Patricia Highsmith – The Bravest Rat in Venice
Judith Eleanor Green – Quod erat Demonstrandum
Jane Gregory – Belvedere’s Bride
Myc Harrison – The Coffin Flies
Norman P. Kaufman – Rest in Peace
Monica Lee – Stevie
Samantha Lee – The Island of the Seals
Maureen O’Hara – The Atheist
Alan Temperley – The Boy With Golden Eyes
Charles Thornton – Double Puppet
Rosemary Timperley – The Unknown Caller
Barry Tonkin – The Fly-eater
Harry E Turner – It’s Hungry

Carolyn L. Bird – Meat: Old Petrovsky has a variety of stories as to how he lost his arm. The version he tells a young Scottish lad concerns an encounter with a wolf-pack as he fled from the church he’d just looted. Well written, just not particularly scary.

Charles Thornton – Double Puppet: The tragic demise of veteran Music Hall ventriloquist Arthur Day and his doll, Boris. At least they go out on a career high.

Norman P. Kaufman – Rest in Peace: You’ve finally retired from your soul destroying job. You’re luxuriating in the sun when some selfish young woman has to spoil it all by getting herself mangled in a sports car. You’re the only one who can save her. Or you could just say “sod it.”

Barry Tonkin – The Fly-eater: Writer of occult literature meets librarian who eats flies. That’s it.

Judith Eleanor Green – Quod erat Demonstrandum: An aspiring author encounters another unhelpful librarian. He’s after a book that details the effect of a missile on the human cranium.

Jane Gregory – Belvedere’s Bride: Cornwall. Clare, blind from birth, retains her sight shortly after her 18th birthday. The reclusive marine biologist Belvedere, who has sheltered her from the outside world for all these years, explains to her that she is “different” from everybody else and shows her a mirror to prove it. She is only too glad of his marriage proposal, very charitable in the circumstances.

Harry E. Turner – It’s Hungry: Ever since he returned from Borneo, Salaman has eaten compulsively – but he never puts on any weight. Between them, Doctors Turner and Fabrizzi solve the riddle of his condition. Can they save him?
The best so far and some neat swipes at Harold Robbins paperbacks, but …

You’ve doubtless realised that, like #16, this one is dominated by the London Management crew. I think it’s fair to say that it is not the high watermark of the series.