THE RACK II: Stories Inspired by Vintage Horror Paperbacks
Step right up and spin the rack once more! Greymingling the lurid charm of 70s and 80s pulp horror with the talents of today’s masters, The Rack II is your ticket back to a golden age of terror. Edited by Bram Stoker Award-winner Tom Deady, this highly-anticipated sequel anthology gathers 23 chilling stories from legends like Joe R. Lansdale and Poppy Z Brite, all inspired by the garish covers of yesteryear. From creepy circuses to haunted malls, this collection delivers the nostalgic chills and modern thrills that will make you a permanent patron of The Rack.
The Rack II: Stories Inspired by Vintage Horror Paperbacks is the second anthology in The Rack series from Greymore Publishing and will be available Oct. 14, 2025, filled full of stories based on the vintage horror paperbacks from the 1970s and 80s. The Rack series is the brainchild of Bram Stoker Award-Winning Author and Award-Winning Editor Tom Deady, starting with volume one last year, and he’s again compiled an array of award-winning contemporary talent and their stories based on those vintage paperbacks for volume two.
For the second volume he called again on the legendary horror artist Lynne Hansen to create the cover, keeping the “the rack” branding of the first volume introduced.
The Rack Volume Two
You’ve been here before. You’ve spun THE RACK, marveling over the garish covers and embossed titles that drip blood or sprout teeth. Perhaps you’ve even held a few, skimming the back cover to figure out what story could possibly inspire such lurid images. But have you sampled its wares?
Go ahead, take another spin. These covers are all different than last time you visited. So many stories. See the bats? And look at those covers with the Ferris wheel and trapeze artists … who doesn’t love a circus? What about those creepy masks and that ventriloquist doll, those look fun, don’t they? Or you could take a trip to The Mall. Maybe buy one of those cute electronic pets that are so popular. Beep, beep, beep! The choices are endless when you spin THE RACK.
From ancient gods to tentacled monsters to houses you should never enter, these twenty-three stories have something for everyone’s taste. Today’s masters of horror know what you like, and they’ve made sure this book is filled with tales that will haunt you. And make you want to come back and spin THE RACK again and again and again…
***
Edited by Bram Stoker Award Winning Author and Award-Winning Editor, Tom Deady
Introduction by Sadie Hartmann, 101 Horror Books to Read before You’re Murdered
With stories by many award-winning authors:
Maxwell I. Gold “Rarest of Terrors”
Poppy Z Brite “The Laffin’ Man”
Lee Murray “The Mall”
Christa Carmen “Comeback Kid”
Michael Rowe “The Green”
Jessi Ann York “Daughter of Dogs”
B. D. Prince “Head Hunter”
Morgan Sylvia “As the Circus Leaves Town”
Tamika Thompson “The Creak on the Attic Stairs”
Jonathan Maberry “Bats Bats Bats”
Larry Hinkle “Black Thumb”
Mike Deady “Midnight Rider”
Jessica McHugh “The Light You Follow Can Burn”
Kristin Kirby “The Wash”
Jenny Kiefer “beepbeepbeepbeep”
Jonathan Lees “We Have Never Been Here Before”
Ai Jiang “Red God Waiting”
Alyssa Alessi “A Serpent’s Thirst”
Mike Sullivan “The End of the Jetty”
Eric LaRocca “Sickle-Shaped Claw”
Todd Keisling “The Woodhill Wet Nurse”
John Langan “The Cartographer of Blades and Stars, Of Flesh and Agony”
Jamie Flanagan “Bistritz”
Joe R. Lansdale “By the Hair of the Head”
***
Cover art by Lynne Hansen
Lynne Hansen, Biography
Lynne Hansen’s art has appeared on the cover of the legendary Weird Tales Magazine, and she was selected by the Bram Stoker estate to create the cover for the 125th Anniversary Edition of Dracula. Her publisher clients include Valancourt Books, Cemetery Dance Publications, Thunderstorm Books, and Raw Dog Screaming Press, to name a few, but she creates for authors as well. She has illustrated works by New York Times bestselling authors including Jonathan Maberry, George Romero, and Christopher Golden. Her art has been commissioned and collected throughout the United States and overseas. For more information, visit LynneHansenArt.com.
Tom Deady, Biography –
Tom Deady’s first novel, HAVEN, won the 2016 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a First Novel. He has since published several novels, novellas, collections, and his first two YA horror novels. He edited both volumes of the acclaimed and award-winning The Rack: Stories of Vintage Horror Paperbacks, with volume two releasing this fall. He has a master’s degree in English and Creative Writing and is a member of both the Horror Writers Association and the New England Horror Writers Association. He resides in Arizona where he is working on his next novel.
Tom’s website is www.tomdeady.com and signed copies of books are available.
Praise for The Rack, Volume One –
“…this anthology hits every note of the racked horror novels that we snapped up as kids and couldn’t get enough of. Kudos to Tom Deady—it was a horrible, wonderful trip down memory lane. I highly recommend this book and await Mr. Deady’s next offering with enthusiasm.”
– The Horror Review
“Thank you, Tom Deady, for giving life to this monster of an anthology. Fellow readers, spin that dime-store paperback rack and fall in love with old-school horror again, I did. A five star…”
– Horror Bookworm
“Highly recommended reading, and not just for nostalgic reasons. We need the Rack back!”
– Cemetery Dance Online
LINKS –
Bookshop.org: The Rack II a book by Tom Deady, Sadie Hartmann, and Lynne Hansen – Bookshop.org US
Barnes & Noble: The Rack II: More Stories Inspired by Vintage Horror Paperbacks by Tom Deady, Paperback | Barnes & Noble®
Horror Features on Ginger Nuts of Horror
If you’re a fan of spine-chilling tales and hair-raising suspense, then you won’t want to miss the horror features page on The Ginger Nuts of Horror Review Website. This is the ultimate destination for horror enthusiasts seeking in-depth analysis, thrilling reviews, and exclusive interviews with some of the best minds in the genre. From independent films to mainstream blockbusters, the site covers a broad spectrum of horror media, ensuring that you’re always in the loop about the latest and greatest.
The passionate team behind The Ginger Nuts of Horror delivers thoughtful critiques and recommendations that delve into the nuances of storytelling, character development, and atmospheric tension. Whether you’re looking for hidden gems to stream on a dark and stormy night or want to explore the work of up-and-coming horror filmmakers, this page is packed with content that will ignite your imagination and keep you on the edge of your seat.
So grab your favourite horror-themed snacks, settle into a cosy spot, and immerse yourself in the chilling world of horror literature and film. Head over to The Ginger Nuts of Horror and embark on a journey through the eerie and the extraordinary. It’s an adventure you won’t soon forget!
