The Beast with the Red Hands
Sidney (Michael Avallone) Stuart
Popular Library, 1973
ISBN: 445-01587-075
The Frankenstein Horror Series came out of Popular Library in 1972 and was done by 1973. It produced nine books from such noted authors as Weird Tales stalwart Frank Belknap Long, the co-creator of Supergirl, Otto O. Binder, and Robert Trailins who’s “non-fiction” (heavy quotes) were often utilized in the syndicated 90s hit Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction. I imagine it was a confusing paperback line since Frankenstein only appeared in one of the novels. I suppose he was supposed to be the Crypt Keeper-like host of the stories, but a grunting Frankenstien isn’t talking much and the books are all stand-alones.
Then there’s Sidney Stuart who is really Michael Avallone and one of the most prolific writers of his time (or any time) who penned (under a ton of different names) a wide variety of stuff, Planet of the Apes novelizations, sexy spy novels with titles like Coxeman #20: The Cunning Linguist, Gothics, mystery novels about his hard boiled private eye Ed Noon, more tie-ins with everything from The Partridge Family to Friday the 13th Part 3:3-D. Which is accurate, the paperback was, indeed, a three-dimensional object.
Avallone called himself “the fastest typewriter in the east,” and he really was. He is incredibly prolific and at the same time incredibly unique. You’ll never mistake his work for someone else's, unlike a lot of the people who wrote novelizations back in the day. Every book was a personal work, which does rub some people the wrong way. I love Avallone’s gabby style. They’re less like reading a traditional novel then they are Avallone sitting you down and excitedly telling you a story from chapter one to the last page.
Avallone has a minor “horror” out-put, most notably he wrote the spoken record for Boris Karloff Presents Tales of the Frightened, naturally starring Boris himself and he even novelized his own record. Then his Satan Sleuth series, funky 70s take on the occult detective sub-genre. Besides that his only other horror work is in the Gothics, novelizations to Friday the 13th Part 3:3-D and Night Walker, his only other stand-alone horror novel is the crackerjack The Coffin Things, which if my cover is to be believed was almost a François Truffaut film. If only.
The Beast with Red Hands wasn’t the only time he was Sidney Stuart. He also used the name for Night Walker based on a movie written by his long-time buddy and Psycho author Robert Bloch. Beast definitely has a Bloch-vibe to it, but it is still totally an Avallone affair. A small midwestern city is rocked by mysterious killings. Strangled women and no fingerprints! As the town and cops try to figure out who’s murdering women, we are left asking whether or not the killer is a man or BEAST! See Hollis Waring is a movie projectionist and an unwell boy going through “changes.” Does he really morph into a horrible monster or is it in his head? This is a rock solid horror novel in the 50s/60s mold with good suspense, ghastly horror and slashings. Avallone considered it to be one of his best novels and I have to agree, having sampled a lot of his work.
It’s got a lot of fun stuff in there too. A movie theater plays a significant part to the plot and there’s little references here and there, like a mention of Psycho and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde or a double-bill of the James Bond movies Goldfinger and Thunderball. Avallone’s love of old monster movies and Weird Tales ring through the whole text. I wish Avallone had more dedicated horror novels, he had a wonderful knack for them.
This book even has a cameo in Avallones novelization of Friday the 13th Part 3: 3-D, as one of the characters in the book enjoys it before Jason shows up and there’s no more time for reading.
Roy Nugen is an award-winning writer, producer, property master, plus actor. He comes from a family of musicians, engineers, wildcatters, cops, lion tamers, and carpet salesmen. Evil Dead II changed his life and he once partied with Lloyd Kaufman.
He has written 15 short films including Bag Full of Trouble, Potboiler, Handle With Care, Death in Lavender, Hole in the Ground, and the feature film Arrive Alive, many of which have played across the country. He has been the property master on 17 short films and 2 feature films.
Roy is also a prolific book reviewer and collector of vintage pulp paperback books. You can read his reviews on his blog Bloody, Spicy Books and multiple magazines including Paperback Fanatic, Hot Lead and Sleazy Reader. He has also written afterwards for novels and for various websites. He lives in the only city that once arrested L. Ron Hubbard with his wife and cats.