Noir contains three long-lost thrillers by Richard Matheson, the grand master of suspense. Originally published in the 1950s, at the very beginning of Matheson's distinguished career, these page-turning classics have been largely out-of-print for decades. Now readers everywhere can savor three unforgettable tales of crime, corruption, and cold-blooded murder. . . . Someone Is Bleeding-- Dave Newton has fallen hard for Peggy, a leggy blonde with a lurid past and a heartbreaking smile. But as bloody corpses begin to litter his path, Dave is forced to confront the terrifying possibility that the woman he loves is a deranged killer! Fury on Sunday-- In the wee hours of one fateful Sunday morning, a homicidal maniac embarks on a rampage of terror and violence that threatens everyone who crosses his path, culminating in a deadly confrontation in a Manhattan apartment building. Ride the Nightmare-- Chris and Helen had the perfect suburban life--until Helen discovers her husband's guilty secret. Overnight, their peaceful existence descends into a vortex of fear and brutality that may cost them the life of their only child! Although Matheson is known primarily for science fiction and horror stories, his first two novels were suspense paperbacks. Those 1953 works, Someone Is Bleeding and Fury on Sunday, kick off this troika, followed by Ride the Nightmare , also published in paper in 1959. Fury , the tale of a deranged concert pianist, was written in three days and manages the rare feat of being relentlessly tedious (or perhaps tediously relentless). But the other two novels are minor gems that sparkle in this new setting. Someone Is Bleeding follows a young writer in Santa Monica as he falls into a fatal attraction with a seemingly sweet woman who swears all men are pigs. Ride the Nightmare delivers a potent narrative jolt as another young Californian tries to protect his wife and daughter from desperate characters out of his sordid, hidden past. In delivering high-tension suspense, Matheson displays an uncanny knack for showing the physical toll fear and desperation take on his characters, grounding them in grim, sweaty-palmed reality even as they face often-outlandish situations. Frank Sennett Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved “Perhaps no author living is as responsible for chilling a generation with tantalizing nightmare visions . . . .” ― The New York Times “Crime fiction at its toughest: booze, guns, knives, chases, aberrant psychology, blackmail, icepick murders, femmes fatales, sinister psychos, brutish thugs, drunks, nymphos, homicide dicks, and a generous helping of sweat.” ― Matthew R. Bradley from the Introduction to Noir “The author who influenced me the most as a writer was Richard Matheson.” ― Stephen King “Matheson is the master of paranoia--pitting a single man against unknown horrors and examining his every slow twist in the wind.” ― San Jose Mercury News “His stories not only entertain, but touch the mind and heart.” ― Dean Koontz Richard Matheson (1926-2013) is the author of many classic novels and short stories. He wrote in a variety of genres including terror, fantasy, horror, paranormal, suspense, science fiction and western. In addition to books, he wrote prolifically for television (including The Twilight Zone, Night Gallery, Star Trek) and numerous feature films. Many of Matheson’s novels and stories have been made into movies including I Am Legend, Somewhere in Time, and Shrinking Man. His many awards include the World Fantasy and Bram Stoker Awards for Lifetime Achievement, the Hugo Award, Edgar Award, Spur Award for Best Western Novel, Writer’s Guild awards, and in 2010 he was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame. Used Book in Good Condition