” When Darkness Loves US “/ Beauty Is …” are horror novellas by Elizabeth Engstrom originally published in 1985 .

” When Darkness Loves Us ” : A young pregnant woman gets trapped in tunnels underneath her family property . She has the baby and teaches him how to live in said tunnels all the while trying to find her way back up. Will she find her way out ? Wil her son ever learn what sight is ? If she were to get out how will her family react to her ? Come and find out in this modern gothic tale .

” Beauty Is … ” : An old mentally ill/ physically deformed woman is slowly learning how to deal with life without her mom . She experiences trade , a social life , drunkeness , physical affection , and cruel towns people who attempt to use her after they discover she has a small fortune . This may not sound like a horror story but believe me it most definitley is .

I picked these up on suggestion from the ” Paperbacks From Hell ” book by Grady Hendrix and it was well worth it . In fact , of the books I’ve read based on suggestions from ” Paperbacks From Hell ” ( which includes “Red Devil “by David Saperstein , ” Let’s Go Play at the Adams’ ” by Mendal Johnson , and ” The Nest ” by Gregory A. Douglas ) , the best of these by far . If you’re a fan of the old ” Universal Studios ” monster films like ” Frankenstein ” and ” The Wolfman ” and of tragic monsters in general I’d say read it . They also both work as family dramas so if you’re into that but want more of an edge this will work for you as well.