Basilisk: From the Master of Horror Comes a Standalone Thriller That Will Keep You Up at Night

Name: Basilisk: From the Master of Horror Comes a Standalone Thriller That Will Keep You Up at Night
Price: 18.99 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781035909667

✍️ Graham Masterton

Reader Score

4.5

(1 review)

$18.99

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A scientist allies with a care home owner to breed mythical beasts after his wife is attacked by a basilisk.

Nathan Underhill’s career in stem-cell research collapses when funding dries up. He soon discovers that Doctor Zauber has created the basilisk at a local care home. The monster’s gaze nearly kills Nathan’s wife, Grace, leaving her in a coma. To save her, Nathan agrees to help Zauber breed more mythical hybrids. This decision requires sacrificing many human lives. The story explores the consequences of playing god with biology and mythology. Masterton uses the legend of the basilisk to drive the plot forward. The tension arises from Nathan’s complicity in these horrific acts. The narrative does not offer easy redemption for its characters.

Key Themes

stem-cell research mythological hybrids basilisk legend

Literary Context

Graham Masterton is a British horror writer praised by the Daily Mail as one of Britain's finest. This 2025 release from Head of Zeus continues his tradition of spine-tingling horror. The work blends modern medical science with ancient mythological creatures to create a contemporary thriller.

Difficulty

● Easy

Recommended For Fans Of

Richard Matheson · Peter Straub · Stephen King

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Horror Fiction

🏛 Head of Zeus -- An Aries Book 📅 2025 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781035909667

📝 Description: Basilisk: From the Master of Horror Comes a Standalone Thriller That Will Keep You Up at Night

Graham Masterton, recognized by Peter James as one of the most original and frightening storytellers of our time, presents a standalone thriller centered on stem-cell research. Nathan Underhill works at the cutting edge of science, attempting to recreate mythological creatures to cure conditions such as Alzheimer's and MS. After five years of dedicated effort, he loses his funding but suspects that Doctor Zauber, who owns a local care home, has succeeded in breeding mythical hybrids. The narrative focuses on the basilisk, a creature reputed to kill any living thing with a single stare. When Nathan’s wife Grace enters a coma after nearly being killed by this entity, Nathan faces an impossible choice. He must decide whether to lose Grace forever or enter into an unholy alliance with Zauber. This pact involves breeding more mythological beasts at the cost of many more human lives. This book suits readers who enjoy suspenseful and tension-filled stories with the finesse of a master storyteller, as noted by the Guardian. It may not appeal to those seeking gentle supernatural tales or non-fiction scientific accounts. The plot relies on the specific threat of the basilisk and the moral decay of its protagonist rather than broad philosophical musings.

💎 Our verdict on Basilisk: From the Master of Horror Comes a Standalone Thriller That Will Keep You Up at Night

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Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Masterton delivers a standalone thriller that effectively merges the legend of the basilisk with contemporary fears surrounding stem-cell experimentation. The tension arises not from broad philosophical musings, but from Nathan Underhill’s gradual complicity in horrific acts to save his comatose wife. The book excels in portraying moral decay under pressure, creating a claustrophobic atmosphere where science becomes a vehicle for mythological terror. It suits readers who enjoy suspenseful stories with masterful pacing and protagonists trapped by their own desperate choices. Those seeking gentle supernatural tales or non-fiction scientific accounts may find the content too intense or morally ambiguous.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

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Why this book is worth reading

Readers who crave high-tension psychological thrillers rooted in scientific plausibility will find this book compelling. It appeals to those fascinated by the moral decay of protagonists forced into impossible ethical dilemmas, such as sacrificing others to save a loved one. Fans of cosmic and biological horror enjoy the visceral threat of mythical creatures reimagined through modern stem-cell research. The narrative offers no easy redemption, satisfying audiences who prefer grim, consequence-driven plots over gentle supernatural tales or dry scientific exposition.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.5

Based on 1 reviews

Horror Reads editorial team

Masterton delivers a standalone thriller that effectively merges the legend of the basilisk with contemporary fears surrounding stem-cell experimentation. The tension arises not from broad philosophical musings, but from Nathan Underhill’s gradual complicity in horrific acts to save his comatose wife. The book excels in portraying moral decay under pressure, creating a claustrophobic atmosphere where science becomes a vehicle for mythological terror. It suits readers who enjoy suspenseful stories with masterful pacing and protagonists trapped by their own desperate choices. Those seeking gentle supernatural tales or non-fiction scientific accounts may find the content too intense or morally ambiguous.