🩸 Horror Fiction

Kolchak: The Night Stalker

✍️ Jeff Rice
Reader Score
4.6
(1 review)
$35.95
Temporarily out of stock

Currently unavailable

This book is sold out right now. Leave your email — we'll let you know if it comes back, and you'll get 10% off any book today.

In stock now — readers of this book also loved:

Histoires extraordinaires (texte integral): Un recueil de nouvelles fantastiques de Edgar Allan Poe
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Charles Baudelaire
Histoires extraordinaires (texte integral): Un recueil de nouvelles fantastiques de Edgar Allan Poe
$42.90
86
Nightmares
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.4
1
Dan Sihota
Nightmares
$8.99
78
The Wolves of Caer Bleddyn
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
1
Dominic Miles
The Wolves of Caer Bleddyn
$8.04
81
Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts - 36.2
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
1
Jfa
Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts - 36.2
$14.00
81
Wendigo Road
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Doug Goodman
Wendigo Road
$11.95
86
Secret Worship (Fantasy and Horror Classics)
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
1
Algernon Blackwood
Secret Worship (Fantasy and Horror Classics)
$11.99
83
📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A restored novel about a vampire in 1972 Las Vegas, framed by new commentary.

This volume presents the original manuscript that inspired a television phenomenon. Rice details the hunt for a creature in Sin City, a narrative that captivated America in 1972. The edition preserves the core story while adding critical context through contributions from Dastmalchian and Barnes. Dawidziak's profile offers insight into the author's background. This structure allows readers to experience the source material alongside its legacy.

Key Themes
Las Vegas manhunt blood-sucking psycho television adaptation history
Literary Context

The story emerged in 1972 when it became the highest-rated TV movie at the time. It spawned a second movie and a cult series starring Darren McGavin. This edition restores the unpublished novel that launched this influential character in television history.

Difficulty
●● Medium
Recommended For Fans Of
Darren McGavin's television roles · Classic vampire folklore · Gothic noir fiction · True crime narratives
🩸
Horror Fiction
🏛 Blackstone Publishing 📅 2025 🌐 English 📔 MP3 CD ISBN: 9798228296473

📝 Description: Kolchak: The Night Stalker

Jeff Rice wrote this novel before it gained fame through television adaptations. The text recounts a blood-sucking psycho on the loose in Las Vegas during 1972. This period saw the story become the highest-rated TV movie at the time, spawning a second movie and a cult series. Darren McGavin starred in these productions, bringing Rice's unpublished novel to a wide audience. This restored edition by Monstrous Books includes additional material that contextualizes the work. Readers will find a foreword by David Dastmalchian, known for Late Night With the Devil and Count Crowley. Rodney Barnes contributes an afterword, while Mark Dawidziak provides a profile on Jeff Rice in The Kolchak Companion. These elements frame the original narrative within its cultural impact. The book suits fans of gothic fiction and those interested in the history of supernatural television. It appeals to readers who appreciate the origins of cult series and the transition from print to screen. Those seeking modern horror trends may find this historical account less relevant. The text remains a primary source for understanding how a Las Vegas reporter's story launched one of the most beloved characters in TV history.

💎 Our verdict on Kolchak: The Night Stalker

“
🩸
Horror Reads editorial team
Horror desk
Jeff Rice’s novel captures the eerie atmosphere of 1972 Las Vegas through the lens of a relentless hunt for a vampire. The restored edition successfully bridges the gap between source material and its televised legacy, offering readers a comprehensive view of how this story captivated America. While those seeking modern horror trends might find the historical focus less relevant, fans of gothic fiction and television history will appreciate the depth provided by the accompanying commentary. It stands as a primary source for understanding the cultural impact of one of TV’s most enduring characters, delivering a compelling look at the intersection of print and screen horror.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

This volume serves as an essential resource for enthusiasts of horror history and fans interested in the genesis of beloved supernatural characters. Readers who appreciate the evolution of television from its early days will find value in understanding how a Las Vegas reporter's hunt for a blood-sucking psycho became a cultural touchstone. It is particularly suited for those who wish to explore the origins of cult series and the transition of narratives from unpublished novels to screen adaptations. By providing critical context alongside the original manuscript, it offers insight into the author's background and the work's legacy, making it ideal for scholars and fans of gothic fiction alike.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.6
Based on 1 reviews
5
0
4
1
3
0
2
0
1
0
H
Horror Reads editorial team

Jeff Rice’s novel captures the eerie atmosphere of 1972 Las Vegas through the lens of a relentless hunt for a vampire. The restored edition successfully bridges the gap between source material and its televised legacy, offering readers a comprehensive view of how this story captivated America. While those seeking modern horror trends might find the historical focus less relevant, fans of gothic fiction and television history will appreciate the depth provided by the accompanying commentary. It stands as a primary source for understanding the cultural impact of one of TV’s most enduring characters, delivering a compelling look at the intersection of print and screen horror.

✍️ More books by this author Jeff Rice

Kolchak: The Night Stalker
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Jeff Rice
Kolchak: The Night Stalker
$39.95
86
Read →
Kolchak: The Night Stalker
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Jeff Rice
Kolchak: The Night Stalker
$19.99
81
Read →

🏛 Books from this publisher Blackstone Publishing

Halloween Kills: The Official Movie Novelization
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Tim Waggoner
Halloween Kills: The Official Movie Novelization
$39.95
81
Read →
Out of Time
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Matthew Mather
Out of Time
$45.95
78
Read →
Midnight Mass
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
F Paul Wilson
Midnight Mass
$49.95
86
Read →
Secret Santa
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Andrew Shaffer
Secret Santa
$39.95
81
Read →
Bone Harvest
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
James Brogden
Bone Harvest
$55.95
81
Read →
56 Days
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Catherine Ryan Howard
56 Days
$45.95
78
Read →

You might also like

See more →
Kolchak: The Night Stalker
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Jeff Rice
Kolchak: The Night Stalker
$39.95
86
Read →
The Haunting of Hill House
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.8
1
Shirley Jackson
The Haunting of Hill House
$35.95
92
Read →
Dracula: A Deluxe Hardcover Collector's Edition of the Bestselling Vampire Classic
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.8
1
Bram Stoker
Dracula: A Deluxe Hardcover Collector's Edition of the Bestselling Vampire Classic
$49.95
92
Read →
Midnight Somewhere: A Short-Story Collection
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Johnny Compton
Midnight Somewhere: A Short-Story Collection
$35.95
86
Read →
The Descent: The Official Movie Novelization
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Christian Francis
The Descent: The Official Movie Novelization
$35.95
86
Read →
This Wretched Valley
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Jenny Kiefer
This Wretched Valley
$35.95
86
Read →

Have a question about this item?

Ask about the edition, condition, delivery or anything else — we reply by email or phone, usually within a day.

Home Genres
Cart
Wishlist