The Auctioneer (Paperbacks from Hell)

Grady Hendrix introduces Joan Samson’s 1975 novel The Auctioneer in this Valancourt Books edition. The story follows John Moore and his wife Mim, who farm land in rural New Hampshire that has belonged to their family for generations. Their quiet existence shifts when Perly Dunsmore arrives as a charismatic stranger. He begins holding auctions and soliciting donations from the isolated community of Harlowe. As Dunsmore operates his inscrutable plan, the residents slowly lose their possessions, their freedom, and eventually their lives. This paperback reprint brings back a classic of twentieth-century fiction that echoes the dread found in Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery and Stephen King’s Needful Things. Hendrix qualifies as the author of Horrorstör and Paperbacks from Hell, lending his expertise to this rediscovered work. The narrative builds a sense of creeping menace page by page, focusing on the insidious changes within the farming community. Readers who enjoy slow-burn terror and gothic atmospheres will find this text compelling. Those seeking fast-paced action or modern supernatural elements may prefer other titles. The book contains 239 pages and carries the ISBN 9781948405706. It remains a chilling masterpiece of terror that strips away safety layer by layer. The Auctioneer stands as a significant entry in the horror genre, offering a stark look at community isolation and predatory manipulation.