Robert Bloch 1 hr 21 min read

A hideous little Martian and his human partner run an office where clients scream at first sight, and a professor and his daughter bring a case for the ages.

Robert Bloch's 1957 story pairs tough Mike Mallison with the tusked, terrifying-looking Nicko, whose ugliness masks a good heart, as Professor Brandon arrives with an ancient mystery. Wry, atmospheric SF-horror from a master of the macabre. Read it for characterful golden-age Bloch, blending comedy, menace, and the weight of prehistory.

In its time

Published in 1957, during the 1950s, post-war optimism meets cold war anxiety.

Reading it

1 hr 21 min read (a novella, a full arc in one sitting or two).

Illustrated by

Leo Summers