It’s been about 20 years since I read my first book by Graham Masterton, which I believe was Prey. He’s one of my all-time favorite horror novelists, simply one of the best. Every time I walk into a used bookstore, his name is one of the first I look for in the horror section.
I managed to find a first edition of The Sphinx published by Pinnacle in 1978. Here’s a photo of the inside cover art—so cool!
The Sphinx is about Gene Keiller, a 30-something senator or congressman, and his relationship with Lorie Semple, a 19-year-old part-Egyptian beauty. They meet at a party and are irresistibly drawn to one another.
Except something is off about Lorie. Lots of “somethings,” actually. Such as, the fact she has multiple nipples. And that she has a bodyguard who’s missing a tongue. But still, Gene is intent on marrying her and making her his First Lady.
I don’t want to say too much more about the story because I don’t want to ruin it. But it’s classic and a lot of fun.
My copy of The Sphinx comes in at just over 200 pages. The story and writing are a bit dated, which is to be expected considering it’s one of Masterton’s earliest. There are lots of funny parts.
There’s a scene where Gene persuades Lorie to come over to his house for a nightcap, even though she wants to go home before curfew at 10pm. After she reluctantly goes to his house, he talks her into making them hamburgers while he watches sports with his feet up in the other room. The scene is written as if Gene is supposed to be charming, but it’s super gross. Funny though.
One thing I’ve always appreciated about Graham Masterton is he includes horrifying and disturbing sex scenes in most of his novels, it’s almost like a trademark. His writing truly makes your skin crawl and it’s always gratifying. It’s exactly what you want when you read horror. He’s great.
I have a lot of really old Masterton novels on my shelf, I’ve been collecting them for years. I see he’s still churning out novels, which is fantastic.
Some newer titles by Graham Masterton include:
- The Soul Stealer (2022)
- The House at Phantom Park (2022)
- What Hides in the Cellar (2023)
- House of Flies (2025)
What are your favorite books by this author?
Last Updated on November 20, 2025 by Sarah Ann
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