Black Hound of Death

Black Hound of Death is a weird-horror short story by Robert E. Howard, first published in the November 1936 issue of Weird Tales.

In the piney woods of the Deep South, a nighttime warning about an escaped killer draws neighbors into a tightening circle of fear. What begins as a manhunt colliding with the uncanny soon becomes a desperate stand at a remote homestead, where every snapped twig and shifting shadow hints at something more than human on the prowl.

Howard blends folklore, crime, and the supernatural into a ruthless, fast-moving tale: rumors of a “black hound,” cryptic tracks, and whispered occult ties stoke paranoia until violence erupts and secrets are dragged into the firelight. The result is pulse-pounding pulp suspense that showcases the author’s gift for atmosphere and momentum.

"Egyptian darkness! The phrase is too vivid for complete comfort, suggesting not only blackness, but unseen things lurking in that blackness; things that skulk in the deep shadows and shun the light of day; slinking figures that prowl beyond the edge of normal life."