Ramsey Campbell is a leading writer of supernatural stories, although he has received far less attention than Stephen King or Clive Barker. This book offers a thematic discussion of Campbell's work. The author focuses thematically on the whole of Campbell's work, from his early tales written in imitation of H.P. Lovecraft, to the stories collected in "Demons by Daylight". Campbell's novels, from "The Doll who ate his Mother" to "Silent Children" are also examined in detail, as are his lesser bodies of work such as the tales of "sword and sorcery" and science fiction, and his anthologies. Throughout this book, the author not only analyzes Campbell's individual work but places his entire oeuvre within the context of horror literature. In an introductory essay, "My Roots Exhumed", Ramsey Campbell explores what influenced him to become a horror writer.