208 pp. Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction 1251. A supernatural novel by the author known for his stories about ghosts, the paranormal, and the occult. From the jacket flap: "A blood-chilling novel of Black Magic, sorcery, and intrigue, this story relates the thrilling experiences of Burke Blake, adventurer and mercenary. Whilst searching for treasure in the Great Gobi Desert, Blake's party is captured by the Lovonan Black Magicians in the eerie region of Lob Nor, the cradle of Satanism. There, they meet the Grey Riders of the Dead and their spirit leader - Shadna Rana, the greatest sorcerer of all time. The Lovonans threaten Blake with death under the knife of the High Priestess unless he becomes a Satanist, prepared to spread the cult of Black Magic in London, but he refuses and escapes. Back in London the story develops apace, and a train of strange incidents finally convinces Blake that another member of the party must have escaped, or else bought his freedom - on the Lovonan's terms. The events which lead Blake to combat the Powers of Darkness, rampant in the very heart of England, are gripping in the extreme. For this story, Mr. O'Donnell has drawn deeply from his vast knowledge of the Black Arts, and as a powerful expose of the lurid horrors and evil consequences that follow in the wake of the Black Arts, it is a grave warning to the unwary who may be tempted to dabble in them."
