The Hellbound Heart Clive Barker

As intense and disturbing as it is impossible to put down, The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker is a landmark work of modern horror—one that redefined the genre on its publication and continues to unsettle readers decades later.

When Frank Cotton’s dark appetites for pleasure and pain push him beyond moral and physical limits, a mysterious puzzle box becomes his gateway into a nightmarish netherworld inhabited by the Cenobites—extradimensional beings who traffic in experiences so extreme that the boundaries between ecstasy and agony dissolve. After Frank’s catastrophic fate, one woman remains obsessed with him: his brother’s wife, Julia, whose devotion drives her to acts of shocking brutality as she attempts to restore Frank piece by piece, no matter the human cost. 

First published in November 1986 by Dark Harvest in the third volume of its Night Visions anthology series, The Hellbound Heart was instantly praised by critics and readers alike as a groundbreaking achievement in horror fiction. Its impact only deepened when it was adapted into the 1987 film Hellraiser, also written and directed by Barker. The film’s success cemented the story’s place in popular culture and spawned multiple film sequels, before HarperPaperbacks issued the work as a standalone edition in 1991.

At once brutal and strangely intimate, this nerve-shattering novella is as much a meditation on obsession, longing, and the boundaries of the human heart as it is a work of pure horror. Unflinching in its vision and relentless in its execution, The Hellbound Heart endures as Barker’s masterwork of terror.

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About the Editions

Our edition of The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker is presented in three states: Classic, Numbered and Lettered. The editions measure 6” x 9½” and feature fourteen new color illustrations by the author, and an afterword by Phil & Sarah Stokes.

All states include a reproduction of Kirk Reinert’s cover art from the first standalone paperback edition of 1991. In addition, the Numbered and Lettered states feature a fold-out of the Classic edition dust jacket art by Dave McKean. Bonus content includes sketches of the Cenobite by Clive Barker, as well as scans of pages from the handwritten and typewritten manuscript.

The book is designed, cast in metal and printed letterpress by David Wolfe at Wolfe Editions in Portland, Maine on Mohawk Superfine, mouldmade Somerset Book and handmade Saint Armand papers. The typeface is Monotype Plantin. The titling faces are Castellar designed by John Peters and Caledonia designed by W.A. Dwiggins. The press work was accomplished on a Nebiolo cylinder press.

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A Note on the Typography

Monotype Plantin, created in 1913 and named after the sixteenth-century printer Christophe Plantin, carries an air of sophistication that resonates with the timeless, gothic elements of Barker’s novella. Its relatively sturdy, balanced serifs and generous x-height make it exceptionally readable, while its slightly vintage aesthetic evokes a sense of classic horror.

For the titling, we chose Castellar, designed by British type designer John Peters in 1957 and Caledonia, designed by American type designer W.A. Dwiggins in 1938. These faces each bring a distinct visual quality that enhances the book’s dark allure. Castellar, with its chiseled, uppercase design and subtle incised effect, evokes a sense of the monumental and the ancient, hinting at the mythic undercurrents and timeless evil that permeate Barker’s story.

Caledonia, on the other hand, offers a contrasting warmth and classic readability with its strong, well-proportioned serif forms. Together, these types create a balanced tension, blending classicism with a hint of the supernatural—a perfect pairing for Barker’s haunting narrative.

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Limited to 1250 copies, the Classic edition features a double-sided dust jacket illustrated by Dave McKean, with Kirk Reinert’s first edition artwork gracing the reverse. Bound in full cloth with a foil blocked cover, each copy is signed by Clive Barker, Dave McKean, and Kirk Reinert. Printed letterpress from metal type on Mohawk Superfine, the volume is housed in a cloth-covered slipcase with endcaps and foil blocking on the spine and sides.

The Numbered edition is limited to 350 copies and is a handmade lapped component case binding featuring a spine covered in black handmade Cave Paper and boards wrapped in rich red handmade paper created for this edition by the bookbinder. The cover papers are made from a 50/50 blend of hemp and cotton fibers that have been internally sized and colored with Quindo red pigment. The resulting sheets are then loft dried for added texture and then hand dyed with persimmon tannin to strengthen the paper and deepen the color.

The spine and covers feature handsewn stitching in two colors with hand-punched circular detailing on the spine. Head & tail bands are handmade with the cover paper and endsheets are Hahnemühle Bugra.

The stitched arcane symbols on the spine and cover boards serve as a tactile and visual representation of the novel’s central themes: the interplay between creation and destruction, and the bridging of worlds. Translating these enigmatic symbols into hand-stitched thread evokes the visceral imagery of the book, mirroring the way the Cenobites merge flesh and artistry in their grotesque transformations.

The book is housed in a custom drop-top box crafted from Baltic birch wood, painted black and laser engraved using a “negative” technique in which the paint is etched away to reveal the natural wood beneath. The result is a striking interplay of dark and light, with the arcane symbols from the book’s spine design mirrored across the lid of the box, creating a unified visual and thematic connection between the binding and its enclosure. The spine of the box is also engraved, featuring the title and author. The lid is precisely fitted to remain secure when shelved, and the interior is lined with red felt to protect the volume within. The box’s minimalist form and engraved design echo the mystery and precision of Lemarchand’s puzzle box, while its craftsmanship reflects the same attention to detail and sense of dark elegance found in the binding itself.

The edition is printed letterpress from metal type on mouldmade Somerset, and is signed by Clive Barker, Phil Stokes and Sarah Stokes. Each copy of this edition is sewn and bound by hand by bookbinder Anne Covell in Southern California.

The Lettered edition is limited to 26 copies and and features a Bradel-style binding with Gothic-inspired wooden boards and custom metal corner furniture. The spine is covered in undyed veiny calf parchment, while the boards are clad in dark red, highly figured parchment that retains the natural markings of processing—an intentional nod to the visceral and unsettling tone of the text. Through elongated triangular apertures cut into the wooden boards, this parchment is visible, intersected by the metal fittings in a way that subtly recalls the tension and pulling of flesh described in the novel. Red suede endbands, dark brown suede doublures, and hand-dyed red-veined craquelé endpapers complete the interior, all created by the binder to echo the book’s macabre atmosphere.

The edition is housed in a bespoke wooden box, inspired by the craft of traditional Japanese wooden puzzle boxes. Constructed from black walnut, ziricote, and maple, the box features sliding and shifting panels that must be manipulated in the correct sequence to unlock and reveal the book within. Brass corner fittings accent the structure, and a concealed surprise awaits when the final move is made. This intricate, interactive enclosure serves as a tangible homage to Lemarchand’s box, embodying the allure and danger of solving a puzzle whose solution opens the door to another world.

Printed letterpress from metal type on handmade Saint-Armand paper, this state is signed by Clive Barker, Phil Stokes and Sarah Stokes. Each copy of this edition is bound by hand by bookbinder Graham Patten in Boston, Massachusetts, who has also handcrafted the wooden enclosure.

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Matching Numbers & Letters

A Matching Pre-Order email is sent to Numbered and Lettered owners of Lamb, Numbered owners of Outlander with a designation of 251-300, and Numbered owners of American Gods with a designation of 301-350 at 9:00 A.M. PT on the day of announcement. If you did not receive the email, contact us here. If your order is not received before the deadline, your designated number or letter will be assigned to the new owner.

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Order Limits

Please be aware of the order limits for our editions. You can read more about this in the Order Limits article on our support site.

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Illustrations by Clive Barker

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