a novel written to provoke a strong emotional response in the reader, featuring material which is lurid, shocking, or thrilling.

(a) n. a cheaply published crime story written in a sensational or morbidly exciting style; a cheap publication containing such a story; (b) adj. of…

a cheap sensational novel: cf. penny dreadful n. adj., shilling shocker; hence dime-novelish adj., dime-novelist.

A story, play, painting, etc., that curdles the blood (cf. curdle, v. 1b). Cf. blood-curdler n. at blood, n. compounds 5. Now rare.

A story of crime written in a sensational or morbidly exciting style; a journal or print of such character; a ‘shocker’. colloquial.

A work of fiction featuring or characterized by bloodshed and violence; a sensationally violent story, drama, etc. Cf. blood, n. 23.

(a) n. a penny dreadful; (b) adj. = penny dreadful n. adj.(b).

a short sensational novel, published at a shilling.

Thrilling property (of a play, novel, narrative, speech, etc.); sensational quality; transferred (slang), a literary work having this property, a…

One who or that which thrills; spec. (slang or colloquial) a sensational play, film, or story (cf. shocker, n.2 1a).

slang. A (cheap) work of fiction characterized by bloodshed and violence; esp. a magazine or comic book containing sensationally violent stories. Now…

a penny dreadful.

A sensational or shocking novel (originally spec. a Gothic novel); a thriller (in later use frequently one which has a gloomy or fatalistic setting…

something (rarely someone) that inspires excitement and terror; esp. a horror or suspense story, film, etc.

slang. Something licentious or risqué (esp. a book or play).

something pleasurably frightening; esp. an exciting story, etc.

= spine-chiller n.