This collection by Robert W. Chambers was first published in 1895 and features stories loosely tied together with one theme, the supernatural. Many of the stories in The King in Yellow were not received well by the critics of the time due to their supernatural undertones.

Some of the stories mention a play by the same name that had been outlawed in some regions of the world. It was thought that the play could induce madness in those who viewed it. Two of the stories in this book take place in a fictional world of the future 1920s and are macabre in tone. Eventually, The King in Yellow would go on to become a sensation, partly due to its forbidden tone and subject matter. Today, this book of short stories is as popular as ever, especially with those who like a little supernatural mixed in with their literature.