penny dreadful

Of course you may call it a trap and all that sort of penny-dreadful rot; but what other way had I to see you?

Then look at Brigham Young's penny-dreadful tyranny in Utah, with real blood.

The wildest flight of fancy of an irresponsible novelist had never created such a character in penny-dreadful fiction.

Mother doesnt allow me to read any penny-dreadful story papers, magazines or books.