How did an obscure collection of supernatural short stories from 1895 become an Amazon bestseller seemingly overnight? Well, Matthew McConaughey doesn't hurt.

HBO's "True Detective," which stars Mr. McConaughey and Woody Harrelson as detectives investigating a ritualistic murder, has a distinctive literary bent. The show's writer, novelist Nic Pizzolatto, has sewn steady references to "The King in Yellow," a collection of short stories by Robert Chambers, into the show's early episodes. From verbatim quotes...