Book Review: Innswich Horror by Edward Lee

The Innswich Horror by Edward Lee
165 pages
Deadite press

Ed Lee is know for his very modern, very splatterpunk influenced extreme horror, and while we share the same publisher I have not always been a huge fan of his work. I liked Flesh Gothic which reminded me of a more extreme Eyes Wide Shut. I read his recent stab at the Lovecraftian mythos the Innswhich Horror and can say that I was very impressed.

If you are a fan of the classic Lovecraft Novella - the Shadow over Innsmouth just stop reading this review. Just trust me and pick up this book. I think of it as a sequel or companion piece. Lee not as known for Mythos fiction like CJ Henderson or Brian Lumley, but I would say Lee has created as strong an entry to the mythos cannon. Some of those same writers have devoted entire careers to Playing in Lovecraft’s sandbox, but here in this short quick volume Lee shows a deep understanding of Lovecraft and his work.

The story follows Foster Morley a Lovecraft devotee who traces Lovecraft’s path and research and finds a city and location similar to the events in the Lovecraft story. Lee builds the mystery and suspense perfectly and to me this is his best work to date. Mythos writing is as tired and over done as gothic vampire romance, so I have to hand it Lee who knocked this mythos novel out of the park. Lovecraft fans will enjoy this work, and it should be in your collection.