Lizzie Borden and H. P. Lovecraft! Cherie Priest takes this mash-up and produces a thrilling adventure in Maplecroft. Lizbeth Borden and her handicapped sister, Emma, live in a mansion on the outskirts of Fall River, Massachusetts. But they are under attack by vicious creatures that smell of the sea. Dr. Owen Seabury, Fall River’s physician, finds himself drawn into the weird circumstances that surround the Borden sisters. Residents of Fall River are being stricken by a strange illness that sends them into a murderous spree. If you enjoy the fear and dread of Lovecraft’s tales, you’ll enjoy this compelling story of dark forces and two women who fight against them. GRADE: B+
What will they think of next? Who would have thought 40 years ago that Lovecraft of all people would become a cottage industry?
Jeff, not a month goes by without a Lovecraft-inspired anthology or novel being published. I have a half a dozen in my Read Real Soon stack right now. But MAPLECROFT is a fun read!
Poor HPL! He’s had a far more active life dead than when he was alive. Evidently “Lovecraftian fiction” is its own genre catagory now. I just finished reading
Jonathan L. Howard’s CARTER AND LOVECRAFT and enjoyed it greatly. I’ll be on the lookout for this title.
Jerry, I enjoyed CARTER & LOVECRAFT, too. I’m hoping a sequel is published soon. You would enjoy MAPLECROFT. Plenty of spooky stuff!
Walter Satterthwait’s sequel to MISS LIZZIE is coming soon (e-book) from Otto Penzler’s Mysterious Press. I think that one will be more fun for me than this one.
Bill, you can’t go wrong with Walter Satterwait’s work. But MAPLECROFT is an engaging faux-Lovecraftian tale!
I’m sure it’s fine, but honestly, I had enough Lovecraft just reading Lovecraft, and have no interest in revisiting. I’ve tried a couple of Chithlu pastiches and found them unpalatable.
Rick, you’re right about the Lovecraft pastiches. Most of them are dreadful. But MAPLECROFT is a compelling story with Lovecraftian elements.
A good mashup. You have to credit her for coming up with this.
Patti, you’re right. Cherie Priest had a clever idea and she pulls it off in MAPLECROFT.
George – I’ve got this one but have not read it yet. But I’ve liked Cherie Priest’s work that I have read.
Scott, this is my first Cherie Priest novel, but it won’t be my last!
If i could keep up with the books I need to read for review, or series I follow, I’d try it. If my library gets an audio book of it (cd) I’d give it a try.