Review: The Darkness in Old Bellblack
Published by Vincent Lore at @transman-badass, The Darkness in Old Bellblack is a cosmic horror short story/novella (truly I'm not sure where the line is between those two lol) with elements of detective fiction and H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos. And it's set mostly in a creepy abandoned building, which is a selling point all on its own for me. (Look, I just love abandoned buildings and old ruins.)
Set in the city of Arkham in 1930, the story kicks off when Arkham's crime lord Nathan O'Tipp recruits Lazarus Core, a private detective, to retrieve an old grimiore from an abandoned sanitarium. But the place holds secrets, and Lazarus and his best friend Sadie don't have a chance in hell of making it out unscathed.
The story has a trans man protagonist, no romance but a delightful platonic bond between the main guy and girl, and an incredibly charismatic villain that makes you love and hate him all at once. The atmosphere is incredible, dragging the reader into the dread of the setting and making them jump at every corner. If you like cosmic horror, weird fiction in general, and creepy abandoned settings, I would definitely recommend this story.
The Darkness in Old Bellblack can be found here!














