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The Occult Detectives of C. J. Henderson
Here are thirteen tales of the greatest otherworld investigators ever created tackling witches, werewolves, and every other terror that crawls, flies or creeps through the night. It's the best stories ever from the reigning monarch of macabre mysteries.
Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
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About the author
C.J. Henderson
241 books57 followersThere is more than one author with this name
CJ Henderson is the creator of both the Jack Hagee hardboiled PI series and the Teddy London supernatural detective series. He is also the author of The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction Movies, several score novels, plus hundreds of short stories and thousands of non-fiction pieces. In the wonderful world of comics he has written everything from Batman and the Punisher to Archie and Cherry Poptart.
He also writes under the name Robert Morgan.
CJ Henderson is the creator of both the Jack Hagee hardboiled PI series and the Teddy London supernatural detective series. He is also the author of The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction Movies, several score novels, plus hundreds of short stories and thousands of non-fiction pieces. In the wonderful world of comics he has written everything from Batman and the Punisher to Archie and Cherry Poptart.
He also writes under the name Robert Morgan.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 12, 2008
Very rarely do I pick up a book of short stories. Even rarer it is that I like a majority of the stories in the book. Most of the time I end up not liking more than I like. However, there are 13 stories in here that are absolutely flawless (imho).
CJ Henderson is an extremely talented writer. In this volume are stories based on HP Lovecraft's Cthuhlu mythos, featuring characters from Henderson's imagination: there's Teddy London, who investigates the supernatural along with his friends from his detective agency. Jack Hagee is another occult detective is a kind of noir-ish, hardboiled detective whose cases center on the strange. As an added treat, the estate of Lin Carter allowed (and it seems, encouraged) Henderson to add a couple of stories using Carter's supernatural sleuth, Anton Zarnak. There is also a sequel to one of Brian Lumley's stories in here and a story based on Ramsey Campbell's work as well.
My favorites: "Patiently Waiting," "The Horror at Columbia Terrace," and "Free the Old Ones."
I would definitely recommend this book to everyone who likes their horror on a more cerebral plane rather than the slash-em-up, guts hanging out all over gore-ridden, cookie-cutter, fast-food read type horror stories (although, I must admit, those are fun sometimes too!). And, if you are a Lovecraft fan, please do not miss this book!!!
read: 11/10/2004
CJ Henderson is an extremely talented writer. In this volume are stories based on HP Lovecraft's Cthuhlu mythos, featuring characters from Henderson's imagination: there's Teddy London, who investigates the supernatural along with his friends from his detective agency. Jack Hagee is another occult detective is a kind of noir-ish, hardboiled detective whose cases center on the strange. As an added treat, the estate of Lin Carter allowed (and it seems, encouraged) Henderson to add a couple of stories using Carter's supernatural sleuth, Anton Zarnak. There is also a sequel to one of Brian Lumley's stories in here and a story based on Ramsey Campbell's work as well.
My favorites: "Patiently Waiting," "The Horror at Columbia Terrace," and "Free the Old Ones."
I would definitely recommend this book to everyone who likes their horror on a more cerebral plane rather than the slash-em-up, guts hanging out all over gore-ridden, cookie-cutter, fast-food read type horror stories (although, I must admit, those are fun sometimes too!). And, if you are a Lovecraft fan, please do not miss this book!!!
read: 11/10/2004
July 18, 2007
I got this book for Christmas one year and could not put it down. This got my hooked on CJ Henderson stories, especially the Teddy London stories. Highly recommended!
January 3, 2019
Excellent occult detective short stories, many following characters created by H.P. Lovecraft. Once you start reading this is hard to put down
February 26, 2012
Stories I rate highly, out of the collection:
"Fleas of the Dragon"
"A Forty Share In Innsmouth"
"The Horror at Columbia Terrace"
"Juggernaut"
The stories in this collection feature the grimly heroic protagonists uncovering horrors and then protecting humanity from said horrors. While Lovecraft is the only mythos creator I'm familiar with who's work Henderson builds upon, I could be easily persuaded to hunt up more of the source material based on the strength of the stories in this collection alone.
Some stories are truly horrific in their implications ("The Door" and "Juggernaut" I am looking at you), and some are very triggering for those readers particularly sensitive to rape scenes, or the "heroes" engaging in activities that circumvent the free will (and motor control) of others.
There is that element of hard-boiled that shows up a lot, even when the story couldn't in good conscience be considered of that genre. The detectives are almost universally world-weary, out-wearying their more mundane counterparts by being responsible for the fate of the world as we know it. Nobody walks away from any of these stories clean.
The bright spot is Paul Morcey, who is the reason for that "almost" in the previous paragraph. He's a spot of light-hearted mayhem in an otherwise crushing occupation.
"Fleas of the Dragon"
"A Forty Share In Innsmouth"
"The Horror at Columbia Terrace"
"Juggernaut"
The stories in this collection feature the grimly heroic protagonists uncovering horrors and then protecting humanity from said horrors. While Lovecraft is the only mythos creator I'm familiar with who's work Henderson builds upon, I could be easily persuaded to hunt up more of the source material based on the strength of the stories in this collection alone.
Some stories are truly horrific in their implications ("The Door" and "Juggernaut" I am looking at you), and some are very triggering for those readers particularly sensitive to rape scenes, or the "heroes" engaging in activities that circumvent the free will (and motor control) of others.
There is that element of hard-boiled that shows up a lot, even when the story couldn't in good conscience be considered of that genre. The detectives are almost universally world-weary, out-wearying their more mundane counterparts by being responsible for the fate of the world as we know it. Nobody walks away from any of these stories clean.
The bright spot is Paul Morcey, who is the reason for that "almost" in the previous paragraph. He's a spot of light-hearted mayhem in an otherwise crushing occupation.
August 27, 2012
CJ Henderson is a master of the Occult Detective Short Story. His books are now on my "To be acquired" list.
November 29, 2015
Fun sampler of C.J. Henderson's occult detective short stories, including work with both his own characters and respectful dalliances with characters created by others.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews