We’re back and we’re polishing our magnifying glasses. Being a detective requires a keen eye for detail, an analytical mind, and a thorough knowledge of genre. But that happens when you find yourself in a different genre than you were expecting? Is your uncanny ability to piece together disparate clues really an asset when that only leads to horrifying revelations? Maybe this new dark age thingy we’ve heard so much about isn’t so bad.







Main Topic: Call of Cthulhu and Detective Fiction







This episode delves into the complex relationship between detective fiction and Lovecraftian horror. The two genres are closely related, both in their literary origins and in their broad tropes. But, as our guest host argues, they ultimately serve almost opposing purposes. We explore how detective fiction works, and what it can teach us about running Call of Cthulhu.







Our Guest Host







Regular listeners will know that Paul has left the Good Friends. Matt and Scott are inviting interesting people we know as guest hosts, bringing fresh perspectives and expertise to our discussions.







We are delighted to have Heather Miller join us for this episode. Heather is a Lovecraftian scholar who has presented a number of papers at Necronomicon Providence and has recently published a book for Hippocampus Press — Ripples From Carcosa — which explores the relationship between Lovecraft and True Detective.







Heather’s other papers include “Melville and the Lovecraftian Gaze”, which examines the connection between Lovecraft’s investigators and the cosmic horror of Moby-Dick, and “Toward a Definition of Lovecraftpunk”.







You can find Heather’s blog at notesonhplovecraft.blogspot.com, where, amongst other things, she discusses some of the research that went into her book.













Links







Things we mention in this episode include:









* Ripples From Carcosa by Oscar Rios







* True Detective







* Edgar Allan Poe and detective fiction







* Masks of Nyarlathotep







* Palimpsest







* Dirk Gently







* “Shada”







* Walker in the Wastes







* <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.