"The Idea of Fear" is a short Cthulhu Mythos story by the late American author C. J. Henderson. It is the first in the Arkham Detective Agency series.
Synopsis[]
Private investigator Frank Nardi and psychic Madame Renee conduct an investigation into an old house on behalf of its new owners. Despite an uneventful night in the mansion, something evil is lurking in its walls.
Characters[]
- Frank Nardi, former New York Police Officer turned private detective.
- Madame Renee, self-professed clairvoyant and sensitive.
- Jedidiah Mortonson, a psychic vampire who has transcended death by implanting his consciousness into the walls of his former home.
Behind the Mythos[]
"The Idea of Fear" was written by C. J. Henderson shortly before his death in 2014. It was first published in 2017 in the short story collection Arkham Detective Agency.
Mythos References[]
- The story is set in H.P. Lovecraft's iconic town of Arkham.
- Nardi references famous cases whose stories did the rounds amongst the officers of the NYPD, including the events experienced by Detective Malone in "The Horror at Red Hook".
The Arkham Detective Agency Series
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| "The Idea of Fear" • "Cruelty" • "The Nest of Pain" • "Slaves for the Slaughter Sect" • "Call and Response" • "Miskatonic Contradance" • "Family Tradition" • "Light a Candle, Curse the Darkness" • "Il Segno Giallo" • "Echo of a Distant Scream" • "Closure" • "Witch Fire" • "Bonanza" • "Reeling Back" • "Those Folk Below" • "She Wore a Trench Coat" • "Clear the Air" • "A Walk in the Shadows" • "A Pleasure in Madness" |