Carter & Lovecraft

Daniel Carter is a private investigator and former homicide detective whose life changes when he inherits a bookstore in Providence, Rhode Island. The store's proprietor is Emily Lovecraft, the last living descendant of horror author H.P. Lovecraft, and she becomes Carter's unlikely business partner. Strange events begin occurring that connect to both Carter's past police work and to the cosmic horror elements found in Lovecraft's fiction. As Carter investigates a series of mysterious deaths, he and Emily discover that reality may not operate according to the rules they thought they knew. The novel combines elements of detective noir, supernatural horror, and mathematical theory while exploring themes of fate versus free will. The intersection of rationality and the inexplicable drives the narrative, as does the question of how much humans can truly comprehend about the nature of their universe.

Readers describe Carter & Lovecraft as a noir detective story with supernatural elements that builds slowly before accelerating in the final third. The book averages 3.8/5 on Goodreads (4,800+ ratings) and 4.1/5 on Amazon (230+ ratings). Readers appreciated: - The modern interpretation of Lovecraftian themes without copying Lovecraft's style - Mathematical and philosophical concepts woven into the plot - Sharp dialogue between Carter and Emily Lovecraft - The Rhode Island setting and atmosphere Common criticisms: - Pacing issues in the first half - Too much focus on mathematical concepts that slow the story - Ending feels rushed compared to the buildup - Some found the noir elements generic Several readers noted the book works better as a detective novel than cosmic horror. As one Goodreads reviewer wrote: "More focused on the investigation than tentacles and ancient gods, which might disappoint hardcore Lovecraft fans but made for a fresher take on the mythos."

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🔷 Author Jonathan L. Howard previously worked as a game designer and scriptwriter for video games, including titles in the Broken Sword series. 🔷 The book cleverly connects H.P. Lovecraft's actual biography with its fictional narrative by making one of the main characters, Emily Lovecraft, a descendant of H.P. Lovecraft's father's family. 🔷 The novel incorporates elements of non-Euclidean geometry and impossible mathematics, subjects that fascinated H.P. Lovecraft and appeared in his stories like "The Dreams in the Witch House." 🔷 Despite being American characters, the book was first published in the UK before being released in the US, following the author's previous publishing pattern. 🔷 The story's protagonist, Daniel Carter, is a former homicide detective who inherits a bookstore from a man he's never met - a plot device that mirrors some of Lovecraft's own stories where protagonists inherit mysterious properties from unknown benefactors.