Dark bleatings, my mysterious, cosmic tribe! I’m here today with a review of my third (I think?!) J.P. Behrens book, and I have to say, I was delightfully surprised by this one. I’ve enjoyed Behrens’s other works but this one was quite far away in tone and plot from what I’ve read so far from this author, and quite up my street!
Step into the shadowed streets of 1928 Arkham, where Miskatonic University holds secrets darker than the night.
In this supernatural thriller reminiscent of Raymond Chandler and H.P. Lovecraft, Private Detective Travis Daniels is thrust into a harrowing investigation when a young woman disappears without a trace. As Daniels delves deeper into the labyrinthine mysteries of the storied New England city, he uncovers a web of sinister cults, ancient rituals, and eldritch horrors that threaten not only his own sanity but the fabric of reality itself.
Set against a city steeped in occult lore and clandestine experiments, Missing in Miskatonic blends elements of hard-boiled detective fiction with chilling supernatural encounters. Daniels navigates treacherous alliances and confronts malevolent entities lurking in the shadows, all while racing against time to unravel the truth behind the girl’s disappearance.
With a narrative that grips from the first page, this novel combines suspense, mystery, and cosmic terror in a gripping tale where every clue leads deeper into the abyss. From the enigmatic corridors of Miskatonic to the eerie gatherings of the Silver Twilight Lodge, Daniels must confront his own demons as he battles forces beyond human comprehension.
So, in short, a PI is hired to investigate the disappearance of a young woman who was last seen at Miskatonic University. It’s a little different from other universities in that its library boasts a particularly large collection of occult and arcane writings, including one of the last two surviving known copies of the Necronomicon.
And you know that if you read the word ‘Necronomicon’ in a book, it’s about to go sideways. I was rubbing my goaty little hooves together in excited anticipation.
Anyway, the plot thickens. The PI first visits a local hospital. He doesn’t find his missing woman there, but he does find an alarming amount of comatose Jane Does, all of whom have appeared in the last fortnight. From there, he goes to a Sanitorium, only to be ambushed by people who do NOT want him poking around.
I initially thought I was reading a horror mystery of sorts, a genre blend of scary shenanigans and detective tropes, but I was wrong because it’s much more than that, and goes places I absolutely was not expecting. It unfolds in ways that are so satisfying, and just gets bigger and bigger as we approach the finale.
I’d recommend this to fans of detective/horror blends, of course, but also to fans who love their horror on the side of cosmic, and for people who enjoy occult stories! If you’d like to get a copy or check out the author, I’ve popped some links below for you:
Bleeeeat!
Happy Goat Horror 
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