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Jonathan L. Howard

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Carter & Lovecraft: A Novel Kindle Edition

by Jonathan L. Howard (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.3 1,321 ratings

Book 1 of 2: Carter & Lovecraft

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From author Jonathan L. Howard comes the start of a thrilling supernatural series that brings the H.P. Lovecraft mythos into the twenty-first century, optioned by Warner Bros TV.

Daniel Carter used to be a homicide detective, but his last case -- the hunt for a serial killer -- went wrong in strange ways and soured the job for him. Now he's a private investigator trying to live a quiet life. Strangeness, however, has not finished with him. First he inherits a bookstore in Providence from someone he's never heard of, along with an indignant bookseller who doesn't want a new boss. She's Emily Lovecraft, the last known descendant of H.P. Lovecraft, the writer from Providence who told tales of the Great Old Ones and the Elder Gods, creatures and entities beyond the understanding of man. Then people start dying in impossible ways, and while Carter doesn't want to be involved, but he's beginning to suspect that someone else wants him to be. As he reluctantly investigates, he discovers that Lovecraft's tales were more than just fiction, and he must accept another unexpected, and far more unwanted inheritance.

Book 1 of 2

Carter & Lovecraft
Print length

317 pages
Language

English
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Publisher

Thomas Dunne Books
Publication date

October 20, 2015
File size

1509 KB
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

JONATHAN L. HOWARD is a game designer, scriptwriter, and a veteran of the computer-games industry since the early nineties, with titles such as the Broken Sword series to his credit. He is author of Johannes Cabal the Necromancer, Johannes Cabal the Detective, and Johannes Cabal: The Fear Institute, as well as the YA novels Katya’s World and Katya’s War. He lives in the United Kingdom with his wife and daughter. --This text refers to the hardcover edition.

Review

“Carter & Lovecraft is a Pandora's Box loaded with all of the wonderfully twisted stuff I love, including a two-fisted homicide cop turned P.I., warped realities, a mysterious bookstore, the Cthulhu mythos, a dash of romance, and creepy fish-men. What's not to love? Jonathan L. Howard knows how to show his readers a wickedly good time.” ―Christopher Golden, New York Times bestselling author of Dead Ringers on Carter & Lovecraft

“Something new under Lovecraft's leering stars. Once again we discover that H.P. Lovecraft 's tales were more than mere fictions, and so is this novel―it's a very good fiction. I'll be keeping my eyes open for more novels from Mr. Howard (no, not Robert E. but Jonathan L.).” ―Brian Lumley, author of Necroscope, on Carter & Lovecraft

“So much Lovecraftian fiction misses the point. You want to shake the author and shout, 'Weren't you paying attention?' Jonathan L. Howard gets it right and offers a delightfully original (and non-Euclidean) twist on the mythos and H.P. Lovecraft himself. Highly recommended.” ―F. Paul Wilson, author of the Repairman Jack series, on Carter & Lovecraft

“Layer by layer, Howard deconstructs the Lovecraftian universe. His detective protagonist is plunged into the heart of a bloody mystery where every step forward brings him closer to doom, and where every revelation peels away the familiar, the known, and finally, all that is rational. Carter & Lovecraft is a sleek, addicting horror novel that gleefully inverts and contradicts Mythos tropes.” ―Laird Barron, author of The Beautiful Thing That Awaits Us All

“In the cosmic darkness between Sam Spade and Dirk Gently, there's a nest of tentacles. On that nest of tentacles is Jonathan L. Howard's Carter and Lovecraft. You are here. It doesn't get any more weird-boiled than this.” ―Stephen Graham Jones, author of Growing Up Dead in Texas

"Providence (including its more imaginary pockets of cosmic wrongness) comes to life in this pleasant mix of mystery and eldritch horror from the author of the "Johannes Cabal" series. The two engaging protagonists could easily ground an ongoing series of otherwordly whodunits." ―Library Journal

"Howard’s take on Lovecraft and his influence is unexpected and somewhat unique – and one of several reasons why this inaugural title is noteworthy." ―Bookgasm

“Howard is a supremely talented writer and the Johannes Cabal series makes for superb reading. It would be easy at this point to say if you like Rankin or Fforde or Pratchett or Holt, then you will love these books, but while it may well be true it would be doing Howard a disservice.” ―Sci-Fi-London on the Johannes Cabal Series

“Genre fans will appreciate Howard's attention to world building, while more general readers will simply enjoy all the horrific fun.” ―Booklist on the Johannes Cabal Series

“Howard's ear for witty banter and his skill at rendering black comedy bode well for the future.” ―Publishers Weekly on the Johannes Cabal Series

“Fans of the original Lovecraft will have their rewards ... but this series debut from Howard (Nightclubbing, 2015, etc.) shines brightest when keeping to his characters' easy banter and creepy deaths.” ―Kirkus Reviews on Carter & Lovecraft

“This refreshingly original novel updates the eldritch horrors of H.P. Lovecraft for the 21st century.” ―Publishers Weekly on Carter & Lovecraft

“Howard brings the fine writing and attention to detail (character, dialogue, environment) that he developed in the Cabal series to this new book, and his fans should follow him to Rhode Island. Those unfamiliar with the Cabal books, especially readers with a taste for modern-day urban fantasy, should also be pointed in this title’s direction.” ―Booklist on Carter & Lovecraft

“In Carter & Lovecraft, Jonathan L. Howard (the Brothers Cabal series) crafts a creepy mystery in which the mythos of H.P. Lovecraft is more fact than fiction. Carter is an endearing protagonist with a dark sense of humor and distaste for private eye clichés. Emily Lovecraft resents her famous literary roots but becomes a spirited sidekick when her great-great-uncle's creations come to life. Together they make a formidable team and the solid foundation for a new series promised by Carter & Lovecraft's twist ending. Supernatural mystery and thrilling horror offer something to love for genre fans of all stripes.” ―Shelf Awareness on Carter & Lovecraft

"Surely one of the most interesting novels of the year" ―Locus

"Carter & Lovecraft is contemporary, smart, pacey -- and gets you to care." ―Interzone

--This text refers to the hardcover edition.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00VE3L7PE
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thomas Dunne Books (October 20, 2015)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 20, 2015
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1509 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 317 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #592,300 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #97 in Booksellers & Bookselling
- #550 in Steampunk Science Fiction (Kindle Store)
- #706 in Steampunk Fiction

Customer Reviews:
4.3 1,321 ratings

About the author

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Jonathan L. Howard

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Jonathan L. Howard is a game designer and BAFTA nominated scriptwriter of some twenty years experience.

He's been a novelist since 2009, débuting with the darkly humorous "Johannes Cabal the Necromancer." Since then the sequels "Johannes Cabal the Detective" (2010), "Johannes Cabal: The Fear Institute" (2011), and "The Brothers Cabal" (2014) have also seen print. The new Cabal novel "The Fall of the House of Cabal" is set for publication in late 2016.

The first novel of his Russalka Chronicles trilogy, "Katya's World," a YA science fiction story that takes place on the dangerous and unforgiving ocean-covered world of Russalka, was published in 2012, the first sequel, "Katya's War," following in 2013.

2014 saw the beginning of the "Goon Squad" project, an ongoing story of mismatched superheroes, published in episodes.

His new series of modern horror novels began with "Carter & Lovecraft," published in 2015. The sequel "After the End of the World" was published in 2017.

Jonathan L. Howard lives with his family in the English West Country.

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4.3 out of 5

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Janine M. Steiner

Challenging, fascinating and fun… I'd say, just do it!

Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2015

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I will admit I've been curious about HP Lovecraft but his work always seemed a bit inaccessible to me. JL Howard, on the other hand, has been one of my favorite novelists from page one of Johannes Cabal Necromancer. Howard is highly literate, wickedly smart and inventive and just generally a great writer for anyone who likes good prose and inventive story lines. His new novel, Carter & Lovecraft is both a continuation and extension of those qualities and I found in this book that he is CLEARLY a Lovecraft fan and in fact has referenced those works in The Cabal series. A series I still follow with great enthusiasm, pleasure and joy. The man is just a great author in a time when editing seems to have virtually gone out the window and creative stories which don't follow predictable "guidelines" are usually tossed aside the way Hollywood tosses aside new movies in favor of established "blockbusters" that will generate more predictable box-office earnings.

Carter & Lovecraft is both a detective story/mystery and a voyage through "the mountains of madness" as we follow the central characters while they work to suspend their own disbelief and jump down the rabbit hole in order to solve a series of related murders and deaths which seem, on the surface, to be both impossible and factual at the same time. All the while making discoveries about each other, their respective ancestors and the relationships between all of the above, "deaths" included, and the roles they seem destined to play in all of it… which is not to say there isn't some machinations going on behind the scenes as well.

This is a novel with depth, great characters, a wide variety of discordant elements designed to keep you on your toes and to lead you through the web of information that Howard is so great as parsing out. You don't have to be a Lovecraft fan to read it but if you, like me, know anything about his work at all then this will probably stir you to look a little further into the inspiration for a fabulous book that easily stands tall on its own merits. I'm inclined to think this is the beginning of a new series for Howard and I can't wait to find out more about Daniel Carter and Emily Lovecraft and where they will be going from their "new" here and now.

I'm hoping that this review has been sufficiently vague as to not feel like it spoils anything while also serving as the proper incentive for you to BUY IT RIGHT NOW! ; - ) Howard, as always, is worth every penny.

22 people found this helpful

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T. Dominy

The beginning of a fun new Weird Thriller series

Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2015

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Mr. Howard gets a lot more right than not and weaves elements of HPL's "Mythos" into a modern murder thriller. There were times when the action slowed a bit and there were many more questions left to answer at the end than at the start. The two main characters (bookstore owner Lovecraft and retired cop turned PI Carter) start off a little stereotypical. But as the story progresses they reveal their depth and gain the reader's sympathy and interest. The main antagonist was a little flat but it did not harm the overall story. The surrounding characters were all interesting and some rather great. The dialog and action were both above average. The Weird and the Awesome (that's "awesome" as in awe inspiring, in the vein of fearsome) of HP Lovecraft are effectively and affectionately incorporated into a modern noir-light. while an overriding gallows humor keeps the bleakness from getting quite as nihilistic as HPL and helps keep this book an adventure story, not a dreary horror slog. You do NOT have to be Mythos-literate to enjoy this novel, but it helps. Recommended if you like HPL and the extended Mythos or just weird thrillers. If you like this, check out "The Weird Company" or "Re-Animators" by Peter Rawlik, "14" or "Fold" by Peter Clines, the Repairman Jack series by F. Paul Wilson, the Upright Man series by Michael Marshall or anything by David Wong.

One person found this helpful

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Toni V. Sweeney

Good 1st Entry...

Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2019

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Moments after capturing the man called The Child-Catcher, office Dan Carter witnesses his partner kill himself. No reason, no cause. He simply shoots himself. That makes San reconsider his options with the Providence police force and soon after resign to become a PI. When he approached by a man from a prestigious law firm pf Weston Edmunds, with the news that he's inherited a book story from someone called Arthur Hill, whom he's never heard of, Dan is intrigued. He goes to the store where he meets its manager, Emily Lovecraft, descendant of HPL. Dan soon learns he's the descendant of Randolph Carter, supposed a character in Lovecraft's novels but in actuality a real person and the author's close friend.

Then Dan receives a phone call from someone claiming to be James Belasco, saying he wishes to hire Carter. Only problem is, Belasco is already dead, supposedly drowned in his car in a college parking lot. A graduate math student named William Colt is known to have differed violently with Belasco and threatened him but he was miles away at the time of the professor's death. When a second unexplained and bizarre death occurs,Colt is known to have been in the vicinity, but how could he have carried out such weird murders?

Soon Carter, Emily, and Detective Harrelson will be in an adventure that beats anything HP Lovecraft ever thought up, and it's all because of something the author and friend Randolph Carter did so long ago. Something went wrong, however, and while trying to save the world, their plans definitely backfired.

Intriguing and interesting and a little chilling novel which fans and devotees of HP Lovecraft will enjoy. Not much Cthulu involved but a definitely bizarre Old Providence Family to be a threat. (Dare I use that favorite word "eldlritch"?" A good many Lovecraft-associated adjectives appear and not ramdonly.

The ending says there More to Come.

This novel was purchased by the reviewer and no remuneration was involved in the writing of this review.

2 people found this helpful

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FERMÍN NIETO ALCARAZ

ME EQUIVOQUÉ

Reviewed in Spain on April 30, 2019

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ERA EN INGLÉS. YO CREÍ QUE ESTABA EN ESPAÑOL.

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Illustratedman

Eldritch Tome.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 30, 2016

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Having enjoyed all the Johannes Cabal books and all of HP Lovecraft’s work, this was a no brainer for me. I knew the author would have no trouble with the Lovecraft Mythos as Johannes Cabal book 3, the Fear Institute, contains my favourite interpretation of the Dreamlands, in ANY form.

The author has created two really enjoyable characters in Carter & Lovecraft with a writing style very different from the Cabal series. There is always a danger with modern additions to the Lovecraft Mythos that they’ll end up as little more than glorified RPG scenarios with the heavy hand of the ‘Games Master’ hiding inside every locked room waiting to blow your mind with SAN busting D20 dice roll as soon as you turn the page. Don’t worry. This is clever, he subverts your expectations and keeps you guessing to the end and when he blows your mind he does it with well chosen words rather than a brick wrapped in a Lovecraftian thesaurus.

I enjoyed this book a lot and am just as impatient to read the next one in this series as I was with every Cabal book. I made the mistake of reading this in my lunch hour and as a result may never be able to look at a sausage sandwich again. I suspect that’s probably a good thing and the author has done me a favour.

3 people found this helpful

Luke Chewsky

Brilliantly written!

Reviewed in Canada on November 16, 2015

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Brilliantly written. Jonathan L. Howard has done it again!
After having busted many guts laughing while following the incredibly intelligently worded adventures of Johannes Cabal, the more sober tone of this piece evokes many of the eerie nuances, creeping madness, and blurred improbabilities of H. P. Lovecraft's works.
He impeccably dresses the stage for future stories while simultaneously not dropping it on one of those unfortunately frequent, and equally unfortunately intolerable, cliché cliffhangers.
I will absolutely be re-reading this one in anticipation of more Carter & Lovecraft novels to come.

One person found this helpful

IdeaMan

Awesome book! Could not put it down!

Reviewed in Canada on November 15, 2018

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Magnificent writing filled with humour and scintillating words. I had to look up some of them. The plot is out of this world. I am going to get the next book in the series. Indeed, I will get all Jonathan's books as he has such a unique style. Hours of fun and new ideas are promised.

Harker

A Cthululy good read...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 1, 2016

Verified Purchase

I'm a big fan of Jonathan L.Howard anyway, particularly the Johannes Cabal series, so chances were that I was going to enjoy this book. It's a rollicking read that is well written, fun, funny, yet doesn't stint on the horror and the Lovecraftian/weird fiction references - I particularly enjoyed the brief nod to M.R. James. The plot is a mashup of a serial killer style procedural with gumshoe detective fiction (and a whole load of jokes about it) but the Lovecraftian weirdness is there from the start. The book manages to combine all three and make all the elements gel together in a convincing, gripping narrative, no mean feat. The characters are great, particularly Emily Lovecraft, who is most certainly not the descendent H.P.L expected. And the twist (there is always a twist) is a good 'un, and had me reading the book again just to appreciate it in all its glory. Howard's writing style is superb, as ever, with not a squamous swamp or even a fecund moon in sight.
You don't need to be a massive fan of H.P. Lovecraft's work or even like it that much to appreciate this book, because it's just so good in its own right, but you might find it makes you want to creep back to the world of the Elder Gods and find out more than maybe is good for you...

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Carter & Lovecraft: A Novel Kindle Edition

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