In the Coils of the Labyrinth

A dark and gothic read that was chilling and creepy that I will think about for a while. I loved it, a great red for fans of dark/horror reads

Hits all the right notes of Lovecraft combined with the worldview and evolution of Cthulhu mythos that has evolved since Lovecraft's death. Creepy tale, will recommend.

In the Coils of the Labyrinth by David Annandale

Starring Professor Miranda Ventham who, suffering from tuberculosis, becomes a patient at a new Institute in Arkham to be cured. Partnered with a favorite character of mine, Agatha Crane, we learn that the Institute may have darker intentions than we think.

David Annandale once again shows he is well versed in the Arkham Files universe. Using characters, themes, and ideas from the Arkham Horror games we are drawn into a story that would fit perfectly into a game scenario.

The beauty of this book is how perfectly it fits into the Arkham Files universe, it would still be very enjoyable if you have never played an AH game before. Annandale combines a claustrophic setting, haunting entities, and an unreliable narrator that combine to leave you guessing what is going on until the very end.

As a board gamer whose favorite board game is Eldritch Horror (part of the Arkham Horror universe) I really love these tie-in novels. Seeing the characters that I love to play as take part in adventures that I get to read is a real joy.
In the Coils of the Labyrinth by David Annandale is a bit of a deviation from the rest of the Arkham Horror novels that I've read so far. This one starts out a bit gothic and then veers back over in the cosmic horror genre. I really loved that. Plus one of my favorite settings for horror is in hospital/insane asylum/sanitorium.

The book opens with Professor Miranda Ventham suffering from tuberculosis and moving into the Stroud Institute, the new sanitorium in Arkham. Her friend and fellow professor (and playable character in Arkham and Eldritch Horror) Agatha Crane is Miranda's main source of support through the course of the book.
When Miranda starts to have visions and feels the growing dread that something is off about the newly built Stroud Institute, Agatha does research into the history of the Stroud family, turning over every stone she comes across, including traveling to Scottland (the ancestral seat of the family) to help solve the growing mystery of the sanitorium.

This book was a ton of fun. I loved reading this one. I really loved the gothic vibes when Miranda first comes to the institute and the growing dread she feels. I really would encourage anyone with an interest in Lovecraft, spooky gothic hospital horror, or a good mystery to read this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Aconyte Books for providing me with a free eARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

4*

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book via Netgalley.

I really enjoyed In the Coils of the Labyrinth. I am always a little skeptical of books that are tie-ins to other properties, and David Annandale manages to put together a really excellent bit of eldritch horror set in the Arkham Horror universe. Annandale manages to put together a clever descent in to madness that includes an extended stay in a sanitarium, the strands of fate, and the question of choice.

Highly recommend, even if you've not spent anytime in the Arkham Horror universe.

ARC Copy...well it was a creepy Lovecraft trip into the nightmarish unknown as one would expect venturing into the world of Arkham horror. Did feel something sinister is coiling in the darkness.

This story is set in the world of "Arkham Horror", but the reader doesn't need to be at all familiar with that board game in order to enjoy the tale. Some feeling for H.P. Lovecraft's signature approach to eldritch horror is a plus, though, because this book's thrills turn on Annandale's keen ability to capture and channel the terror that exists on the other side of the veil. This was a fine and satisfying, and exceptionally well written, contribution to the Arkham mythos.

I love the Arkham Horror novella’s 100%. I have never played the board or card games, but I always find myself with the novella’s and absolutely love them. This one is no different, I enjoyed every minute of it. If you like Lovecraft style fiction or gothic horror you will love this.

As always I want to start by saying that I was given an ARC of this to review. My review is honest and left voluntarily and all thoughts are my own. Thank you to Aconyte Books and Netgalley for giving me access to this.

I should start this review by stating two facts. First I adore David Annandale’s Marvel Untold Doom books so I was more than a little excited when I saw he had penned an Arkham Horror novel. Second I adore the Arkham Horror game and anything Lovecraft inspired (despite Lovecraft’s failings himself). So I was almost certain I would adore this book. Thankfully I was not wrong.

The novel starts with Professor Miranda Ventham having bad dreams, not a surprise in Arkham, but could they be more than just horrifying nightmares. Soon finding herself seriously ill with Tuberculosis Miranda books herself into the new sanatorium in Arkham, the Stroud Institute. It should be the perfect place to recover from her illness but things seldom go right in Arkham. Soon her nightmares worsen and it is only thanks to the help of Miranda’s friend, Agatha Crane, a parapsychologist, that they have any hope of uncovering the horrifying truth. Not all is as it seems and to find the truth both Miranda and Agatha will have to follow the twists and turns presented to them to find the truth at the centre.

Obviously this book is set in the world of Arkham Horror so of course it has some brilliant horrifying and terrifying moments (I’ll come back to those later) but one thing Annandale did that I personally adored, but can see why some might not, was juxtapose the growing dread and doubts with the, what may be considered, mundane world of the sanitorium. We see the day to day life of what it was actually like on a TB ward, perhaps with some embellishment, in fact Annandale confirms that he was inspired by a memoir of someone who was on a ward themselves. I personally adored this since it grounded the novel in reality and gave it a feeling of something that COULD have happened, even with the added elements of horror. The sections that focus on life on the ward for Miranda I found created a perfect breeding ground for Miranda’s doubts and fears. Hours spent in bed just reading or waiting for check-ups, fellow patients whom could either be friends or enemies (or at least make the stay unpleasant) and nurses who seem to impose rules with an iron fist. For me it all made the story that much more tense as we start to almost wonder with Miranda if something is happening or it is all in her mind because of the conditions of the ward.

On the other side to this we have Agatha’s side of the story. Seeing her do field work that Miranda cannot due to her illness. As a quick aside I want to add that Wilbur Crane is probably one of my favourite side characters and a brilliant husband figure, I absolutely adored him and his devotion to Agatha as well as his rather brilliant acceptance of life in Arkham, everybody needs a Wilbur! But back to Agatha, while Miranda is suffering nightmares and twisting hallways of the institute Agatha has her own horrors to deal with. Now as always I do not like spoiling the novel but there is a bit that really did terrify me. Partly because of the superb suspense and writing of Annandale and partly because of the location this scene took place at. It was superb even if it did make me uncomfortable.

Again, not wishing to spoil the novel too much, I adored the tie in to Miranda’s lectures and specialism, Romanticism (a favourite of mine too), to the plot. I am sure it was intentional but it perfectly made The Coils of the Labyrinth come full circle with everything seemingly making a connection one way or another.

All in all this is another fantastic entry to the Aconyte Books Arkham Horror novels. I honestly adored every bit of it. They’ve done it again, but at this point I’m not even surprised!