parlor of horror – book reviews
by Armand Rosamilia
The Cthulhu Mythos rises in a small fishing town on the New Jersey coast. When New England author, Harrison, inherits his eccentric grandfather’s home in the seaside town of Keyport, he is encouraged to sell it quickly by both his wife, Nicole, and the local real estate agent. Despite cold treatment from the townsfolk and reluctance from his wife, they stay in the home overnight. It turns out to be a big mistake. During the stormy night, strange noises permeate the walls, a locked upstairs bedroom reveals a dark secret and a hallway ‘painting’ holds a strange power that overwhelms all that gaze upon it. Before the night is over Nicole is kidnapped and Harrison plunges into a downward spiral that seems inescapable. We are soon introduced to ‘The Esoteric Order of Dagon’ and their plan to raise Cthulhu from his resting place off the Atlantic coast through ritual and sacrifice.
Each of the first few chapters introduce the reader to a new character, almost like a separate short story. Eventually all the characters converge in order to work against the cult. Rosamilia does a great job at portraying an unfriendly town with strange people who are weary of outsiders. The tale escalates to a tense climax as the outsiders work to save Harrison’s wife from the cult and escape Keyport. They might just save the world in the interim. The story is entertaining and fun for the Cthulhu Mythos reader, written in modern style.
At the end of the story narrative, a related story begins. Set in the past, it demonstrates the Cthulhu mythos migration to NJ from New England. This one is written in Lovecraft’s first person, early 20th century style and is a nice addition to the book. Following that is a story Rosamilia wrote with his 11 year-old daughter called, Cthulhunicorn, which reads like mythological lore. It’s a short fun story and almost seems like a strange alternate world to the rest of the book. Keyport Cthulhu was an entertaining read and worth a night at the shore with a book or Kindle in your lap. However, if you see strange lights out on the water and hear scratching in the walls, pack up and head inland… before it’s too late!
parlor of horror 