The Shadow over Innsmouth
Dust jacket from the first edition | |
| Author | H. P. Lovecraft |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Frank Utpatel |
| Cover artist | Frank Utpatel |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Horror |
| Publisher | Visionary Publishing Company |
Publication date | April 1936 |
| Publication place | United States |
| OCLC | 3920225 |
| Text | The Shadow over Innsmouth at Wikisource |
The Shadow over Innsmouth is a horror novella by American author H. P. Lovecraft, written in November – December 1931. It forms part of the Cthulhu Mythos, using its motif of a malign undersea civilization, and references several shared elements of the Mythos, including place-names, mythical creatures, and invocations. The Shadow over Innsmouth is the only Lovecraft story that was published in book form during his lifetime.
The story follows the narrator, a student conducting an antiquarian tour of New England, as he travels through the nearby decrepit seaport of Innsmouth. Here he interacts with strange people, witnesses disturbing events, and uncovers a conspiracy that leads to horrifying and personal revelations that challenge his own sanity.