"The Mystery of the Grave-Yard, or "A Dead Man's Revenge": A Detective Story" is a short story by American author Howard Phillips Lovecraft. Written when he was only 8 years old, it forms part of his juvinilia.
Synopsis[]
The story concerns the kidnapping of a man by a group of ne'er-do-wells and the thwarting of their plot by King John, a renowned western detective. The titular mystery in the grave-yard refers to a family tomb with a hidden room in which the abductee was held captive.
Publication History[]
"The Mystery of the Grave Yard" was first published in The Shuttered Room and Other Pieces in 1959, and has seen inclusion in a number of publications in the years since.
Trivia[]
- Despite being labelled as a detective story, King John does no actual detective work, his modus operandi being to make his appearance at the most fortuitous time with guns in hand. This can likely be attributed to Lovecraft’s age when writing the tale.