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The Midnight Eye Files: The Amulet (The Midnight Eye Files #1)

by William Meikle (Goodreads Author)

3.94 of 5 stars 3.94 · rating details · 34 ratings · 12 reviews

Book I:

Derek Adams is a Glasgow PI with plenty of time on his hands.

Until the Bogart Case walks in.

A priceless family heirloom has been stolen and everyone in town is looking for it. The stars are right once more, and an ancient evil has been awakened from its dreaming sleep.

It was supposed to be an easy case, fast money. But pretty soon Derek is up to his armpits in bodie...more

Paperback, 200 pages

Published October 1st 2005 by KHP Publisher

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Nov 29, 2011 Joe Young rated it 4 of 5 stars

A story based around a conflicted hard boiled detective like Chandler or Spillane. He has many good contacts and is living on the edge with alcohol a focal point of his life, he is still punishing himself for not hearing and acting on his live-in girl friend's cry for help before she climbed into the bath and sliced both wrists and throat with his razor. He didn't know she was pregnant until he read her suicide note. He takes a walk-in case from (of course) an attractive young woman against his...more

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Dec 13, 2010 J. Holloway rated it 5 of 5 stars

The first book of the Midnight Eye Files, The Amulet, blew me away. Seriously. This book and author is the perfect example of why indie authors can be just as competitive and awesome as authors from the Big 6 Publishers. Blending elements of the classic hardboiled detective story (think Philip Marlowe, Mike Hammer, and Sam Spade) and nightmarish legends and monsters straight from the mind of H.P. Lovecraft (C'thulu anyone?) and you'll have a pretty good idea of what you're in store for.

As most...more

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Mar 22, 2012 April (CSI:Librarian) rated it 4 of 5 stars

(Originally posted @ CSI:Librarian.)

The Amulet has a very compelling main character with a very authentic, engaging voice. Derek Adams is a fairly normal man confronted with fairly odd situations. His detective agency has been set up to stave off despair as well as his sense of helplessness and futility when confronted with his past. Needless to say, this makes him perfect for a Lovecraft-ish tale, but unlike many of Lovecraft's "heroes," Derek has more of a spine. The setting of the book is als...more (Originally posted @ CSI:Librarian.)

The Amulet has a very compelling main character with a very authentic, engaging voice. Derek Adams is a fairly normal man confronted with fairly odd situations. His detective agency has been set up to stave off despair as well as his sense of helplessness and futility when confronted with his past. Needless to say, this makes him perfect for a Lovecraft-ish tale, but unlike many of Lovecraft's "heroes," Derek has more of a spine. The setting of the book is also really fascinating not only because it is set in Glasglow but because Meikle has a real way with dialogue and detail.

In terms of atmosphere and plot, I think the mystery and horror elements were well done. I really, really liked the backstory behind the amulet and the creepy Elder God who wielded it. At the same time, I felt a certain loss of momentum as the story was moving towards its final confrontation. Maybe it was Derek being mostly normal and not equipped with his own high-powered abilities that made it fairly jarring to suddenly have him working with two people who were. Maybe I was a bit too concerned about what had happened to Doug at that point, to care about learning much about Dunlop or his lovely wife. I definitely didn't care much about about their well-being. I sincerely appreciate Mielke providing Derek with secondary characters who know what they're doing if only to keep Derek from meeting a grisly end... But I can't help thinking I would have rather read about Derek finding a way to take out a cult and its monster all on his own.

Aside from that somewhat minor complaint, The Amulet is a book that I could honestly kick myself for not reading sooner, and one that I really enjoyed. Derek was a really perfect noir PI who cared about his friends and not too much about himself. He's a character that mattered to me from beginning to end and one I definitely was relieved to find more books for. I liked that he wasn't as tough as he wanted to be. I liked most of the people he met, particularly Jimmy and Doug, as well as Derek's take on them. I liked all the little details Mielke added, I loved the Derek's sense of humor, and am still quite amused by the Gilbert & Sullivan references.

In conclusion, a really good read and introduction to a very cool character. I dug the mystery, the horror, and the slight urban fantasy vibe reminiscent of Simon R. Green's Tales from the Nightside. And I have a feeling I will be acquiring more William Meikle books in the near future. In the mean time, I would definitely recommend The Amulet to readers who pine for Lovecraft meets Chandler storylines, or to readers who simply wish their urban fantasy-tinged fiction took more risks.(less)

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Aug 16, 2010 Zoe rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: will-not-finish, horror, print-books

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Spoiler Warning & Preface: I am clearly not the target audience for this book, primarily because this is a Lovecraft lore book, or a story which uses the Cthulu mythos as a springboard. There is no surer way to get me to put down a book than to name drop this one guy in a non-sarcastic way. Which partly explains why my review is harsh.

Also note that I have read many of Willie's short stories and liked all of them. But the Cthulu mythos leaves such a bad taste in my mouth. It's not just used...more Spoiler Warning & Preface: I am clearly not the target audience for this book, primarily because this is a Lovecraft lore book, or a story which uses the Cthulu mythos as a springboard. There is no surer way to get me to put down a book than to name drop this one guy in a non-sarcastic way. Which partly explains why my review is harsh.

Also note that I have read many of Willie's short stories and liked all of them. But the Cthulu mythos leaves such a bad taste in my mouth. It's not just used as a springboard, either. This story takes Cthulu and snuggles drunkenly in bed with him. And then everyone smokes, a lot. Seriously, if you were going to AA meetings or are just quitting smoking, this is not a story to pick up. And if you're quitting whiskey AND ciggies this week, this really, REALLY isn't the right time to read this book. Maybe later, if you're a fan of Lovecraft and are nowhere near a pack of Camels.

The premise starts off well enough, if a bit predictably. Hot dame walks into a dick's office...private dick, I mean. The dame has a job for the dick, an amulet that was stolen from her home. The dick is clearly outclassed, but like most men with more balls than common sense, he takes the job. And this PI really is a dick in my mind even if he tried to paint himself in a halfway favorable light.

Part of my problem is the character talking winsomely about the good old days when people weren't such sex freaks and weirdos. He is suspicious of "kids" (anyone under 25, apparently) and freaks. And yet despite all this talk of chivalry, he drinks a lot because back when he had a woman, she needed to talk, and he left to go party and drink instead. She killed herself, and it tore him up so badly....he pretty much kept doing more of the same for a decade. BUT, like a decade later, he decided to become a PI, and he no longer parties. He still drinks a lot, and still hangs out in pubs. But now he's grim about it.

Yeah, still not a real sympathetic guy for me. But this has to do with the fact that I often felt like I could more readily identify with the "freaks" than I could with the dick...the private dick, I mean. But the story of the amulet and its history were fascinating right up until the Mad Arab was trotted out, and the story just kept snuggling up to Lovecraft more and more until the dick is buried hip deep in Cthulu's hot, sweet, mucus-wet folds of dhoom.

But more than that, the story is Lovecraft-aware, meaning that not only is this a story that proposes to be a part of the mythos, it is also a story that suggests "Hark! Lovecraft was psychic and predicting the story all Nostradamus-like!" And when the story suggested that the big conflict was to prevent the big C-guy himself from putting in an appearance, I sighed and put the book down. Then I lit up a ciggie...okay that was a lie. But I did drink some whiskey. Okay, that was a lie too.

The writing style is good, although a bit indulgent upon stereotypes of normal and abnormal. The pace is good, and if you like Lovecraft or old school PI stories, this will probably work for you. But I will not be reaching the final fight with the evil tentacled monster because Lovecraft and his whole wide tentacled world, are not my cup of tea.

Two stars, recommended for Lovecraft fans.(less)

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Mar 21, 2011 pdarnold rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction-suspense-thriller, fiction-sci-fi

This was... different. Maybe not so much for all you horror fans. But for me it was right at the edge for the amount of horror I usually care to read. This is a paranormal/detective mystery crossing over into some horror. As a book I enjoyed the read. If this were made into a movie there is NO WAY I would go see it. It doesn't give a scare that makes one want to leave a light on at night. Rather, it is the details and actions of a particular creature that were rather gruesome. I will be reading...more

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Oct 01, 2008 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, beach-book, dramatic, fiction, first-reads, mystery, supernatural

Picture it: A twelve-year-old Punky Brewster look-alike with a curse on her tongue and a backpack containing all of the necessities a Nancy Drew wannabe might consider pertinent: flashlight, pen, paper, magnifying glass, a bag of chips and a soda. Following in tow are three fourteen-year-old boys who swear by Superman comics and that world peace could be achieved if everyone would just appreciate arm-farts. They stand in front of the local beat down house that is supposedly haunted with an accel...more Picture it: A twelve-year-old Punky Brewster look-alike with a curse on her tongue and a backpack containing all of the necessities a Nancy Drew wannabe might consider pertinent: flashlight, pen, paper, magnifying glass, a bag of chips and a soda. Following in tow are three fourteen-year-old boys who swear by Superman comics and that world peace could be achieved if everyone would just appreciate arm-farts. They stand in front of the local beat down house that is supposedly haunted with an accelerated heartbeat and a gleam in their eyes. This, people, is my childhood. And those three boys were my brother and his idiot crew.

Why let you sneak a peak into my younger days? Well, simply so I could convey to you the love I have for all things Nancy Drew, and so I could publicly call my brother an idiot. Did I ever grow out of it? Hell no, I love exploring! Every so often I toss on a pair of jeans and a black rock shirt, grab the necessities (since I’m an adult, I traded chips for cigarettes), hop in my car and look for a prime spot to invade and look for clues. Lucky for me and my 91 gas-guzzling Cadillac, I didn’t need to go looking for a case, one fell into my lap…literally. I took one look at Meikle’s cover, read the synopsis, and immediately dressed in my detective attire.

Tight, sharp, and cynical, Meikle’s characters are brilliantly portrayed. Sure the main character has a fascination with Humphrey Bogart that borders on obsessive, but it’s okay, it works here. Why? Because he is the quintessential detective you imagine every P.I. to be. His wit is quick, his obvious blindness to his client’s motives is at the end – legendary, and his heartache and empathy is palpable. Perfect. What wasn’t perfect was the secondary characters’ dialect.

Now, I understand Mr. Meikle is British, but some of the casts’ dialogue became more of a mystery than the case itself. In fact, in order to save my sanity and my need for all things orderly and clear, I had to skip over a few of the interactions between Derek and the locals. Other than dousing us in the local slang, Meikle’s style of writing is nostalgic, baroque, and spellbinding. Never has an author had me so caught up in his mystery that I forgot to smoke. Mr. Meikle, you may just be literary Nicorette.

While the outline to the story is not wholly original, the fleshed out plot is. Formative and intelligent, this story has it all: Mystery, horror, lost-love, and friendship. In other words, it could become a classic. Now, don’t go getting the idea that this is some creampuff book; it’s not. But I do have to admit the horror is sparse. In fact, the blood count is shamelessly low, but that’s okay, the supernatural elements carry this book into the genre nicely.

Sultry and casual, the story moves at a languid pace. Starting at a near crawl, the pace increases with a progressive speed that leaves you breathless before it's over and done with. Pure Lovecraft, the atmosphere is dark and disturbing with just a hint of decay. You can smell the cheap gin and cigarettes, but there's an underlying aftertaste of mold.

My rating? I give it a 4. Dark, dank, and mysterious, Meikle’s latest will hypnotize you from beginning to end and leave you begging for more.

-As posted on Horror-Web.com(less)

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Dec 08, 2012 Annie rated it 3 of 5 stars

A decent read. Editing could have been better. Not as good as the Road Hole Bunker Mystery.

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Feb 11, 2013 Ahimsa rated it 3 of 5 stars

It's not very well written, but quite readable and certainly a fun idea.

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Jun 01, 2012 Bruce rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror

The Amulet is a perfect blend of hard-boiled noir and Lovecraftian horror. A great read.

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Nov 09, 2011 Sarah Barnard rated it 4 of 5 stars

A good read. Nice balance between the detecting and human side and the monsters.

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Aug 26, 2008 Rich rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror

An entertaining mix of noir mystery and Lovecraftian horror.

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Mar 16, 2008 William added it · (Review from the author)

I wrote it

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Shelves: kindle

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About William Meikle

I'm a Scottish writer with fifteen novels published in the genre press and over 250 short story credits in thirteen countries, the author of the ongoing Midnight Eye series among others. My work has appeared in a number of professional anthologies.

My ebooks are now doing well for me, with THE INVASION reaching #2 in the Kindle SF charts, and THE VALLEY reaching #1 in Historical Fantasy.

I have also...more

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