The Idol In The Hedge Maze: A Lovecraftian Novelette

by Mark McLaughlin, Michael Sheehan Jr.

THE IDOL IN THE HEDGE MAZE: A Lovecraftian Novelette is a modern-day sequel to H.P. Lovecraft's novella, "The Shadow Out Of Time." It tells the tale of mega-wealthy Neil Prentiss, founder and CEO of PrenTek, a multinational technology company. He lives in a magnificent mansion surrounded by a sprawling hedge maze. He has everything a person could want in today's world ... but he is dying of cancer.

While examining the journals of the mansion's previous owner, Neil learns how to contact a member of the Great Race of Yith, an ancient race of brilliant beings. The Yithian offers what seems to be a high-tech solution to Neil's problems, and the intrepid businessman decides to proceed with the creature's plan. Along the way, Neil invites his trusted childhood friend Zander to come and stay with him. Zander soon realizes that the Yithian's extraordinary kindness and generosity may actually hide a shocking ulterior motive....

Mark McLaughlin is the author of BEST LITTLE WITCH-HOUSE IN ARKHAM, and with collaborator Michael Sheehan Jr., he was written the Lovecraftian paperback story collections, HORRORS & ABOMINATIONS and THE HOUSE OF THE OCELOT. McLaughlin and Sheehan have also co-authored the Kindle collections, THE ABOMINATIONS OF NEPHREN-KA, THE HORROR IN THE WATER TOWER, THE BLASPHEMY IN THE CANOPIC JAR, SHOGGOTH APOCALYPSE, THE RELIC IN THE EGYPTIAN GALLERY, THE CREATURE IN THE WAXWORKS, THE TESTAMENT OF CTHULHU, and STAINLESS STEEL SARCOPHAGUS.

40 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2019

About the author

MARK McLAUGHLIN is a Stoker Award-winner whose many works include:
The Doomsday Thaw ..... Injectables
Crushed Velvet .... Embrace of the Internet Witch
The Weird World of Mark McLaughlin MEGAPACK®
The Wrath of Nyarlathotep ... Weird Worship
Horrors & Abominations .... Nightmares & Tentacles
Urban Monsters .... Dimension Of Monsters
The House Of The Ocelot & More Lovecraftian Nightmares
Human Doll: A Novel ... The Hell Next Door: A Novel
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Reviews

[Karen Caine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its a complex story since it has time travel in it but I really enjoyed it. It also made me decide to go back and read Shadow out of Time again.

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable Lovecraftian story, a sequel to HP Lovecraft's "The Shadow Out of Time". I always felt that the Great Race Of Yith weren't all that dangerous when compared to some of HPL's other creations, but judging by this story, you should be very careful when making a deal with them!
The story is written in a matter-of-fact way, unlike Lovecraft's frequently purple prose, but that only makes the ending all the more horrifying, in my opinion. Having been a fan of HP Lovecraft for (gasp) almost four decades, I am really glad to see that people are still making good use of his mythology. And "Augustus" is now one of my favourite Lovecraftian villains!

[Nora Peevy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a sucker for any story with a hedge maze. A hedge maze always signals a good haunting, a phantasmagoric romp, or a great backdrop for a chase scene. Having read a lot of McLaughlin's Lovecraft mythos creations, it was refreshing to read about the Yith. They are a weird, colorful, and intelligent race of beings I imagine would fit in very well in Alice in Wonderland. Augustus is a shrewd, calculating alien from beyond the wormhole and the story takes a unique twist. I argue it is a moral tale; be careful what you wish for. This quick read is perfect for Lovecraft fans at bedtime.

[David Hambling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun piece of modern Lovecraftiana.

[John R. Dailey Jr. · Rating 1 out of 5]

A WASTE OF ABOUT 30 MINUTES IT IS...

Hello, this story is terrible, awful and any other adjective you can stick in there. Don't waste your time. Thanks.