The Skeleton Closet of Jules De Grandin

Jules de Grandin #3

by Seabury Quinn

• Seabury Quinn • essay by Manly Wade Wellman
14 • The Drums of Damballah • [Jules de Grandin] • (1930) • novelette by Seabury Quinn
62 • The Doom of the House of Phipps • [Jules de Grandin] • (1930) • shortfiction by Seabury Quinn (variant of The Curse of the House of Phipps)
96 • The Dust of Egypt • [Jules de Grandin] • (1930) • novelette by Seabury Quinn
132 • The Brain-Thief • [Jules de Grandin] • (1930) • novelette by Seabury Quinn
170 • The Bride of Dewer • [Jules de Grandin] • (1930) • novelette by Seabury Quinn
209 • Daughter of the Moonlight • [Jules de Grandin] • (1930) • novelette by Seabury Quinn
250 • Afterword (The Skeleton Closet of Jules de Grandin) • (1976) • essay by Robert Weinberg

Genres: Horror, Occult Detective, Short Stories, Fiction

252 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1976

About the author

Best know as an American pulp author for Weird Tales, for which he wrote a series of stories about occult detective Jules de Grandin. He was the author of non-fiction legal and medical texts and editor of Casket & Sunnyside, a trade journal for mortuary jurisprudence. He also published fiction for Embalming Magazine, another mortuary periodical.

Reviews

[Bill Kerwin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Frenchmen Jules de Grandin-- former detective with the La Surete Nationale, unparalleled authority on occult crime, and (for some inexplicable reason) permanent resident of Harrisonville New Jersey--once more does his best to protect his fellow New Jerseyites from the forces of darkness. I admire and relish Quinn's breezy pulp style, and consequently enjoyed this book, but I did not think its stories quite as satisfying as many of Quinn's other works.

"The Drums of Damballah," involving sinister subterranean Voodoo ceremonies and a murderous apeman, is a first-rate de Grandin creation, and "The Brain Thief," concerning great evil perpetrated by an envious Oriental hypnotist, is almost its equal. "Daughter of the Moonlight," a werewolf tale, is also effective and exciting.

The remaining three tales. however, are not so successful. The two stories of family curses--"The Doom of the House of Phipps" and "The Bride of Dewer"--lack memorable incident, and "The Dust of Egypt," concerning the revival of ancient Isis, begins well but ends ineffectually and almost laughably. (I suspect this is because its inner logic demanded at least the strong suggestion of an incestuous encounter which Quinn knew never would be acceptable to the "Weird Tales" audience.)

All in all, the least satisfying of the "Popular Library" anthologies, but still worthwhile for any devotee of the pulps.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of six good Jules de Grandin novelettes by Quinn, all of which first appeared in issues of Weird Tales Magazine from January through August of 1930. Quinn was the publication's most popular writer of the time, though of course Howard and Lovecraft and others are far better remembered. He was an occult investigator, a Frenchman who had set up shop in a fictional Harrisonville, New Jersey along with his partner, Dr. Trowbridge. Quinn was far less sexist or racist than many of his pulp contemporaries, though there are some inevitable ethnic stereotypes of the time, particularly in The Drums of Damballah in this volume. We see family curses, ancient magic, monsters, and all manner of evil beings defeated by de Grandin, all liberally flavored with de Grandin's lively patter, such as: "Mort d'un coq, but you annoy me, you vex me, you anger and enrage me- me, I could twist your so stupid neck! What lies behind all this I know no more than you, but may Satan serve me fried turnip with parsley if I traverse Monsieur Robin Hood's barnyard seeking a conventional explanation for something which fairly reeks of the superphysical. No, a reason there is, there must be, but you are as far from seeing it as an Icelander is from hearing the blackbirds whistle in the horsechestnuts of St. Cloud Yes!” I'm not sure what it all means, but his gist is clear! Fun stuff from the good old days.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This paperback is one of a series of collected Jules de Grandin stories published by Popular Library in the 1970s. All the tales originally appeared in Weird Tales in 1930, a year in which Quinn was the magazine’s most frequent contributor.

In this introduction to Skeleton Closet, Manly Wade Wellman describes de Grandin’s adventures: “His duty was trailing and neutralizing the darkest night side of evil, in the dubious New Jersey town of Harrisonville.” His cases are reported by and shared with his constant companion, Dr. Trowbridge.

De Grandin is an occult detective. His stories are mysteries, but not the type readers are likely to solve based on clues successively seeded as the tale unfurls. Only de Grandin can piece together the obscure hints gathered over his investigations to foil the evil curses, hauntings, and possessions he encounters. Unlike other fictional partnerships of this era, de Grandin and Trowbridge aren’t in an unrelenting lockstep of mutual admiration. The genius detective is alternatingly charming and annoying, and Trowbridge isn’t shy about sharing his frank reactions to his partner’s bottomless conceit. Fortunately, their banter is measured in small doses and doesn’t detract from their engaging supernatural adventures.

Quinn’s writing is loaded with uncommon vocabulary. As Wellman explains, “He wore out dictionary after dictionary, edition after edition of Roget’s Thesaurus, to be as sure as possible of the right word.”

The Skeleton Closet presents eight of de Grandin’s cases, all running about 40 pages each. If you’re a fan of occult detective stories, Quinn’s yarns are not to be missed and worth rereading if you’re already a convert. The paperback’s afterword by Robert Weinberg ably recaps the collection’s stories and concludes, “In 1930, he [Quinn] was at his busiest, and at his best.”

[Paulo "paper books only" · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now let us speak of the one book I gave away to C L Werner The Skeleton Closet of Jules de Grandin by Seabury Quinn. Quite good stories. Unfortunally that was the only book I had and I've search the internet and they are quite expense. Can anyone make an omnibus of this books? There are four or five of them. Inside them you can find six stories by Jules de Gradin. I think there are almost one hundred stories with Jules de Grandin. What made him different? Well he is an investigator but with supernatural side. Think of Sherlock Holmes now think him the opposite. His stories are full of curses, voodoo and supernatural themes. They worked. Nowadays I guess nobody knows whom he is. He published most of his tales in Weird Tales magazine alongside Lovecraft, Robert E Howard or Clark Ashton Smith. But he is not in the same league. but believe me when I say if you like those writers I wrote then you will enjoy this one. 8/10

[Ronald · Rating 4 out of 5]

read some time in 1990