Horror Story Review: "The Strange High House in the Mist" by H. P. Lovecraft

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This short story is set in Kingsport, a village Lovecraft used before, most notably for his story, “The Terrible Old Man.” This time, the focus is on a house so high in the cliffs by the sea no one has ever visited it, nor can anyone recall someone coming to town from it. It appears to be occupied for every once in a while people see lights coming from its windows. The townspeople dislike the place and do their best to avoid looking at it. Summer visitors might take a peek through their binoculars, but the locals will look the other way. One summer, a philosopher named Thomas Olney moves to Kingsport. He teaches “ponderous things in a college by Narragansett Bay.” On seeing the house so improbably high in the mountains, he decides to go visit it. He is warned about mysterious goings on by The Terrible Old Man and by Granny Orne, things they heard from their elders. They tell him tales of lightning and shapes that flap out of the eastern mists. None of these things deters him. One other strange thing about the cottage: as far as anyone can tell, its only door opens out to a sheer cliff that could only be seen from the sea. Thomas Olney sets out on the perilous climb to the house in the mountains by the sea. He will find the house is occupied. This tale is full of Lovecraft’s wonderful imagery and atmosphere. It progresses from the everyday to the odd to outright horror nicely and convincingly. I had trouble buying the premise that there was an occupied house in the 20th century New England that no one could reach, however. Nevertheless, it was enjoyable. This short story is considered part of Lovecraft’s dream cycle. A text of the story is available here: __ Title: “The Strange High House in the Mist” Author: H. P. Lovecraft (1890-1937) First published: written 1926 Weird Tales Oct. 1931 Source: ISFDB