The Monster Underneath
A Review of H.B. Gregory's "Dark Sanctuary"
In the June 1983 issue of the Twilight Zone magazine, the great neo-pulp author Karl Edward Wagner published his “39 List” which set out to index the very best supernatural, non-supernatural, and science fiction horror novels ever written. Wagner’s primary focus was on lesser-known and obscure works, some of which were decades out-of-print at the time. The point was to revive and resuscitate interest in titles and authors from the halcyon days of speculative fiction.
One of the most obscure books on the list, H.B. Gregory’s Dark Sanctuary, was more than just obscure—the book was legendarily hard to come by, with serious collectors like Wagner traveling back and forth between Britain and the United States to secure one of the few hundred copies known to exist. Gregory’s only novel had the misfortune of being published in London in 1940 during the height of the Blitz. That, plus the fact that the book’s small publisher could only afford to print so many first editions, meant that Dark Sanctuary became nearly impossible to purchase right out of the gate. Fortunately, thanks to Ramble House, Dark Sanctuary can now be purchased online for a reasonable amount of dollars. Thus, during a snowbound night, I set down to read this eldritch tome. Here is what I found…
Dark Sanctuary is composed of three related elements: 1) the classic haunted house tale; 2) the occult thriller a la Dennis Wheatley; and 3) Lovecraftian cosmic horror. In this way, one could make the argument that Gregory’s novel is the summation of Anglo-American horror. This book moves with a polite dread—a doom-ish fairytale strong in morality and mysticism. And best of all, Gregory’s prose is neither purple nor staccato, but nice, even, and well-balanced between verbs and adjectives.
The story takes place sometime in the 1930s and concerns the haunted island fortress of Kestrel. The castle belongs to the cursed Lovell family. Cursed, you say? Yes, quite cursed! You see, during the reign of King Henry VIII, the crown formalized its official break with the Vatican by seizing and dissolving the kingdom’s many Roman Catholic monasteries. Some of these properties were handed over to the state, whilst others were given to private hands. Kestrel, a former monastery, was given to the grandsire of the Lovells. This nobleman and his progeny profaned the sacred place twice over—first by murdering a priest upon a Christian altar, and second by blaspheming the former monastery with magical ceremonies and other occult practices learned in Renaissance era Italy. Because of these events, the Lovells are cursed with misfortune, and it is the sudden death of Sir Anthony Lovell, Sr. via a heart attack induced by fear, that kickstarts all the action.
Enter Sir Anthony’s son Tony and his friend John Hamilton, both of London. Tony is a bored bon vivant looking for a way to escape the summer heat. Hamilton, a freelance writer interested in everything, joins his friend at the remote castle. Once Sir Anthony dies, Tony inherits the crumbling stone. His first order of business is to investigate the home’s underground chambers, for it was here that Sir Anthony spent his last moments. Tony’s investigations do not find anything of substance, but he does encounter a lot of uneasy feelings and suggestions. He tells Hamilton, who in turns suggests that a certain spiritualist named Doctor Nicholas Gaunt should come to Kestrel. Dr. Gaunt arrives with a sinister fellow named Vaughan, and the two men cozy up to the impressionable Tony. As an unholy trio, they begin spending an inordinate amount of time in the cellars. It is down there that they discover the crawling, primordial ooze that is blacker than night. Said ooze was born when a rift in the space-time continuum was ripped open by an ancient wizard long before the coming of Christ to the White Cliffs.
After the discovery of the unnamable horror, Dark Sanctuary becomes a rousing adventure tale, with Hamilton joining forces with a local rector named Michael Bennett and his daughter, Valerie. These three represent the forces of God and the holiness of the Anglican Church. Dark Sanctuary is a deeply Christian novel, and as such the evil in the story is Luciferian. Gaunt and Vaughan are capital “S” Satanists, and their goal is to use Tony to unleash the Outer Dark into the world. Vaughan proves to be a defrocked priest (and a possible pederast) incapable of aging, while Gaunt is a megalomaniac and misanthrope who wants to rule not over the world, but rather its ashes. The final contest between the forces of light and darkness occurs in the dreaded cellars, and it takes two turncoat deaths for God to finally triumph over Satan.
Dark Sanctuary is an enjoyable read. Predictable, but enjoyable. There is the requisite romance and Gothicism, plus there are some small surprises (Merlin makes an appearance, for instance). Overall, the mystique that this book once had is more powerful than the final product. It is still an impactful final product, mind you, and it is a shame that Gregory never tried his hand at horror again. That said, Dark Sanctuary is conservative in multiple ways, and for those looking for a mild dip into the weird, then this is the perfect nighttime read. For those looking for more out-there fare, this is not what you want. It is simply a solid, dependable, and atmospheric horror with a Christian core. It’s cozy like a Christmas sweater, and as a comforting as a Cornish pub after a long sail.
3.5 out 5.
Stay tuned for more reviews from the 39 List.
A great review and a fascinating introduction to a little known writer, thank you.