A True Telling of the Terror That Came to Red Hook

"A True Telling of the Terror That Came to Red Hook" is a short Cthulhu Mythos story by British author William Meikle.
== Synopsis ==
The story tells of two previously unknown participants of the events recounted in H. P. Lovecraft's short story "The Horror at Red Hook". These men discover the shocking truth of Robert Suydam's occult activities and work towards bringing about his downfall. This involves spiriting him away from the ship aboard which his wife was murdered and killing the creature he had become in the catacombs beneath New York before blowing up the shrine found therein.
== Characters ==
* The Unnamed Narrator, a coloured trumpeter with a strong sense of social justice.
* Botan, a small-time Kurdish business associate of the narrator.
*Robert Suydam, a man in service to a dark power.
* Thomas Malone, a police officer.
== Behind the Mythos ==
As one of the most xenophobic of Lovecraft's works, "The Horror at Red Hook" has received a great deal of criticism, with a number of collections omitting the story in its entirety. "A True Telling of the Terror That Came to Red Hook" appears to be an attempt to soften this impact by portraying the two protagonists, both from backgrounds given little-to-no value by the society of the time, in a positive light. However, in contrast, it also highlights the brutality of Malone's police forces when dealing with the local minorities.
== Publication History ==
"A True Telling of the Terror That Came to Red Hook" was first published in the 2016 anthology Heroes of Red Hook by Golden Goblin Press. It was also included in the collection of Meikle’s own works Into the Black: Tales of Lovecraftian Terror in 2019.
== Trivia ==
* "A True Telling of the Terror That Came to Red Hook" provides explanations for parts of the original story which Lovecraft had left vague, such as what fate actually befell Robert Suydam, and why the basement of his house collapsed at the climax.
Category:William Meikle works
Category:Expanded Mythos Works