Welcome back, old friend
The Haunter Of The Dark review
Production company – BBC
Rating – 
As you may already be aware, I have reviewed The Lovecraft Investigations previously, but I was so excited when series 4 dropped that I’ve decided to give this one a standalone review too. So without further ado, here we go.
Before I start though, spoilers are unavoidable due to the fact it’s a review of series 4, and the story continues on from series 3. I heartily recommend you go back and listen to the previous three series before listening to The Haunter Of The Dark, and even before reading this review. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
So what’s it about
This series takes place nearly three years after the disappearance of Matt Heywood. Kennedy has been travelling the world trying to find his whereabouts, but to no avail. Just when she thinks all hope is lost, she is contacted by the mysterious Marcus Byron.
Soon enough, Kennedy is back on the trail of mysterious cults and ancient deities. New allies and old friends work together to try and uncover the truth of The Haunter Of The Dark.
Once again, you don’t really need any knowledge of the source material. You don’t even need to like H.P. Lovecraft to enjoy this series. The story has been updated and adapted to the modern day, and the darkness is offset nicely with humour. This isn’t a comedy show by any means though. The overall mood is one of darkness and paranoia, and it’s amazing.
Is it any good?
Of course it is! The Case Of Charles Dexter Ward was one of the first podcasts I listened to, and therefore this series will always hold a special place in my heart. Thankfully this affection isn’t misplaced, because the series has been consistently brilliant, and this chapter of Kennedy and Matt’s investigations is no different.
Once again, the weaving of historical fact and fictional characters is so seamless you can’t see the joins. This is something that Julian does very well indeed, and just like in previous series, I may (or may not) have googled someone only to find they don’t exist.
To be honest, I would never have guessed that this was the direction the story would go, not that it’s a bad thing, although my keen hearing did spot hints to where I was expecting the cast to find themselves in this series. I’m not telling you lot though, just in case it does go there at some point.
Final thoughts
I’m well aware that social media every so often exhumes the rumours of Guillermo Del Toro directing At The Mountains Of Madness, but I really can’t see that happening. For my money, the legacy of H.P. Lovecraft’s fiction is more than safe in the hands of Julian Simpson. And thanks to the introduction of a character at the end of the final episode, I think I know where the story is going next (although I said that last time didn’t I?).
You can get The Haunter Of The Dark here: