“Readers who relish this milieu will be eager for the promised followup” – booklife Editor’s Pick

Blending elements from cosmic horror, dark fantasy, and magic-school mysteries while putting a smart contemporary spin on Lovecraftian terrors, Cottrell’s fiction debut centers on Ellen Logan, a student possessing psychic abilities who moonlights as a fortune teller at the local occult bookstore to pay her way through Miskatonic University, a place of higher learning devoted to the occult and other supernatural phenomenon. Ellen’s life is turned upside down when her friend, Stephanie, is found dead, presumably from falling from the top of the campus’ clock tower. When it comes to light that Stephanie was researching a horrible accident in a long-forgotten mine, Ellen must work with her broodingly attractive, psychic-hating professor to unearth buried truths—all as she strives to hone her psychic powers and find a way to handle the harrowing cries of the doomed miners themselves.

The plot focuses on the supernatural, with ghosts, possession, Lovecraft’s “Dreamlands,” and long-dead miners in an intriguing mix. Still, Cottrell does wonders giving Ellen a natural, up-to-date voice, freshening up the familiar mythos. Unlike doom-and-gloom heroes of many works in the Lovecraftian vein, Ellen is quick to disbelief and ready to stand up for herself, even going so far to call her art history professor (one of several characters who seem to be related to Lovercraft’s a own) a “prick” to his face. Confident in her actions yet uncertain of her past, she ventures into the unknown with a gusto rare for those facing cosmic horror.

With a faculty advisor to Miskatonic’s psychic student organization, and her doting Uncle Joshua (who harbors mysteries of his own), Darkness Below shows that “light can be dark. Unclean.” But it also demonstrates, as Ellen and Professor Carter hunt down lost tomes, face unspeakable dangers, and investigate weird rituals, that darkness need not be overwhelming. Ellen’s an arresting guide, and readers who relish this milieu be eager for the promised followup.

Takeaway: A college student faces Lovecraftian horrors and mysteries in this winning series starter.

Great for fans of: Leigh Bardugo’s The Ninth House, Ruthanna Emrys’s Winter Tide.

“Five stars are insufficient to show my admiration of this work by Barbara Cottrell.” – Sarah Stuart, 5 Stars reader’s Favorite

Darkness Below is even more intriguing than horror stories by well-known authors such as Stephen King, Anne Rice, and Ramsey Campbell. Blond and beautiful, Ellen is a student at the fabled Miskatonic University, Massachusetts. A lonely girl, isolated and virtually friendless, she encounters the charismatic lecturer Dr. Carter, a prodigy from her Uncle Joshua’s past. Friend or enemy? As a psychic, Ellen is aware of the danger that is stalking her. Now and then “he” breaks in with a short piece. Deep, down, and dark. “He” is angry with his mother for leaving him with her magic artifact and the force within it. How does “he” impact Ellen? Did he survive an explosion in 1945 and is he still alive? This paranormal tale by Barbara Cottrell will draw you in and perhaps not let you go.

Darkness Below is a compelling story from the first page. I found my curiosity instantly aroused and it never diminished. There is a riveting reality to Ellen and her life, which in retrospect is impossible. References to normality contrast with doubt about the existence of a university dedicated to the study of the supernatural in its most gruesome forms. Ellen undertakes assignments, like arguing why Hades chose Persephone as his bride – a familiar Greek myth. Descriptions of even minor characters are brilliant: “The librarians, severe, sallow-faced men dressed like funeral directors, exhibited an unhealthy attachment to their books.” Five stars are insufficient to show my admiration of this work by Barbara Cottrell.

“I absolutely loved Darkness Below…. It is so incredibly well-written and captivating.” – Melanie Kennedy, 5 Stars Reader’s Favorite

Darkness Below by Barbara Cottrell is one of the best paranormal horror stories I’ve read in a while. Ellen Logan is a psychic. And where’s the best place for a psychic to gain higher learning but Miskatonic University? With its history of being built on the remnants of an insane asylum, it only makes sense that the university is dedicated to investigating the supernatural. A desperate plea from one of her fellow students forces Ellen into the most dangerous investigation of her life. Someone is trying to summon a monstrous entity to harness its power and will stop at nothing to get their way. With the help of her mysterious professor, uncle, and fellow psychics, Ellen must step up to the plate to save not only herself but potentially the whole world from the evil lurking below.

I absolutely loved Darkness Below. No words could do it justice, but I’ll try my best. It is so incredibly well-written and captivating. Barbara Cottrell has created a magnificent world steeped in art, emotions, and the supernatural. I loved her references to real art pieces and artists as I found myself Googling them and marveling at how beautiful their horror and absurdity could be – much like the Shadows of Miskatonic universe. I was so happy to read that Barbara will be continuing the series, as I need to read more about Ellen and her will-they-won’t-they relationship with a certain gentleman. I would highly recommend Darkness Below to anyone that wants to read a well-written, enticing story with fleshed-out characters and loads of suspense.

“Darkness Below is even more intriguing than horror stories by well-known authors such as Stephen King, Anne Rice, and Ramsey Campbell.” – Sarah Stuart, 5 Stars reader’s Favorite

Darkness Below is even more intriguing than horror stories by well-known authors such as Stephen King, Anne Rice, and Ramsey Campbell. Blond and beautiful, Ellen is a student at the fabled Miskatonic University, Massachusetts. A lonely girl, isolated and virtually friendless, she encounters the charismatic lecturer Dr. Carter, a prodigy from her Uncle Joshua’s past. Friend or enemy? As a psychic, Ellen is aware of the danger that is stalking her. Now and then “he” breaks in with a short piece. Deep, down, and dark. “He” is angry with his mother for leaving him with her magic artifact and the force within it. How does “he” impact Ellen? Did he survive an explosion in 1945 and is he still alive? This paranormal tale by Barbara Cottrell will draw you in and perhaps not let you go.

Darkness Below is a compelling story from the first page. I found my curiosity instantly aroused and it never diminished. There is a riveting reality to Ellen and her life, which in retrospect is impossible. References to normality contrast with doubt about the existence of a university dedicated to the study of the supernatural in its most gruesome forms. Ellen undertakes assignments, like arguing why Hades chose Persephone as his bride – a familiar Greek myth. Descriptions of even minor characters are brilliant: “The librarians, severe, sallow-faced men dressed like funeral directors, exhibited an unhealthy attachment to their books.” Five stars are insufficient to show my admiration of this work by Barbara Cottrell.

“Darkness Below … is a compelling and unnerving exploration of Lovecraftian horror set in the grounds of Miskatonic University.” – IndieReader 4.8 Stars

At Miskatonic University, students and academic study the occult. Ellen Logan discovers a mysterious book and teams up with Professor Carter to tame its power.

H. P. Lovecraft’s influence has been out of all proportion to the attention he received in the 20 or so years before his death in 1937. His weird fiction seldom left the pages of the pulp magazines of the period, but the universe he created – since referred to as the Cthulhu Mythos – was as rich and as varied as any created by his emulators. Following his death, author after author sought to expand on it, and Barbara Cottrell’s DARKNESS BELOW belongs to this tradition, even if the author approaches the mythos in a sidelong fashion. For the novel concentrates on Lovecraft’s proxy for an Ivy League college, Miskatonic University, and the adventures of one student in particular, Ellen Logan.

Miskatonic’s grounds have the moneyed, old-world feel of the Harvard Yard, and a sinisterness appropriate to the institution’s position as the home of occult studies. It is the sort of place where students look to rob graves in pursuit of good grades, the sort of place surrounded by stores that sell textbooks and spells, and where premeds worry they are suffering from lycanthropy. Studying there involves risk, not from flunking due to the courseload, but from mortal supernatural dangers; “Go in peace, and may God be with you on the dangerous path you tread” is the university’s motto. Cottrell combines Lovecraftian characters, such as professor Andrew Carter (a descendant, it is speculated, of Lovecraft’s Randolph Carter), with a great deal of well-judged characterization of Ellen. So many of Lovecraft’s characters are drawn somewhat sketchily, their ancillary nature obvious to the eye; they are often present primarily to drive the plot rather than as points of interest in themselves. Cottrell, on the other hand, is adamant that DARKNESS BELOW should be character-driven. It is a good decision that pays off in the form of a rounded and believable protagonist whose backstory, murky and unknowable as it is, creates depth and interest.

Ellen is psychic, an orphan – Cottrell is aware of the parallels with Dickens, or Harry Potter for that matter, and lampshades them effectively – and strikes up a partnership with Professor Carter as a series of otherworldly goings-on, such as an earthquake caused by psychic forces and the destruction of a fraternity house by a fiery creature, take place on campus. Carter is Miskatonic’s star professor, by turns conceited, irascible, and impatient. But when Ellen gains access to a secret book exuding incredible power, she, Carter, and a linguistics professor, Connie Blake, seek to protect themselves from the forces within – and from the malevolent attentions of Professor Pierce.

Though the plot is familiar, it is never contrived, and Cottrell’s excellent grasp of pacing means that the novel never drags. The naturalistic dialog is complemented by subtle intimations of prejudice experienced by psychics – an offhand reference to the suspicion that fell on the younger Ellen that she was a witch; passing references to the burning of witches – that enhance believability, as does Ellen’s stormy relations with her overbearing professor. The allusions to an unnatural, hellish episode taking in place during the Second World War culminate in a horrific mining accident that Cottrell expertly intertwines into Ellen’s unraveling narrative. The result is an effective, exciting story that is as surprising as it is enthralling.

IR Verdict: DARKNESS BELOW by Barbara Cottrell is a compelling and unnerving exploration of Lovecraftian horror set in the grounds of Miskatonic University.

“Barbara Cottrell takes Lovecraft back to school and drags the Cthulhu Mythos into the 21st century” – Ross E. Lockhart

In Darkness Below, Barbara Cottrell takes Lovecraft back to school and drags the Cthulhu Mythos into the 21st century by presenting Miskatonic University not as a venerable, ivy-covered university, but as a struggling modern school, dealing with fraternity crawls, violence, and its place within haunted Arkham, and populating it with likeable, intelligent characters with agency and interior lives. Fans of Kij Johnson’s The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe and Victor LaValle’s The Ballad of Black Tom will enjoy this eldritch adventure

“Darkness Below by Barbara Cottrell is one of the best paranormal horror stories I’ve read in a while.” – Melanie Kennedy, 5 Stars Reader’s Favorite

Darkness Below by Barbara Cottrell is one of the best paranormal horror stories I’ve read in a while. Ellen Logan is a psychic. And where’s the best place for a psychic to gain higher learning but Miskatonic University? With its history of being built on the remnants of an insane asylum, it only makes sense that the university is dedicated to investigating the supernatural. A desperate plea from one of her fellow students forces Ellen into the most dangerous investigation of her life. Someone is trying to summon a monstrous entity to harness its power and will stop at nothing to get their way. With the help of her mysterious professor, uncle, and fellow psychics, Ellen must step up to the plate to save not only herself but potentially the whole world from the evil lurking below.

I absolutely loved Darkness Below. No words could do it justice, but I’ll try my best. It is so incredibly well-written and captivating. Barbara Cottrell has created a magnificent world steeped in art, emotions, and the supernatural. I loved her references to real art pieces and artists as I found myself Googling them and marveling at how beautiful their horror and absurdity could be – much like the Shadows of Miskatonic universe. I was so happy to read that Barbara will be continuing the series, as I need to read more about Ellen and her will-they-won’t-they relationship with a certain gentleman. I would highly recommend Darkness Below to anyone that wants to read a well-written, enticing story with fleshed-out characters and loads of suspense.