The Ravening Deep, by Tim Pratt

Another title in the Lovecraftian Arkham series from Aconyte - and once again, it follows paths that Lovecraft himself would never have approved of! In this case, it's sympathetic cultists and strong women.

We follow a variety of narratives here, from fisherman and plot instigator Abel Davenport, to businesswoman Diana Stanley and professional thief Ruby Standish. The three come together in pursuit of the most recent Arkham cult to attempt resurrection of their evil Old One god - but this time it's not quite that simple. This isn't the cult they should be looking for...

I loved the mix of traditional Lovecraftian secrecy and angst here being combined with out-and-out action. Who steals all those cursed antifacts, after all? Could it be a nimble lady cat-burglar working for an egotistical cult leader? And could that leader actually be surprisingly sympathetic when challenged by an even worse (or perhaps embarrassingly threatening) Great Old One?

We have fish/crab men, reproducing clones, double-crossing agents and daring rescues. The action pauses every so often for an Agatha Christie-like perusing of the facts, before zipping off again as our heroes race against the clock to save Arkham (whose residents seem mostly unaware of what's going on, as per usual).

The reader is carried along for the ride, never in the dark about what's happening as the plot threads intertwine. Sometimes it's a little frustrating to know exactly what's going on and where as the characters themselves gradually figure things out, but I did enjoy seeing the initially wicked Cult Master (who in my head is played by Charles Grey from 'The Devil Rides Out') prove himself as both a powerful and resourceful hero-adjacent.

A fun story, well-realised characters that I'd love to see again, and a worthy addition to this series of titles.