What goes Bump! in the night? To find
out...call an occult detective.
If you have an unusual mystery...call
on an occult detective.
Another popular subject of 'pulp'
publications, along with wild science fiction, monster tales, and
hideous romances, was the subject of occult detectives. Many popular
'Gothic' writers, such as Le Fanu, Doyle, Hodgson, Blackwood, etc.
wrote stories about a unique type of detective, mixing mystery with
the supernatural. These detectives investigated cases of haunting,
rumors of ghosts, and other kinds of psychic phenomenon, some of the
detectives also had paranormal powers themselves. A good number of
these detectives were also medical doctors with an interest in occult
subjects. I have worked my way through a variety of these stories so
far and am always entertained by them even though some of them can
seem a bit dated.
If you would like to check out some of
these works, here is a quick roundup of occult detective stories that
I am personally familiar with. Some of these are available free on
the internet, or at little or no cost for kindle or other electronic
reading devices. If you want physical copies, you might have to haunt
used bookstores or internet booksellers as most of these are not
commonly kept in stock at your local book shop.
Older works:
Sheridan Le Fanu- Dr. Martin Hesselius,
featured in 'In a Glass Darkly” (1872), “Green Tea” (1869). 
Bram Stoker- Dr. Van Helsing, featured
in Dracula.
E and H Heron- Flaxman Low stories
Algernon Blackwood- Dr. John Silence
stories
William Hope Hodgson- Carnacki Ghost
Finder stories
Seabury Quinn- Jules De Grandin stories
Modern Works: I would consider Mark
Valentine's stories to be more along the lines of classic Gothic
literature, the other modern works, although I have enjoyed them, are
not particularly Gothic in style but they are included here because
they fit the bill for occult detective-like stories, but are mostly
dealing with detectives that deal with supernatural subjects.
Mark Valentine- The Connoisseur, The
Black Veil and other tales
Kat Richardson- The Greywalker series
Jim Butcher- The Dresden Files series
Annie Bellet- The Twenty-sided
Sorceress series
Some people might include Kevin
Hearne's Iron Druid series as well, but personally I really don't
view Atticus the Druid as an occult detective, it's more mythology
based but still entertaining. The Dresden Files could fit in the
mythology category as well.
Happy reading!
More occult detectives to consider,
just a listing (but I have not read them yet). Tell me what you think
if you have read some of them.
Modern Carnacki -The Ghost Finder
Tales: Carnacki Heaven and Hell by William Meikle and 472 Cheyne Walk
by A F Kidd and Rick Kennet
Fitz O'Brien- detective Harry
Escott
Manly Wade Wellman- John Thunstone and
Silver John
Margery Lawrence- Miles Pennoyer
John Burke- Dr. Alex Caspian
Douglas Adams- Dirk Gently
Simon R Green- Nightside series
Mike Carey- Felix Castor
Mercedes Lackey- Diana Tregarde
Laurel K. Hamilton- Anita Blake
Kim Harrison- The Hollows series
Ilona Andrews- Kate Daniels
Tanya Huff- Vicki Nelson
Richard Kadrey- Sandman Slim series
Mark Del Franco- Connor Grey and Laura
Blacktone
Rob Thurman- Cal Leandros
Frederick C. Davis- Ravenwood stories
Barry Reese- Lazarus Gray
Ella Scrymsour- Sheila Crerar
and a French one- Sar Dubnotal stories
