Weird things dwell in the hidden corners of Britain: subterranean beasts, extradimensional entities, resurrected ghouls, and spectral vampires. And there are weird places, too. Beyond the veil of the waking world, lie realms of secrets, domains of madness. So begins the saga, of Peter Van Melsen...

The tall, gaunt and mysterious Van Melsen was born out of Ian's love of occult detective fiction—Algernon Blackwood's John Silence and William Hope Hodgson's Thomas Carnacki being among his favourite paranormal investigators.

"The old Hammer Horror actors were a big influence, too," says Ian. "I've always envisioned Van Melsen as the amalgam of Peter Cushing and Roddy McDowall. Duncan Kay's wonderful cover illustration captures this perfectly."

The six stories within serve to introduce the reader to the peculiar P. I., whilst sewing the seeds for future volumes, of which there will be several...