Verrall's Nightmare
A standalone occult horror novel by Phillip Strang
A dark departure from Phillip Strang's crime fiction — a standalone occult horror steeped in the metaphysical and the unexplained. When a reclusive old man who has spent his life debunking the paranormal finally tests it for himself, the consequences engulf a quiet English hamlet and reach all the way to the Government. Unsettling, ambiguous, and built to keep you guessing to the very last page. Perfect for fans of Dennis Wheatley, Susan Hill, and stories in the tradition of Faust.
Verrall's Nightmare
Benedict Verrall has spent a long life travelling the world in search of the paranormal — and finding only superstition, trickery, and nothing that could not be explained. A recluse in his eighties, settled in a joyless hamlet in the south of England, he decides at last to test one of the incantations he has collected. A storm comes in. A bolt of lightning kills. And a stranger appears who should not exist. Soon Verrall is changing — growing younger, drawing people to him, catching the attention of the media, the Government and the British Army — while a brain tumour that should already have killed him presses on his mind. Is it the tumour, madness, a dream, or something real? Historians will argue and scientists will fail to explain; in the end, only the reader can decide.
Buy on Amazon →Praise for Verrall's Nightmare
"Elegant writing and a keen sense of suspense — another Phillip Strang winner!"
— Grady Harp, Amazon Hall of Fame Reviewer"A variation of the Faust legend — the reader must decide what really happened."
— Geraldine Cosentino"An enigma from page one to the very last paragraph."
— Manie Kilian"Get your copy — and check all the locks before you begin!"
— Rosemary Kenny"I could not put this down — and the ending blew me away!"
— DD Gott, Donadees CornerIf You Enjoy Verrall's Nightmare, Try These
Drawn to the occult, the ambiguous, and the slow creep of the unexplained? Here are three directions to take next.
The Black Magic Novels — Dennis Wheatley
The master of British occult fiction, whose tales of black magic and Faustian bargains sit squarely behind Verrall's Nightmare. If you want the tradition this book is written in, start with The Devil Rides Out.
Read the Series Guide →
The Ghost Stories — Susan Hill
Quiet, atmospheric British horror where dread builds slowly and the setting does half the work. If it's Verrall's unsettling mood rather than its gore that draws you, Susan Hill — beginning with The Woman in Black — is a natural next read.
Read the Series Guide →
DCI Isaac Cook — Phillip Strang
For more Phillip Strang, his long-running London crime series is the place to go. It's a different genre from Verrall's Nightmare, though the Isaac Cook novel Devil House — with its ritual killing and pagan symbols — shares some of the same darkness. 19 novels.
Read the Series Guide →More Books Worth Reading
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Verrall's Nightmare part of a series?
No — Verrall's Nightmare is a standalone novel, complete in one book. It is not part of a numbered series, so there is no reading order to follow.
What is Verrall's Nightmare about?
It follows Benedict Verrall, an elderly recluse who has spent his life researching — and dismissing — the paranormal. When he finally tests one of the incantations he has collected, a death, a stranger, and his own failing mind pull him into events that may be supernatural, may be madness, or may be neither. The reader is left to decide what truly happened.
What genre is Verrall's Nightmare?
It is British occult and metaphysical horror, with strong echoes of the Faust legend. It is a deliberate departure from Phillip Strang's crime and thriller writing — closer to Dennis Wheatley or classic supernatural fiction than to a police procedural.
Is it like Phillip Strang's other books?
No — and readers should know that going in. Fans of the DCI Isaac Cook and DI Tremayne detective series will find this a very different kind of book: slower, stranger, and supernatural rather than procedural. Many readers enjoy that change; some who come expecting a detective novel are surprised by it.
What should I read if I enjoyed Verrall's Nightmare?
Readers who enjoy Dennis Wheatley's occult novels, Susan Hill's ghost stories, or classic Faustian horror tend to find Verrall's Nightmare a natural fit. For more Phillip Strang, his DCI Isaac Cook crime series is the best-known place to start.