The House on the Mound (1958) by August Derleth is a chilling gothic horror novella set in the eerie, fog-shrouded town of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. Blending Lovecraftian dread with Midwestern folklore, the story follows two boys who uncover the sinister secrets of an abandoned mansion—home to a long-dead alchemist whose malevolent presence lingers. Derleth, co-founder of Arkham House and a steward of H.P. Lovecraft’s legacy, infuses the tale with cosmic horror and a brooding sense of place, though it leans more toward classic haunted-house tropes than Cthulhu Mythos.
Originally published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, this standalone chapbook (later included in Derleth’s Lonesome Places collection) is prized for its lyrical prose and atmospheric tension. The 1958 Arkham House edition, with its stark, minimalist cover, is a cult favorite among horror bibliophiles.
