Missing in MiskatonicBy Cynthia C. Huijgens (Book Review #2174)

Missing in Miskatonic is a cerebral, atmospheric mystery that pulses with intellectual energy and quiet dread. Set in a fictional Ivy League university steeped in history, tradition, and occult undercurrents, this is a novel that asks big questions while keeping readers hooked on the unraveling of a very personal disappearance. Cynthia C. Huijgens has crafted something rare—a literary mystery that is both elegantly written and fiercely entertaining.

From its first pages, the novel envelops the reader in a rich academic setting that feels as textured as any real university, complete with hushed libraries, secret rituals, and the subtle politics of privilege. But beneath the scholarly calm, there’s a thread of unease—something simmering, not quite visible, until you’re deep enough in to feel its pull.

At the heart of the story lies a mystery—but this is not a mystery that chases easy thrills or formulaic twists. Instead, it builds steadily, like a rising tide, as the narrative probes deeper into questions of memory, loss, and the stories institutions tell to protect their own. As the characters dig into the strange disappearance at the center of the plot, they also find themselves confronting the shadows of the past—both personal and historical.

Huijgens writes with a restrained elegance that lends the book its intellectual edge. Every detail—from architectural descriptions to journal entries—feels purposeful, inviting readers not only to observe but to decode. There’s a haunting stillness to the prose, but never a lack of tension. Each chapter pulls you further into the academic labyrinth of Miskatonic, and the deeper you go, the more you begin to question what’s real, what’s hidden, and what’s being deliberately erased.

What’s especially impressive is how seamlessly the book weaves together genre elements. Part academic mystery, part psychological thriller, part literary fiction—it resists easy categorization. There are echoes of Donna Tartt and Tana French, but the voice here is wholly original, blending intellectual rigor with emotional subtlety.

Missing in Miskatonic is a meditation on the cost of truth-seeking in spaces built to preserve legacy over honesty. It’s about the fragility of knowledge and the power of silence. And it’s about what happens when one person decides to look too closely at what others have worked hard to forget.

This is not just a novel for mystery lovers—it’s for thinkers, for questioners, for those who find beauty in ambiguity and courage in curiosity. A haunting, elegant, and thought-provoking read.

Written by Jeyran Main

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