The village of Dunwich holds a terrible secret. Rumors of unholy bonfires, black magic rituals on a nearby hilltop, and the unearthly screeching of whippoorwills on certain nights of the year hang over the town like a dark shroud. But it was during the harvest season in 1928 that a series of horrific events changed the town forever.

Born in 1913, Wilbur Whateley was raised by his mother and grandfather, who was said to be involved in sorcery. The boy grew abnormally fast and reached the physical stature of an adult when he was ten. When Wilbur's grandfather died and his mother disappeared mysteriously, he is left on his own. Upon discovering that his family copy of the dreaded Necronomicon has a damaged page he needs to complete a ritual, he sets out to borrow an intact copy from Miskatonic University library, but the librarian denies his request. Late at night, Wilbur breaks in to the library to steal the book, but he is attacked by a guard dog and dies on the floor.

Meanwhile, the horror locked away in the Whateley farmhouse grows stronger. Soon, the farmhouse explodes, unleashing the monstrosity. Three Miskatonic professors come to battle the horror, bringing this Lovecraft story to a thrilling conclusion.

This Academic Edition contains the full text of Lovecraft's classic. It also includes an Editor's Foreword, author bio, study guide, and chapter-based quizzes. The book is designed for classroom use by literature and writing students, as well as casual readers in search of a great story. In addition, it features an interactive component, giving readers free access to a virtual classroom devoted to the book on the Virtual University Press website (see Editor's Foreword for details).