DERELICT - Series Spotlight: The Lovecraft Investigations

Summary

DERELICT - Series Spotlight: The Lovecraft Investigations

Podcast: DERELICT (Night Rocket Productions)
Episode: Series Spotlight: The Lovecraft Investigations
Date: June 9, 2026

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Overview

This episode of DERELICT offers a series spotlight on The Lovecraft Investigations, a critically acclaimed mystery/horror podcast from Julian Simpson. Host J. Barton Mitchell (JBM) introduces listeners to the project, outlining its roots in H.P. Lovecraft's mythology and its modern investigative format. The episode includes a trailer for the upcoming fifth season—The Call of Cthulhu—which serves as a new entry point for the series and discusses the ongoing crowdfunding campaign. The spotlight aims to cross-promote between DERELICT and The Lovecraft Investigations, highlighting shared atmospheres of cosmic mystery, investigative drama, and immersive audio storytelling.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction to The Lovecraft Investigations

• JBM describes the series as:
  • "A critically acclaimed mystery horror fiction podcast loosely inspired by the works of, you guessed it, H.P. Lovecraft..." (00:10)
  • The show follows investigative podcasters Kennedy Fisher and Matthew Haywood as they unravel disappearances and occult conspiracies that tie into a mythology spanning time and space.
• Audience Crossover & Support:
  • DERELICT benefited from support when Julian Simpson's team shared their work during DERELICT's own crowdfund.

Crowdfunding & Entry Point with Season Five

• The team is currently crowdfunding for their fifth season, The Call of Cthulhu, which is crafted to be an accessible entry point for new listeners.

Blend of Formats

• The show combines "investigative storytelling with cosmic horror," fusing the true crime podcast style with supernatural fiction. (01:10)

The Lovecraft Investigations – Season Recap & What’s Next

• Recap of Previous Seasons:
  • Began in 2018 with The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, followed by four further installments, mixing investigations into cults, conspiracies, and ancient mysteries. (01:31–02:15)
• Ongoing Narrative Thread:
  • The story frequently escalates into "weird artifacts, collective nightmares, strange rituals, occult assassins…" (03:39–03:47)
• Sprawling International Scope:
  • The characters travel worldwide, including unnamed and un-mappable locations, always chasing the next occult thread. (04:07–04:23)
• Character Banter & Tone:
  • The hosts play with a wry, dreadful humor, acknowledging the perilous, sleepless nature of their stories:
    • "It's not one that's going to make anyone sleep easy in their beds." – Kennedy Fisher (04:53)
    • "They'll be lucky if they're asleep again." – Matthew Haywood (05:00)
• Shift to Independence:
  • The new season is independently produced:
    • "While our first four seasons are still available on the BBC, they're not picking up the tab for this one." – Kennedy Fisher (06:06)
    • Funding is now through community crowdfunding, offering exclusive perks for backers. (06:20–06:37)

Community & Behind-the-Scenes

• Extras for Crowdfunders:
  • Backers get early access, bonus materials, and potential live shows; mention of "items courtesy of our new friends at the Pendragon Club." (06:37–06:48)
• Notable Banter:
  • Eleanor (an advisory character) injects dry commentary on the realities of crowdfunding in a tough economy, adding a self-effacing layer to the narrative. (05:26–05:49)

Promise of Season Five: The Call of Cthulhu

• Scope:
  • "This season is huge. We're going deeper and broader. We've met a lot of new people, but there are also going to be some old faces." – Matthew Haywood (06:49–07:04)
  • The team promises a full-length, in-depth, and "not for the faint of heart" investigative/horror audio experience. (07:04)
• Closing Identity:
  • The ending tags the series by its classic Lovecraftian title:
    • "And this is the Call of Cthulhu." – Kennedy Fisher (07:37)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "It's a critically acclaimed mystery horror fiction podcast loosely inspired by the works of, you guessed it, H.P. Lovecraft, one of my personal favorite writers of all time." – JBM (00:10)
• "Blends investigative storytelling with cosmic horror." – JBM (01:10)
• "Where does it always lead? Weird artifacts, collective nightmares, strange rituals, occult assassins..." – Kennedy Fisher (03:39)
• "We've been all over the world...including places we're not even allowed to point at on a map, apparently." – Matthew Haywood (04:17)
• "[This is] a full season of the show, in depth, expansive, illuminating, and definitely not for the faint of heart." – Kennedy Fisher (07:04)
• "And this is the Call of Cthulhu." – Kennedy Fisher (07:37)

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Important Timestamps

• 00:00 – Introduction by JBM, background about The Lovecraft Investigations
• 01:31 – Trailer for The Lovecraft Investigations, recap of past seasons
• 02:15 – Kennedy Fisher introduces the new story arc (Inspector Legrasse)
• 03:39 – Humorous discussion of the dangerous trends in their investigations
• 04:07 – Introduction of Eleanor, highlighting the series' globe-trotting and secrecy
• 05:02 – Warning about the unsettling nature of the upcoming season
• 06:06 – Discussion of the shift from BBC-supported production to community crowdfunded model
• 06:37 – Perks and plans for crowdfunders
• 07:04 – Closing statements about the size and ambition of the new season
• 07:37 – Final reveal: "And this is The Call of Cthulhu"

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Summary

JBM’s series spotlight episode not only introduces listeners to one of the UK's finest audio fiction projects—The Lovecraft Investigations—but also shares insights into the collaboration, camaraderie, and creative freedom that define the genre's indie spirit. The featured trailer provides a blend of Lovecraftian dread, banter, and investigative zeal, making a strong case for both catching up on previous seasons and jumping aboard the crowdfund-powered Call of Cthulhu season. Listeners are left with a sense of excitement and foreboding—the ideal ingredients for Lovecraftian audio drama.

Transcript

[JBM]

Hi everyone, JBM here wanted to give a quick spotlight on a series that we all really love, which is Julian Simpson's the Lovecraft Investigations. It's a critically acclaimed mystery horror fiction podcast loosely inspired by the works of, you guessed it, H.P. lovecraft, one of my personal favorite writers of all time, and it follows two investigative podcasters as they uncover strange disappearances and occult conspiracies that slowly reveal a much larger mythology connecting across time and space. The first four seasons are out now and can be listened to wherever you get your podcasts. Season one is the Case of Charles Dexter Ward, but the team is currently crowdfunding for the fifth season, the Call of Cthulhu. Very exciting to see this particular story come to life with a different spin, and it is being designed to work as an on ramp for the series, so it's going to be a perfect entry point for new listeners. We're going to play their crowdfunding trailer, which gives you a good glimpse into the immersive podcast within a podcast format that they use, which blends investigative storytelling with cosmic horror. Julian and his team generously shared Derelict with their audience during our Crowdfund campaign, which helped us out a lot. So please check them out and you can learn more and support the show by going to pleasantgreen.co.uk derelict or just click the link in the episode notes below. Hope you enjoy the trailer. If you haven't checked out our Instagram page as of late, casting announcements for the Traveler season are starting to pop up there, which is, I think, some very exciting news to see. More Traveler details coming soon. We thanks everybody.

[Narrator]

It began in 2018. The case of Charles Dexter Ward,

[JBM]

two

[Narrator]

investigators, a true crime podcast, an encounter with cosmic horror across four seasons. Kennedy Fisher and Matthew Haywood chase down obscure cults, hidden conspiracies, and the secret history of the world. Now Volume two begins with the Call of Cthulu Back, the fundraiser on Backerkit now.

[Kennedy Fisher]

So we're off the grid, as it were, but I do think that could be an advantage and we might already have another story. We've been contacted by a police inspector called John Legrasse. He thinks he might have something that's up our street. He's giving a talk at the Royal Archaeological Society next week and he's asked if we'd like to come along. Sounds fancy, doesn't it? Just a change of pace would be nice. Something a bit more genteel maybe. We'll let you know how we get on.

[Matthew Haywood]

Those were the last moments of the Haunter of The dark back in October 2023.

[Kennedy Fisher]

A lot has happened since then.

[Matthew Haywood]

Don't we always say that?

[Kennedy Fisher]

It's always true. I'm not sure if that's a good thing.

[Matthew Haywood]

I've stopped thinking about it.

[Kennedy Fisher]

Probably wise.

[Matthew Haywood]

Since then, we made a long form documentary series about Aleister Crowley.

[Kennedy Fisher]

We did. And we're very grateful to everyone who participated in the Crowd Fund and helped make that project a reality.

[Matthew Haywood]

If you haven't listened to Crowley yet, you should hunt it down and get it in your. After Crowley, or more accurately, around Crowley, a whole bunch of other stuff happened,

[Kennedy Fisher]

which is what we want to talk about today.

[Matthew Haywood]

It started, as you heard at the top with Inspector Legrasse's talk at the Royal Archaeological Society. You thought that was gonna be. What was the word used?

[Kennedy Fisher]

Genteel. I said it would be genteel.

[Matthew Haywood]

I'm an idiot because where did it lead?

[Kennedy Fisher]

Oh, where does it always lead? Weird artifacts, collective nightmares, strange rituals, occult assassins. The PEN Insult Institute, an organization known as De Clique and something that. Well, let's not spoil it.

[Matthew Haywood]

Along the way we've been around the world, from London to the United States and then to Paris, Amsterdam, Vienna, the Far east, and ultimately to an island in.

[Eleanor]

Can't say where the island is.

[Kennedy Fisher]

I thought you didn't want to speak.

[Eleanor]

Parker is here in an advisory capacity.

[Kennedy Fisher]

We've been all over the world. Is the point in pursuit of this

[Matthew Haywood]

story including places we're not even allowed to point at on a map, apparently.

[Eleanor]

Well, actually that's fine. It's not on any maps.

[Kennedy Fisher]

Let's just get on with it. We have a new story to tell. It started with Inspector Legrasse's presentation and it has taken us all over the world. In pursuit of what?

[Eleanor]

Um, no. Well, let. Let's see where you're gonna go with this.

[Kennedy Fisher]

Well, I. I was gonna say in pursuit of an international occult conspiracy.

[Eleanor]

Oh, that's fine.

[Matthew Haywood]

Are you sure?

[Eleanor]

Yeah, yeah. It's woolly and inaccurate. It's fine.

[Matthew Haywood]

Anyway, we made it back in one piece just.

[Kennedy Fisher]

And we have an amazing story to tell, but it's not one that's going to make anyone sleep easy in their beds.

[Matthew Haywood]

They'll be lucky if they're asleep again.

[Kennedy Fisher]

Consider that fair warning. So where Crowley was sort of Season four and a half. This is season season five proper.

[Matthew Haywood]

We're firmly back in our discomfort zone with a big full length season with bonus materials and all the bells and whistles.

[Kennedy Fisher]

By any measure, this is our biggest project yet and we're launching a crowdfund to bring it to you.

[Matthew Haywood]

Oh. What?

[Eleanor]

Oh, I didn't realize you were. You were crowdfunding. I don't need to be here.

[Kennedy Fisher]

Why not?

[Eleanor]

Have you seen the economic situation in the world? It's like the walking dead out there. This is fine. Um, yeah, carry on. I'm gonna go get a kebab from the place on the corner. I don't need to be censoring something that will never see the light of day. Can I have some chips?

[Kennedy Fisher]

I thought you weren't in this, Eleanor.

[Eleanor]

I'm not, no. I'm pay to play. But I have some chips. Anyone else? Or do I have to wait for you to crowdfund a takeaway? Very good.

[Matthew Haywood]

Oh, fuck her. What?

[Kennedy Fisher]

Kennedy.

[Matthew Haywood]

Am I not cleared to swear now either? Actually, I am. We're not on the BBC anymore.

[Kennedy Fisher]

Okay, but just because you can doesn't mean you should. But that is worth mentioning. While our first four seasons are still available on the BBC, they're not picking up the tab for this one, which

[Matthew Haywood]

means we have no money.

[Kennedy Fisher]

It means we're going to be funded by the community, which has been incredibly supportive so far.

[Matthew Haywood]

On the upside, anyone who gets involved in the crowdfunding will have access to the show, and they'll be paying less for it than someone who jumps on board after the campaign is over.

[Kennedy Fisher]

And there'll be the opportunity to access a host of other bits and pieces, including some items courtesy of our new friends at the Pendragon Club.

[Matthew Haywood]

And we might do a live show.

[Kennedy Fisher]

We haven't confirmed that yet.

[Matthew Haywood]

I said might. Okay. The focus, though, is this story. This season is huge. We're going deeper and broader. We've met a lot of new people, but there are also going to be some old faces.

[Kennedy Fisher]

This is a full season of the show, in depth, expansive, illuminating, and definitely not for the faint of heart. So please sign up to the Backerkit launch page or look for more details on our [e-mail] and we hope you'll hear from us again very soon. Is that it?

[Matthew Haywood]

We haven't told them what it's called.

[Kennedy Fisher]

Well, I think they already know what it's called. I'm Matthew Hayward.

[Matthew Haywood]

And I'm Kennedy Fisher.

[Kennedy Fisher]

And this is the Call of Cthulhu.