Simon Ark #01 - Village of the Dead

Edward D. Hoch was a prolific writer that penned hundreds of shorts across several different genres in dozens upon dozens of magazines. He was a big deal for publishers and editors looking for content for their monthly or weekly books. While there have been several memorable characters in Hoch's bibliography, ranging from Ben Snow to Captain Leopold, the one that fascinates me the most is the bizarre occult detective Simon Ark. 

Simon Ark debuted in “Village of the Dead”, a short story featured in Famous Detective Stories in December 1955. In fact, Ark's first six appearances were in that magazine before spilling over into magazines like Crack Detective and Mystery Stories, Double-Action Detective and Mystery Stories, and Tightrope!. Eventually, the character would become a fixture in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine and Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. There were at least 45 stories featuring Simon Ark between 1956 and 2008. 

In “Village of the Dead”, an unnamed narrator (he is never named) recounts a strange event that occurred in a small American town – The Gildaz Horror. In first-person, the narrator explains that he was working as a reporter scoping out political stories when a teletype hit the newsroom about a mass suicide occurring in the tiny village of Gidaz, just south of the narrator's location. He quickly gets to the scene and discovers that a majority of Gidaz's population took a fatal jump from the top of a hundred foot cliff. 73 people now lay in bloody shreds on sharp rocks lying at the cliff's base. What would make all of these people commit suicide together?

As the narrator begins researching the story he enters one of the abandoned homes and meets another investigator – one of a different sort. He introduces himself as Simon Ark, but advises the narrator that his name is not important. He is described as not appearing old, yet there were tiny lines of age if you looked close enough. The narrator says in a way Ark was a very handsome man, yet he couldn't imagine women ever being attracted to him. He later describes Ark as seemingly from another world or another time.

The two team up together to learn more about the suicide and eventually meet another reporter named Shelly that was originally from the small town. Ark discovers a book in town called The Confessions of Saint Augustine that looks as though it was burned. Later, they discover that a man calling himself Axidus came to town two years ago and began a new religion for Gidaz. The population trusted him to a fault, which may have been their downfall. Through the course of the investigation the narrator and reader learns more about Simon Ark – he may be 2,000 years old, he speaks Coptic, hints that he knew Saint Augustine himself, and that this Axidus may be an evil figure from long ago. How does it all tie together?

There are readers that absolutely love the Simon Ark stories and others really hate them. I've had the fortune of reading a lot of them and I really enjoy the character. “Village of the Dead” by itself isn't strong storytelling and ends with a Scooby-Doo type ending. That's the thing about the Simon Ark stories, they have a bizarre menace theme that eventually leads to a logical explanation instead of some far-flung supernatural one. However, what makes the stories cool is there is always a lingering thought that maybe there was something supernatural occurring. Like in this story Axidus is probably just a quack fanatic that got rich quick or he really was some ancient enemy from centuries ago. 

The thing with Simon Ark stories is that he is on a mission to find the Devil. It is his goal to combat evil across the globe and to eventually bring the ultimate fight to the Devil. But, he isn't a pulpy over-the-top hero. Instead, he solves mysteries in a Sherlock Holmes way with the narrator playing Watson. As the series progresses forward the narrator becomes a book publisher and then eventually partners with Ark as a detective agency. The supernatural and bizarre menace possibilities tend to lessen as the series matures in the 60s and 70s. 

Many Simon Ark stories have been reprinted in physical and digital collections. A passing glace on Amazon will net you a handful of titles with this story included. Start here as a base and then work your way forward. I'll bring you more Simon Ark reviews to guide your way through the darkness. 

Get Simon Ark books HERE.

Simon Ark #02 - Hoofs of Satan

The Famous Detective Stories February 1956 issue includes “Hoofs of Satan”, the second appearance of occult detective Simon Ark. He first appeared in the magazine a few months earlier. Those of you unaware of the character there were at least 45 Simon Ark stories and they were all authored by series creator Edward D. Hoch. Ark travels the world searching for the Devil while investigating bizarre occurrences that suggest an evil presence. He teams with an unnamed narrator that progresses from a reporter to a publisher and then a partner with Ark in a detective agency. 

“The Hoofs of Satan” takes place in the winter of 1945 in North Bradshire, a village that lies on the edge of a forest on one of the main highways from London to the coast. The narrator, in third-person this time, describes it as a relic of the Middle Ages that somehow survived the 20th century. Simon Ark is there to investigate the village and later explains to a Chief Inspector that a hundred years ago several villages in that area discovered strange cloven hoof-prints in the snow. The villagers followed the path of the prints through the forest but came to a certain point where the dogs would just howl but go no further. 

Simon Ark, the Inspector, and the village mayor examine new hoof-prints that have appeared in North Bradshire. The trio interview the owner of a house where the majority of the hoof-prints appear. A man named Summers agrees to help the group find answers on who – or what – is making these tracks. Ark has some suspicions and meets with a neighbor named Hunt, a strikingly beautiful married woman that was a popular actress before her retirement a couple of years ago. Ark believes there may be some connection between Hunt, her husband, and Summers. A love triangle? But, what does that have to do with hoof-prints?

Despite Ark's explanation of the weird happenings in North Bradshire, the story eventually drifts into familiar territory in these Ark stories. There is a logical explanation, a murder, and a central mystery on who the killer is. The prints in the snow are unusual but explained in the story's conclusion. As the story ends there is a dark tone as readers discover that Ark may have dished out vigilante justice. The ending suggests that maybe there was a supernatural element marked by Ark leaving an ankh behind. 

This was a fun bit of escapism that puts Ark into the role of leading a mystery investigation. The story is more procedural and follows a well-worn template but it still works well. Readers gain a few tidbits about Ark along the way which contributes to the grand mystery of who the heck Ark really is. As usual, suspend your disbelief and have fun with it. That's what the Simon Ark stories are really about. 

You can obtain this story by purchasing City of Brass: And Other Simon Ark Stories. It is a collection published by Mysterious Press and it features three Ark stories. You can buy it HERE.

Simon Ark #06 - The Wolves of Werclaw

I reviewed a novel called Murder's Old Maid by Donald Bayne Hobart. It was published in the October 1956 issue of Famous Detective. I was happy to find a digital scan of the issue online and even more delighted when I saw that the sixth Simon Ark story, “The Wolves of Werclaw”, was included in this same issue. 

Simon Ark, written and created by Edward D. Hoch, may or may not be a 2,000 year old occult detective who is endlessly searching for Satan. He teams with an unnamed narrator who normally presents each Simon Ark story in first-person perspective. These stories have Ark and the narrator somewhere on Earth investigating a weird menace that typically has more in common with crime-fiction than the supernatural. But, Hoch writes the stories subjectively with the reader still thinking something creepy really happened long after the last page is read. That is sort of the Ark gimmick with these tales.

In “The Wolves of Werclaw” novelet, the narrator is now serving as vice-president of a major New York publishing firm. He journeys to Poland to witness firsthand the gradual lifting of the Iron Curtain. In the Polish city of Werclaw (not to be confused with the real Polish city of Wroclaw) the narrator is joined by a co-worker named Franklin Fangler. A celebration is occurring to commemorate the fifteenth anniversary of a historic battle in which the tiny town held off a thousand Nazi troops. The survivors are being honored for their achievements and patriotism.

That night the narrator and Fangler are invited to the cavernous home of Berza, the town's Chief of Police. Later, the two are awakened by a frantic Berza claiming that giant wolves are savagely attacking the town. The narrator witnesses three large grey wolves running through the streets and a rifle crack as police officers attempt to stop the bloody carnage. The next morning Berza calls for a wolf expert. 

Simon Ark appears with an introduction and is pleased to discover his friend from years ago in the unnamed narrator. The two catch up and then discuss the pesky wolves. As the narrative tightens the two friends are thrust into protecting a man named Otto from the town's vigilantes. The people feel that Otto is an actual werewolf and may be behind the brutal murders (or a pack leader). But, as usual, Ark has a different theory that may suggest the real killers are the communists hoping to keep a firm foothold on Poland's throat. 

This story was just terrific with plenty of action, foul play, murder, and violence. With so much carnage and mayhem the author was still able to create an imposing chilly ambiance to the storytelling. While certainly maintaining a political vibe, this tale had more of a supernatural feeling to it than any other Ark story I've read. The white-knuckled hatred from the town combined with the innocent nature of Otto was such a great blend. The story was clever, entrancing, and just excellent. I'm loving these Simon Ark stories. Get a lot of stories starring Simon Ark HERE.

Simon Ark #03 - The Witch is Dead

“The Witch is Dead” was the third Simon Ark story, and it appeared in Famous Detective Stories' April 1956 issue. It was reprinted in the Fall 1966 issue of Startling Mystery Stories. There were a total of at least 45 Ark stories, and they are all penned by Edward D. Hoch. The concept is that Ark travels the globe searching for Satan while also solving crimes that possess a weird menace. Most of the stories include an unnamed narrator presenting the story in first-person. 

The story begins with the narrator describing a woman named Marie Carrio and her career as a fortune-teller named Mother Fortune (how original). She operates her mammoth crystal ball in Westchester County, New York. The narrator states that Mother Fortune died in a burst of flames and that her death proved even more fantastic than her life. 

The narrator then describes the events leading up to Mother Fortune's fiery demise, which is the story. He says it was October in 1950 and he was now working for Neptune Books, a paperback publisher (great nod to the era). He is now married to a woman named Shelly. He meets Simon Ark unexpectedly at a train station. Ark catches up with the narrator on the last couple of years since they had worked together. He says, “There is evil everywhere these days, and it is most difficult to separate the man-made evil from the more ancient type.” This statement pretty much sums up the Simon Ark series – deciphering supernatural or simple logic. 

Ark explains to the narrator that he is in Westchester County to investigate weird happenings at the Hudsonville College for Women. The narrator laughs when Ark advises that the college has somehow become cursed by Mother Fortune. Three students are near death and another forty are critically ill. Ark is there to determine the real cause of the outbreak and if it is somehow linked to an unfortunate event that occurred between Mother Fortune and the school years ago.

This was probably my least favorite of the Simon Ark stories thus far. The plot development was a bit murky and the final solution to the school's epidemic was hard to believe. I enjoyed the exchanges between Ark and the narrator and appreciated the PI-esque investigation. The story just moved a little too slow with such a limp payoff. With this many stories across four decades the output is certainly going to vary. You could skip this one.

Simon Ark #04 - The Man from Nowhere

The fourth Simon Ark appearance was in the June 1956 issue of Famous Detective Stories. It was also reprinted in Startling Mystery Stories' Summer 1967 issue. The story, written by Edward D. Hoch, is titled “The Man from Nowhere” and features an enticing premise of “...the story of Douglas Zadig's last day on Earth and the people who were with him when he died.”

The story begins with occult detective (who may be 2,000 years of age) Simon Ark telephoning the unnamed narrator in November 1940ish. Ark asks if the narrator would like to join him on a weekend trip to Maine. In first-person narrative, the narrator explains that any trip with Simon Ark is never as casual as it sounds. He's delighted to unearth some criminal activity with the bizarre detective. 

Ark, who is presented in the series as searching for “Ultimate Evil”, is in Maine to interview an overnight sensation named Douglas Zadig. The 20-yr old man appeared out of the mist one day claiming to have no memory of his past life. He spoke English very poorly, wore clothes that were rags, and possessed a copy of Voltaire's novel Zadig, thus his name was created. However, since the man appeared he has managed to write a book titled “On the Eternal War Between the Forces of Good and the Forces of Evil” that contains word-for-word teachings from a religious leader named Zoroaster – a man that lived seven centuries before Christ. 

When Ark and the narrator arrive to visit Zadig they discover that he has been attacked twice by an unknown entity while sitting alone in his room. There's talk that Zadig may be a target for the Devil himself. Through an investgation both Ark and the narrator learn about a similar man named Kaspar Hauser that also appeared “out of thin air” in 1829. He also remembered nothing of his past and was dressed like a peasant. What is the correlation between these two bizarre men and their outwardly appearance of being from another century? Needless to say the story escalates with a murder mystery. 

“The Man from Nowhere” is an excellent representation of what this series is all about – the perfect cocktail of traditional detective-fiction mixed with a dose of Victorian horror and draped in the hints of a supernatural explanation. Like other weird-menace stories in the pulps there is always a logical explanation. But, what I love about Hoch's resolution to these cases is that he leaves it subjective. There is always a brief possibility that the abnormal things happening are really supernatural. That is evident with Ark's last spoken words in this story: “...there are some things better left unexplained, at least in this world.” 

In this world, you can get a copy of the Simon Ark stories HERE.

Paperback Warrior Podcast - Episode 104

On this thrilling NEW episode, Eric takes listeners on an extensive bookstore tour throughout New England, including a stop at one of the largest buildings in the world dedicated to rare books. In addition, Eric visits the resting places for two astounding authors. You can watch the video of the bookstore tour HERE. It's also a double-feature with a look at the vintage stories starring occult detective Simon Ark and an examination of a two-book 1960s series starring a California sheriff. Download the episode HERE. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast and follow us on Facebook, X, and YouTube.  

Listen to "Episode 104: Simon Ark & Sheriff Joe Bain" on Spreaker.