Ramsey Campbell’s most recent novel, The Incubations,was released by Flame Tree Publishing near the end of 2024. The story follows Leo Parker, a driving instructor in Settlesham, England working for his family’s business Pass With Parker. He, alongside his mother and father, teach young students how to drive so they can pass their license exams. Issues begin to arise after Leo takes a trip to Alphafen, Germany, a place designated as Settlesham’s twin city. This was done in attempts to ease tensions over Britain’s having bombed it during WWII in retribution for their Blitzkrieg and because Hitler loved the area so much. Leo’s school tasked all their students to write letters to students in Alphafen. While most of them did, Leo was the only one to remain in contact with his penpal, a woman there named Hanna Weber, long afterward. During that visit to Alphafen, he’s strangely prevented from purchasing a book he discovered about local esoteric folklore. He’s unable find a copy available online anywhere either.
When he returns home and resumes teaching his young driving students, he finds himself unable to speak correctly, leading to some unfortunate misunderstandings. Next, his ability to drive fails him causing him to have to stop teaching for time. He also keeps glimpsing strange insects and rodents scuttling or flying about just out of view. It isn’t long before those around him start experiencing their own debilitating mental turmoils causing him to wonder what happened to him during his visit to Alphafen and if something may have followed him home. His search for answers brings him into conflict with police officials who are suspicious of his odd behavior, his driving students who feel disrespected by his distracted state, a German family at the airport who accuse him of terrorizing their young son, and a Nazi sympathizer who harasses Leo and has his own ideas about creatures said to lurk in Alphafen.
The horrors at play in The Incubations are more of the subtle variety, utilizing Ramsey’s mastery at crafting scenes of intense unease and awkwardness. Honestly, there is no one better in that regard. Ramsey’s word choices, particularly in dialog, carry undercurrents of subtext throughout. That being said, this novel has more than just psychological trials as we are introduced to some supernatural entities I’d not previously heard which may be capable of influencing the psychology and dreams of others.
I should note that the copy of The Incubations I bought says it’s a Ramsey Campbell Special Edition, and it also happens to include a short story by him at the end which also references the German’s Blitzkrieg of England. It’s entitled “Second Sight” and was originally published in1987. It’s a great story with a well-orchestrated twist ending.
U.S. Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Incubations-Special-Ramsey-Campbell/dp/1787589293
U.K. Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Incubations-Special-Ramsey-Campbell/dp/1787589293
Ramsey’s Website: https://www.ramseycampbell.com
Horror Delve 