The Haunting of Toby Jugg
Encyclopedia
The Haunting of Toby Jugg is a 1948 psychological thriller
novel on an occult theme by Dennis Wheatley
, incorporating Wheatley's usual themes of satanic possession and madness, in what was at that time a fresh situation: a disabled British airman recovering from his experiences in the last stages of World War 2, in which he played a part in the bombardment of Germany.
Toby is the heir to a vast fortune and stands to inherit his grandfather's business empire on his twenty-first birthday. Toby's mother died in childbirth and his father and grandfather were killed in the same aircraft accident, leaving his Uncle Paul and Aunt Julia as his only living relatives. While taking part in a bombing raid on Cologne, he is shot in the back. The resulting injury means Toby is paralyzed below the waist and uses a wheelchair. At first he goes to live with his uncle and aunt but later is sent to convalesce in Wales with his old school teacher who is also a family friend. It is at this point that the book, which is written as a diary, begins. Toby is being haunted by a many-legged, evil and shadowy presence that the young airmen comes to believe is the Devil himself. At first he thinks he is hallucinating and then going mad, a view shared by his guardian; finally he believes himself to be at the centre of a sinister plot to cheat him out of his inheritance.
A film was written and directed by Chris Durlacher.
It was produced as a drama by the BBC
in 2006, as The Haunted Airman, and aired on BBC Four
on 31 October 2006, at 22:00 GMT. The Stage praising
the production, stating it was , a very disturbing, beautifully made and satisfyingly chilling ghost story.
Psychological thriller
Psychological thriller is a specific sub-genre of the broad ranged thriller with heavy focus on characters. However, it often incorporates elements from the mystery and drama genre, along with the typical traits of the thriller genre...
novel on an occult theme by Dennis Wheatley
Dennis Wheatley
Dennis Yates Wheatley was an English author. His prolific output of stylish thrillers and occult novels made him one of the world's best-selling authors from the 1930s through the 1960s.-Early life:...
, incorporating Wheatley's usual themes of satanic possession and madness, in what was at that time a fresh situation: a disabled British airman recovering from his experiences in the last stages of World War 2, in which he played a part in the bombardment of Germany.
Toby is the heir to a vast fortune and stands to inherit his grandfather's business empire on his twenty-first birthday. Toby's mother died in childbirth and his father and grandfather were killed in the same aircraft accident, leaving his Uncle Paul and Aunt Julia as his only living relatives. While taking part in a bombing raid on Cologne, he is shot in the back. The resulting injury means Toby is paralyzed below the waist and uses a wheelchair. At first he goes to live with his uncle and aunt but later is sent to convalesce in Wales with his old school teacher who is also a family friend. It is at this point that the book, which is written as a diary, begins. Toby is being haunted by a many-legged, evil and shadowy presence that the young airmen comes to believe is the Devil himself. At first he thinks he is hallucinating and then going mad, a view shared by his guardian; finally he believes himself to be at the centre of a sinister plot to cheat him out of his inheritance.
A film was written and directed by Chris Durlacher.
It was produced as a drama by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in 2006, as The Haunted Airman, and aired on BBC Four
BBC Four
BBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....
on 31 October 2006, at 22:00 GMT. The Stage praising
the production, stating it was , a very disturbing, beautifully made and satisfyingly chilling ghost story.