Professor Darke tales are mysteries of Lovecraftian horror and magic set in the Victorian and Edwardian Eras of England, up until about the beginning of World War One. This series is also called Darke & Day Mysteries, due to the inclusion of his crime-solving partner, Scotland Yard Inspector Day. Professor Darke is the same character as Dr. Darke, the great sorcerer of the Queen City Universe. In these stories he is called both Professor and Dr. depending on the other characters, as he is a Dr. and university professor. These tales merely cover his investigations during the time when he was an history and occult professor at Oxford University. Though they mention and sometimes connect to his ancient past as a Celtic druid, these tales all lie within the Victorian to Great War time period.
Dr. Darke during this time period also made guest appearances in stories featuring Sherlock Holmes and Lady Incognita, such as “The Hunt of the Red Boar,” “A Mercy Unwilling to Trust,” and “Treasure of the Dragon.”
The tone of these stories is slightly different than the later QCU superhero tales. The focus here is on mystery, whereas there the focus is on action and adventure. These are darker, quieter tales. Because of the stylistic difference I divide these tales from the Dr. Darke adventures.