"August Heat" is a 1910 short story by

W. F. Harvey William Fryer Harvey AM (14 April 1885 – 4 June 1937), known as W. F. Harvey, was an English writer of short stories, most notably in the macabre and horror genres. Among his best-known stories are " August Heat" and "The Beast with Five F ...

, about two men, unknown to each other, whose look at the other's possible future suggests that one of them will be murdered and the other will be the murderer. It is often referred to as a

ghost story A ghost story is any piece of fiction, or drama, that includes a ghost, or simply takes as a premise the possibility of ghosts or characters' belief in them."Ghost Stories" in Margaret Drabble (ed.), ''Oxford Companion to English Literature'' ...

(it appears in The Folio Society's ''Book of Ghost Stories'', for example, and in Edward Gorey's ghost story collection ''The Haunted Looking Glass'') even though no ghosts are featured.Horror Stories: Classic Tales from Hoffmann to Hodgson - Page 508 0199685436 Darryl Jones - 2014 - 'August Heat' was first published in Midnight House and Other Stories (London: Dent, 1910). This is the text used ...

Synopsis

On a scorching August day, artist James Clarence Withencroft draws a sketch of a criminal in the dock immediately after the judge has given him a sentence. That evening, Withencroft goes for a walk and wanders into the workshop of a

stonemason Stonemasonry or stonecraft is the creation of buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone as the primary material. It is one of the oldest activities and professions in human history. Many of the long-lasting, ancient shelters, temples, mo ...

, Charles Atkinson. To his surprise, Atkinson exactly resembles the criminal in the sketch he is carrying in his pocket. Both men are shocked to discover that the model

headstone A headstone, tombstone, or gravestone is a stele or marker, usually stone, that is placed over a grave. It is traditional for burials in the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim religions, among others. In most cases, it has the deceased's name, da ...

Atkinson has just finished carving bears Withencroft's full name, his date of birth, and that very day as the date of his death. The two men are unnerved and agree that, for the sake of safety, Withencroft should stay at Atkinson's place until midnight has passed and the date changed. The story ends with Withencroft writing the day's events as Atkinson sharpens some tools: "It is after eleven now. I shall be gone in less than an hour. But the heat is stifling. It is enough to send a man mad."*****

Adaptations

The story has been adapted for radio four times: twice for the radio series ''

Suspense Suspense is a state of mental uncertainty, anxiety, being undecided, or being doubtful. In a dramatic work, suspense is the anticipation of the outcome of a plot or of the solution to an uncertainty, puzzle, or mystery, particularly as it aff ...

'' in an adaptation by Mel Dinelli and produced/directed by William Spier on 31 May 1945, starring

Ronald Colman Ronald Charles Colman (9 February 1891 – 19 May 1958) was an English-born actor, starting his career in theatre and silent film in his native country, then immigrating to the United States and having a successful Hollywood film career. He wa ...

as Withencroft and Dennis Hoey as Atkinson, and on 20 March 1948, with Barry Kroeger as Withencroft and Dennis Hoey again as Atkinson; for the '' Hallmark Playhouse'' on 29 August 1949, adapted by John Gay (screenwriter), directed by Jack Rubin and starring

Fred MacMurray Frederick Martin MacMurray (August 30, 1908 – November 5, 1991) was an American actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films and a successful television series, in a career that spanned nearly a half-century. His career as a major film le ...

as Withencroft and Ed Begley as Atkinson; and for ''Sleep No More'' on 28 November 1956, (with Nelson Olmsted reading an abridged version of the story). A comic book adaptation of "August Heat" appeared in '' Secrets of Sinister House'' #12 (July 1973), published by DC Comics with

E. Nelson Bridwell Edward Nelson Bridwell (September 22, 1931 – January 23, 1987) was a writer for ''Mad (magazine), Mad'' magazine (writing the now-famous catchphrase, "What you mean...we?" in a 1958 parody of ''The Lone Ranger'' in Mad) and various comic books ...

adapting the story and

Alfredo Alcala Alfredo P. Alcala (August 23, 1925 – April 4, 2000) was a Filipino comics artist, born in Talisay, Negros Occidental in the Philippines. Alcala was an established illustrator whose works appeared in the ''Alcala Komix Magazine''. His 1963 cre ...

illustrating; this was reprinted in the 2010 trade paperback collection.

References

External links

August Heat
Full text online

* ttps://archive.org/details/suspenseAugustHeatStarringRonaldColman Listen to the 1945 ''Suspense'' version with Ronald Colmanbr>Listen to the 1948 ''Suspense'' version with Dennis Hoey and Barry KroegerListen to the ''Hallmark Playhouse'' version with Fred MacMurrayInformation about ''Secrets of Sinister House'' #12 comic book
* 1910 short stories British short stories Horror short stories Mystery short stories {{1910s-mystery-story-stub