“The Mummy of Ret-Seh” sits in the weird tale tradition. This subgenre of horror focuses on the inexplicable and cosmic rather than conventional monsters or gore. Similar to Lovecraft’s work, it proposes realities beyond human comprehension, though Verrill’s approach feels more pulpy and direct than Lovecraft’s grand philosophical style.

The tale works through the clash between rational scepticism and inexplicable events. It moves on several levels at once: a psychological horror that examines mental breakdown, a supernatural story of ancient Egyptian magic, and a reflection on the dangers of collecting objects with dark histories. Above all, it explores the violation of boundaries. The mummy case itself acts as a boundary object, designed to preserve and separate the dead from the living, yet it becomes a portal that allows the ancient to intrude upon the modern world.

The pacing builds tension through repetition and growing intensity. Each encounter with the woman or the cat becomes progressively more personal and frightening. The first appearance in the lounge feels distant and almost pleasant, while the second, in Hargraves’ bed, turns invasive and unsettling.

Verrill also uses a classic unreliable narrator structure, with the protagonist himself questioning his own perceptions. The author creates some ambiguity by offering rational explanations through Dr Gale’s diagnosis, only to undermine them with mounting physical evidence. The prose style is rather florid and melodramatic at times, but it is effective at building atmosphere. Although the writing sometimes tells rather than shows. 

The decision to withhold the final truth about the mummy’s contents until after Hargraves has fled keeps the sense of horror intact.