Charles Dexter Ward is the heir of a wealthy family from Providence, Rhode Island, whose family wealth allows him to dedicate himself to scholarly pursuits. As a young man, he starts to research antiquarianism and architecture.

During his genealogical research, he comes across the name of Joseph Curwen, a man who lived in the early 18th century and to whom Ward discovers he is related. After delving into Curwen’s life and work, Ward realizes that the dead sorcerer is more powerful than he originally thought.

Written in 1928 but never published during H. P. Lovecraft’s life, The Case of Charles Dexter Ward was first serialized in Weird Tales in 1941, and published later, in an expanded edition, in 1943. This edition is based on the original Weird Tales publication.