The Haunting of Drumroe - a Fawcett Gold Medal gothic

This is another one of those gothic novels that I bought some time ago because the cover image resembled the cover of a Nancy Drew mystery (in this instance, the cover to The Secret of Red Gate Farm).  It has been sitting on my shelf with the other books whose covers are similar to Nancy Drew books for years, so I figured it was time to dust it off, pull it out, and actually read it.  When I bought it, I had not even bothered to read what it was about, so imagine my surprise to find it is set in Ireland!  Having visited there just a couple of years ago, I was thrilled to read a book whose setting would bring back some great memories of my trip there.  Plus, it was fun to see how many places in the book I had actually visited, and how many were fictional settings created by the author.  And speaking of the author, as with so many, "Claudette Nicole" is a pseudonym for Jon Messmann, who wrote several Gothics under this name, but also wrote some men's adventure books as "Nick Carter."  It still amazes me how many male authors wrote these romance and Gothic titles back in the day under female pseudonyms.

 

The Haunting of Drumroe was first published in 1971 (with a date of March 1971 on the copyright page) and features a rather dramatic cover, painted by Jeffrey Jones (1944-2011).  Jones was a rather prolific artist, who not only provided cover art for gothic, horror, and fantasy novels in the '60s and '70s, but also contributed to a number of comic book publishing companies with art for DC, Charlton, Marvel, Gold Key, Pacific, Warren, and a number of others.   I was actually surprised to discover that I have a number of comics for which Jones painted the covers (such as Dark Mansion of Forbidden Love, Wonder Woman, Heroes Against Hunger, Heroes for Hope, to name a few).  Jones' art, as can be seen on the cover to this book, is haunting and definitely Gothic in nature.  One can almost hear the drums and feel the wind blowing through the woman's flowing gown as she hides from the hooded figures in the background (which, again, is very similar to the cover of Nancy Drew's The Secret of Red Gate Farm, which has the young detective doing the very same thing!).  

 

The story is not only one of Gothic suspense, but it is one of almost erotic terror.  This is the first Gothic novel I've read where the author makes repeated references to the title character's breasts, and the number of times Eileen Donegan lies naked in her bed could be the target of a drinking game.  It is scenes and descriptions like these that make it clear the author was a man - the constant focus on Eileen's body reads more like a men's adventure tale than a Gothic romance.   However, when you ignore those scenes, the book actually has a really great plot to it.   Eileen is called to Ireland by her aunt, who insists she must come and sign documents that would make her heir to Drumroe should anything happen to her aunt.  Immediately upon arriving, Eileen begins to feel a sense of dread and foreboding - and she realizes her precognition ability is warning her of danger!

 

I like the fact Messmann a/k/a Nicole gives his title character a form of psychic ability, as it adds a new dimension in terror to the story.  Eileen has these visions, but she cannot make sense of them, and the more she tries to fight them, the more insistent they become.  A falling tree, a crash into a lake, a collapsing bridge, and the disappearance of her aunt without explanation make for a very suspenseful read, and the standard trope of two men vying for Eileen's attention leaves the reader tottering back and forth, questioning which one is good and which one is bad - honestly, it could have gone either way!  And when you throw a mysterious devil worshiping cult into the mix, as well as a rather frightening handyman, it seems poor Eileen is not safe no matter which way she turns.  Thankfully, the author provides one steady rock in the story with Molly, her aunt's cook at Drumroe.  Molly is introduced as a caring, very welcoming member of the household - the only one, in fact! - and as I read the story, I kept waiting for the shoe to drop and some revelation to occur that she was not as good as she seemed; yet, it turns out Molly truly was a good person, the only true friend Eileen was able to make and depend on while trying to make sense of the danger around her.

 

There are some ingenious plot twists that make the story well worth the read (so long as you can get past the very strong sexualization of the main character).  The mystery surrounding the missing aunt, the devil cult, and the attempts on Eileen's life, as well as the bitter hatred the townspeople have against the Donegan family, make for a suspenseful story.  One thing I did find rather odd was that at the back of the book, there is a glossary which provides readers with the definitions of many of the Irish terms used throughout the story.  This is the first time I've ever seen such a thing in a Gothic novel; usually, the reader is simply left to look up the definition of any words on his or her own.  And even more surprising is the recipe on the very last page of the book for "Irish Green" or "Erin Sauce," which is a sauce cooked up by Molly for one of the dinners she makes for Eileen within the story.  I have to wonder what prompted Fawcett (the publisher) to include the glossary and recipe into the book!

 

I am definitely intrigued with Messmann a/k/a Nicole's writing, and I am already on the haunt for more of his Gothic novels!

 

RATING:  9 beds of violets turned away from the sun out of 10 for a story filled with plenty of dark mystery, dangerous romance, and deadly Gothic terror!

The Virginia Mysteries, Book 12 - Conspiracy at the Launch

When I picked up the first couple of books in this series years ago, I never expected it to actually last as long as it has. It has been nearly 10 years since I started reading this series, and we are now up to book 12, which in today's book market, is quite an accomplishment.  Most series I see on the shselves, particularly "mystery" series for young adults, never seem to last more than three or four books, possibly five or six if they are lucky.  So, for a series to make it to book 12 is an achievement for which author Stephen K. Smith should be very proud.  He has created a series with some fun, engaging characters, some great mysteries grounded in a lot of historical fact, and some stories that are entertaining for audiences of all ages.  Plus, I have enjoyed that Smith's characters have been aging, maturing, and learning as the series progresses, and I hope he has the opportunity to continue beyond this 12th mystery.

 

Conspiracy at the Launch takes the kids into some dangerous territory,  and takes readers into some new areas of Virginia.  This has been a huge plus about this series, in that Smith sets each of the books in a different part of Virginia, so those readers unfamiliar with the state and its history (such as me!), it's an opportunity to learn some geographical and historical facts about Virginia while enjoying a great fictional mystery.  Such as Wallops Island Space Center.  I was not aware, before reading this book, that Virginia had its own space center from which rocket were sent into space - yet, it is a real place (Wallops Island Space Center), found on Virginia's eastern shore, not far from the Virginia/Maryland border.  Surprisingly, there have been more than 16,000 launches from there since it was founded back in the 1940s!  So, as with all of his previous books in this series, Smith manages to integrate real Virginia history into the story, while still providing readers with an exciting mystery for young readers to enjoy.

 

This time around, Sam, Derek, and Caitlin find themselves entangled in a rather topical mystery for this day, involving conspiracy theories, whistleblowers, and tech billionaire who believes the ends justifies the means, no matter the cost to human life!  It is definitely a dangerous adventure, as the villain is pretty clear from the get-go - the question is, how can the kids go about proving that Aiden Hart is more concerned about getting a government contract than he is about the safety of the people involved in the space project.  But did he really kidnap a whistleblower to keep him from revealing the insufficient safety protocols?  Did he threaten a former partner in order to keep her quiet?  And what will he do to three kids who just happen to be in the wrong place at the right time to overhear the truth about what is really going on?  

 

Now, as is the usual thing with these mysteries, one must suspend their disbelief that adults would allow children this young to have such unsupervised freedom, or that they would allow them to go off with total strangers to solve a mystery - otherwise, there is no way they would be able to make their way stealthily past security and into a billionaire's private tent or  sneak into a billionaire's private estate in the hopes of getting the proof they need to prove their theories.  Setting that aside,it is a fun ride, and I am enjoying watching the kids grow and mature - Sam no longer takes his brother's ribbing, Derek is not so childish in his antics (and he is actually starting to consider what he wants to do when he grows up!), and Caitlin is becoming somewhat more adventurous in terms of digging to the bottom of the mystery.  Smith writes the children with a bit more growth with each book, which must come from his own experience in watching his own children grow and mature.

 

The climactic scene in Washington, D.C. as the kids, with the help of a young reporter, make heir way into a closed Senate hearing on whether the government will contract with Aiden Hart's company feels almost cinematic as they create an outburst to stop the proceedings, with the proof they nee to convict Hart showing up at the most appropriate moment!  I could easily visualize the scene in my head, and I must say, it would make for a great conclusion to a movie or television episode.  It's a shame Smith can't option this out for the small or big screen. 

 

One thing I must mention is Smith's reference to the Challenger explosion back in 1986.  That was truly a sad day, and like Colonel Banks in the story, I remember sitting in my science class at school, as we all watched the lift-off, and the shock everyone felt when the shuttle blew apart.  I remember the teacher immediately turning off the television, and we all just sat there, trying to comprehend what we just witnessed.  It is a bit hard for me to imagine that even took place nearly 40 years ago and is now considered just another piece of history... 

 

I was a bit worried when the book started that this would become another soap box (especially when the term "conspiracy theorist" was thrown around when their neighbor started talking about drones and the government watching him), but Smith took it in a different direction, for which I was grateful.  The book was a very satisfying read, and I hope we don't have to wait another two and a half years for the next book!

 

RATING:   8 silver pins in the shape of a rocket out of 10 for a good mystery that explores a different part of Virginia and offers up a new kind of mystery for the kids to solve.

Meg and the Secret of the Witch's Stairway - Mystery #2 in a series

This particular book (the original hardcover version) has special meaning to me, as I purchased it at the estate sale of a very dear friend of mine - Judith Weaver.  She was a wonderful woman who amassed a large collection of mystery novels (adult, young adult, pre-teen, and juvenile) in order to open a mystery bookstore.  Unfortunately, the local government persisted in putting up roadblocks that prevented her from ever opening the store, but that did not stop her from selling the books online, by word-of-mouth, and to her friends who would come by and visit.  When her health declined to the point where she needed constant care, her daughter moved her up north and all of those books were sold at an estate sale.  This is one of the books I obtained at the estate sale, and it will also be a treasured memory of Judith Weaver, a woman with more stories in real life than all of the books in her house could ever hold!

 

The Secret of the Witch's Stairway is the second Meg Duncan mystery, first published in 1967 (the same year as the first book).  The book is not written by the same author as the first book (which was written by Gladys Baker Bond), but the story is just as enjoyable as the first.  Having helped an elderly neighbor in the first book recover her stolen diamonds, Meg and her best friend, Kerry, help a pair of elderly neighbors search for some hidden family heirlooms in this mystery.  When Meg's Uncle Harold Ashley (her mother's cousin) visits, he tells her a story about the alleged missing Ashley silver, that was hidden away back during the Civil War and never seen again.  Many believe the silver is buried somewhere on the farm owned by Clara and Jenny Ashley (even more distant cousins of Meg's mom), but no one has ever found it.  Meg and Kerry, of course, are anxious to put their detective skills to work and help Miss Clara and Miss Jenny find that the treasure that would help them save their farm!

 

The book has a number of elements that remind me of some Nancy Drew mysteries.  First, the two elderly sisters who are trying to save their farm is similar to the plot of The Hidden Staircase, where Nancy helps two older women who are being frightened into selling their estate.  Second, the Ashley sisters have a rather unique doll collection, which reminded me of The Clue in the Old Album, where an older woman Nancy is helping has a large doll collection.  In fact, both collections of dolls include a peddler doll, which comes with an assortment of tiny objects - for the Nancy Drew book, it was musical instruments, ribbons, and laces (p. 15, Old Album), while for Meg, it was a bunch of keys, a lace handkerchief, and a tiny thimble (p. 32, Witch's Stairway).  What's even more of a coincidence is that the dolls first appear and are described in the second chapter of each book - "The Doll Collector" in Old Album and "The Doll Family" in Witch's Stairway!  And, if that were not enough, it turns out that dolls hold very important clues to solving the mysteries in both books.  This leads one to wonder if the author was a fan of the Nancy Drew series, as Old Album was published some 20+ years prior to the publication of this book.

 

The mystery turns into a rather fun adventure, as the girls begin their search with the help of a young boy named Glenn who turns up with a diary of the Ashleys' ancestor that gives them clues to the location of the silver.  Some of the clever poems written by their ancestor are actually rather ingenious clues, with double meanings and secret codes that ultimately lead the youngsters to the "Witch's Stairway," a seldom used path that leads down to the river.  Meg and Kerry and their new friend fall into some unexpected danger in their final effort to find the missing treasure, and it is only with the timely help of Curly, their four-legged friend, that they are able to escape what could be certain doom!  (Funny how both this mystery and the last feature a dog that plays a pivotal role in helping the girls' solve their case!)

 

Meg's Siamese cat, Thunder, is nowhere to be seen in this book, and while Mr. and Mrs. Wilson make a brief appearance in the first chapter, they are not seen for the rest of the book.  Kerry's little brother and sister are also noticeably absent from this story, but one can assume that is because we already have a helper in the form of Glenn, who turns out to be a relative of the Ashley sisters and finds a home with his new relatives by the end of the story.

 

The internals are once again provided by Cliff Schule, who I am assuming provided the cover art for the original hardcover version as well.  As with the first book, the cover to this book is not mysterious at all and gives no hint as to the mystery itself.  In fact, to me, this original cover reminds me of a Disney-type movie poster, what with Uncle Hal driving Meg and Kerry (dressed alike!) in his old roadster (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, anyone?).   For the paperback reprint, Olindo Giacomini again provides the cover art, which is definitely much more in-line with the mystery!  Showing an elderly woman, bent over and staring back into the dark woods where Meg and Curly are watching, the reader gets an instant feel that this mystery is going to be creepy!  This scene is pulled from the end of Chapter Six, where Meg spots an old woman with scraggly hair staring down at her from the top of the Witch's Stairway (p. 77).  While not an exact representation of what takes place on the page, it is definitely much more mysterious than the original cover art!

 

I found it somewhat amusing that Uncle Hal works in Washington, D.C., since Meg's father also works there.  Hal work in a museum, however, while Meg's father works in the government.  Of course, since Hidden Springs is said to be in Virginia, it should not be much of a surprise that they work in Washington, D.C.; it simply means that Hidden Springs must not be far from the state line.  In fact, the girls take a short trip with their Uncle Hal into the capital to search for information on an old Thomas Jefferson desk that once belonged to the Ashley sisters, hoping to find more clues as to the lost silver.

 

The story definitely holds up well and was an enjoyable read.  Simple, yet fun!

 

RATING:  9 broken wooden dolls out of 10 for an adventurous mystery filled with treasure-hunting, riddle-solving, and fortune-finding! 

A Zebra Mystery Puzzler #18 - You'll Die Yesterday

It has been nine books since Marjorie J. Grove's last Zebra Mystery Puzzler, so it was high time we had another mystery for everyone's favorite Hollywood gossip columnist Maxine Reynolds to solve.  Nurse Tory Baxter (by Marcia Blair) has had THREE BOOKS in the time between Grove's last mystery and this one, and country singer Darby Castle (by Jan Michaels) has had TWO BOOKS in between.  As far as I'm concerned, Grove deserves to have some more books in this series to catch up with these other recurring characters (although, to be fair, this is Max Reynold's fourth appearance in the series, and poor Darby Castle's two appearances were here only two to be had!).  I was more than happy to re-enter the world of Maxine Reynolds, her sassy assistant Toothie, and her devoted boyfriend, Rob Allan, as they set about to solve their latest murder mystery!

 

You'll Die Yesterday takes our main character to Paris, where she has been sent by her employers to oversee the French office of their magazine (as the previous woman in charge had married and taken off, leaving the office without any leadership!).  Max jumps at the chance, having just been wondering if her life needed a change, and she manages to convince her boss that she will need Toothie to assist her while she is there.  They arrive in the City of Love to be greeted by the nephew of the famous French film producer, Philippe Gustave-Grenier (since, as it happens, Max's employer is friends with Monsieur Gustave-Grenier).  She joins the producer and his nephew on an afternoon walk down the Champs-Elysees, despite the drizzling rain - but as they are out, a motorcycle speeds past, spraying water on the three, following which, a stranger in an overcoat bumps into Monsieur Gustave-Grenier, causing injury to his lower leg.  It all seems innocent enough; but, when the producer turns up dead the next day, Max suspects foul play.

 

Now, either I am getting extremely good at spotting the killer in these books, or the mystery was just not very complicated at all - but I was able to not only identify the killer from the moment it happened, as well as guess at the motive.  Honestly, it was not very difficult at all (it were almost as if the killer was carrying around a neon sign, saying "I'm the one! I'm the one!").  Nevertheless, the story was still a very enjoyable read, and this one offered up some really great banter between Max and Toothie.  And one aspect of the story I found rather amusing is how readily the French detective investigating the case allowed Max to be involved, sharing information with her as she provided what information she gleaned from the suspects she interrogated.  And Grove does manage to provide a variety of suspects - a disgrunted actor, a bitter musician, and an elusive businessman who is determined to buy our Monsieur Gustave-Grenier's production company.  The actor is only too willing to talk with Max, but the musician is brusque and refuses to even meet with her (and he becomes very irate when she sneaks into his apartment and interviews his wife under false pretenses!).  Max puts off trying to meet with the businessman and his two representatives, but when she does, she manages to uncover a rather interesting bit of information (that has nothing to do with the murder, but is rather clever in its execution!). 

 

The Paris setting of this story allows the author to highlight a number of French sites, such as the Eiffel Tower, the museums, the restaurants, the shopping districts.  Grove has a tendency to spend a lot of details on the surroundings, whether in Hollywood, London, or even here in Paris, which grounds the story in reality a bit more than if the reference were vague and entirely fictional.  There are times where, as I am reading, I am tempted to pull up a map and follow along to see exactly how accurate the details are!

 

While the clues that lead to the identity of the killer are fairly simple to spot if you pay attention, there are two illustrations - one near the beginning and one in the next to the last chapter (before you open the sealed final chapter) - that pretty much cinch it for Max, as well as the reader.  Honestly, it took me a moment when I looked at that final internal illustration before I realized the importance of the scene; but once it clicked, there was no more doubt about who the killer was.  Once again, there is no credit given to the internal illustrator; but the cover art is signed by "Iskowitz,"  I was able to locate a couple of artists with that last name, but while no credit is specifically given to him, I believe the artist is Joel Iskowitz, who is said to have provided a number of book and cover illustrations for books in the late '70s and early '80s, which would fit the time period when this book was published (and the signature on this cover matches the signature on other paintings by Joel Iskowitz).  And the cover scene, which is the moment before the motorcycle splash and the "accidental" bump, provides a very obvious clue as to the choice of murder weapon.

 

Readers are treated to a bit more insight into Max's growing relationship with Rob, as she debates whether she wants to stay in Paris if her employer asks her to make the job permanent, since it would mean leaving behind the man she keeps hoping will ask her to marry him.  One good thing about these recurring main characters in this series is you get to watch them grow as the series progresses.  I know there are still several more Max Reynolds' stories in the series, so it will be interesting to see where these two finally end up!

 

RATING:   9 warning messages written in lipstick out of 10 for a rainy, Parisian murder mystery whose enjoyment is not figuring out whoddunnit, but in following along with Max as she tries to figure it out!

Love in the Afternoon - the wild novel of a soap opera superstar!

Sometimes you come across some of the best books when you are not really looking for them.  Such is the case with this book.  I was combing through the paperbacks at the Family Bookstore in DeLand, when, as I reached the end of the section, my eyes glanced over the title to this book and had to take a second look.  The slogan "Love in the Afternoon" was used by ABC to market its soap operas for a decade, from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s - advertisements with a catchy theme, giving clips of the various soap operas in ABC's line-up - Ryan's Hope, Edge of Night, All My Children, One Life to Life, and General Hospital.  (It should be noted that NBC had used that same slogan to market their soaps in 1974, but gave up on it rather quickly, which is when ABC decided to take the banner for their channel.)  Because of this, the phrase "Love in the Afternoon" pretty much became synonymous with soap operas.  So, when I caught the title to this book, I figured it would have to be about soaps - and sure enough, it was!  Therefore, I shelled out the couple of bucks and bought it.

 

Love in the Afternoon gives two taglines on its cover: "Daytime TV will never be the same!" and "The wild, brilliantly hilarious novel of the on- and off-camera lives and loves of a soap-opera superstar."  Written by Ed Zimmermann, the book was originally published in hardcover in 1971, and the Pocket Books paperback came out two years later - and both came out before either NBC or ABC ever began their ad campaigns using that slogan!  Leads one to wonder if this book may have prompted the use of the phrase by NBC and ABC.  In any event, it turns out Ed Zimmermann, the author, was actually a soap opera actor himself, having played the role of Dr. Joseph Werner (the second actor to play the role) on the CBS soap, Guiding Light from 1967 to 1972.  He was only 39 years old when he died of a heart attack on July 6, 1972 (just a year after this book was first published).  He was also a stage actor, and he was in Ogunquit, Maine auditioning for a part in "Who Killed Santa Claus?" when he died.  He only authored this one book.  A huge Guiding Light fan, on her blog, indicates this book is based upon the behind the scenes experiences of Zimmermann while working on the soap.

 

The book tells the story of actor Steven Prince (which, to me, feels like a cross between Steve Trevor and Diana Prince from the Wonder Woman comics!), who takes a role on a television daytime drama, playing Dr. Harlan Cross on a soap opera that centers around Pinewood Hospital.  After acting on Broadway, making the transition from stage to the small screen is quite an experience for Prince.  For an actor used to months of rehearsals to a show where you get only hours of rehearsals before filming live - one can't even begin to imagine; however, Zimmermann does his best to provide the reader with just how much stress that can cause an actor new to daytime TV.  From being handed the first script, to meeting his co-workers, to learning where everything is in the production building - it is basically like being thrown into the water and being told, "Go ahead, now, and swim!" He even provides a schedule that Prince is given his first day on the set (from page 24):

8:00 - 10:00 - Dry for Blocking (First Rehearsal)

8:00 - 10:00 - Makeuip and Costume

10:00 - 10:30 - No Fax (Blocking on Set with No Cameras)

10:30 - 11:00 - Camera Conference

11:00 -12:00 - Fax 1 (Blocking with Cameras and Boom)

12:00 - 1:00 - Break

1:00 - 1:30 - Fax 2 (Run Through)

1:30 - 2:00 - Break and Film Check

2:00 - 2:30 - Dress

2:30 - 3:00 - Break

3:00 - AIR

I look at that schedule and realize just how tight it really is and how little time the actors have to get it right.  I've heard actors from Dark Shadows talk about how fast-paced daytime television is, and their experiences pretty much line up with what Zimmermann shares here.  It's evident he took his own experiences on the set of Guiding Light and integrated them into this story.  With frazzled nerves, Prince manages to make it through his first day, and as the days turn into weeks, he begins to enjoy playing the villain everyone loves to hate.  And his interaction with the cast is bound to have come from his real-life interactions - some actors who are laid back; others who demand attention; still others who rarely know their lines to those who make everyone else's life a disaster.   There is even the behind the scene attempts to seduce co-stars - thankfully, though, Zimmermann keeps his main character faithful to his real-life wife, for which I was happy to see.

 

One of the interesting tidbits I enjoyed in the book was how fans of Prince's on-screen character, Harlan Cross, could not see to separate the actor from his role.  Even his own mother was questioning his motives on the show, and Prince eventually gives up trying to convince her that he is not the character.  I have heard actors talk about these types of scenarios before (at General Hospital fan fests, several actors have talked about being berated by fans for the actions of their characters, as if they were the actual character), so reading about it in this book was not really much of a surprise. It makes me wonder if Zimmermann faced this same problem with his role on Guiding Light.  

 

Then there is the change in writers, which brings about major changes in the show - and for Prince, this results in his bad-boy doctor being redeemed and turned into a caring man searching for a real relationship, rather than breaking up all those around him.  Prince is not happy about the shift, but since it is his job, he must work with it.  Oh, and I loved the way the production had to accommodate Prince when he accidentally fractures his ankle - so they have to create work-arounds for all of his scenes.  The operating table is lowered so he can film the scene sitting down (but the cameras are angled to make it appear everyone is standing), and a body double is used when "Harlan" has to break down a door and rush into a room.  I can't tell you how many times I've seen actors in soaps with casts or crutches because they have injured themselves in real life, so the writers have to write that injury into the show somehow.  So, again, reading about this scenario feels like par for the course for a soap opera.

 

From what I have been able to gather online, the book apparently has a number of parallels with the Guiding Light, when it comes to characters and situations.  Having never watched that show, I cannot confirm such likenesses; however, I can say that much of what takes place behind the scenes in this story lines up with many stories I have heard from soap opera actors over the years.  I think it great that Zimmermann took his experiences and turned it into a comical story for fans to read.

 

One final observation is the opening paragraph to Chapter Eight.  Zimmermann discusses how soap opera writers have fun with time - "moulding it and stretching it and playing with it as if it were so much silly putty" (p. 156).  An entire season can pass by in just a few days, or weeks can be stretched out into months.  And yet, despite this stretching and contracting of time, all of the holidays still manage to show up at the correct time!  My friends and I have all made this observation about soap operas for years!  Passions, which ran on NBC from 1999 to 2007, was very bad about this.  One day on that show would sometimes last more than a month!  Thus, it was definitely appropriate for Zimmermann to make mention of this in the book, since any real soap fan would recognize this as a reality of daytime television!

 

Interestingly, the copyright page actually gives credit to the cover artist (which so few books from this era ever did!).  Lou Marchetti was well-known for his cover art for paperback books, but he also provided art for movie posters and magazines, such as Galaxy and Reader's Digest.  The cover gives us a scene with Prince and a fellow actress on what appears to be a crimson bedspread, with plenty of cameras and lights surrounding them.  More information can be found about Marchetti at the website run by his daughter, Louise (The Life and Art of Lou Marchetti).

 

While not exactly "brilliantly hilarious" as advertised on the cover, I would say the book does have some laughs and is a pretty good read - especially for anyone who enjoys soap operas!

 

RATING: 8 ankle-crunching slides into home plate out of 10 for a somewhat satirical look into what goes on behind the scenes of your favorite daytime drama! 

Harlequin Gothic Romance Series No. 32010 - The Blue House

"She had no control over the evil forces that were driving her to the brink of madness..." (cover blurb)

 

Now I'm definitely beyond the half-way point in this Harlequin Gothic Romance series, as this marks the 10th book in the series, published in April 1986.  This is the first, and only, book authored by Dolores Holliday.  I can only assume Ms. Holliday is the author's actual name and not pseudonym since (a) the book is copyrighted in her name and (b) she has a dedication on the copyright page to her husband, Judd, thanking him for making the book possible.  Some online research reveals Ms. Holliday just passed away this year (back in February).   She published her first novel, a gothic tale called Greystone Shadows, after which she had her second novel (The Seventh Gate) published first in 1981 as a part of the Harlequin Mystique line, and later re-published and re-packaged as the first book in the Harlequin Romantic Suspense line that debuted with this Gothic Romance line.  (The Romantic Suspense line only published two books, before that got re-started and re-branded as the Harlequin Intrigue line.)  This book was Ms. Holliday's final gothic romance novel; after this, she went on to write mystery novels (which, oddly enough, were never published, according to her obituary!).

 

The Blue House is the first book in this series to actually touch upon the supernatural and psychic abilities.  It is also the first book in this series to have the house be an integral character to the story, having its own personality, so to speak.  The main character is McKala Aiden, whose first name is derived from her mother's maiden name, McKay.  She and her fiance, Peter Caterson, are in Oregon to oversee his latest real estate development - the construction of a new condominium complex on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean.  There's only one hold-up - the old blue house that currently stands on the property.  Peter is having to deal with various issues preventing his immediate destruction of the property, and while he fights city hall, McKala (or "Kala" as she allows people to call her) becomes more and more fascinated with the house.  A history buff (more than that, actually, since she just received her Ph.D. in history!), her curiosity builds the more she learns about the house.

 

A local artist, Matthew Donegal, starts her on that journey by telling her about the previous owner.  Sadie Andrews grew up in that house with her mother, who claimed to be clairvoyant and told people's fortunes.  After her mother died, Sadie seemed to follow in her mother's footsteps.  There is even a room in the house painted completely black, where Sadie and her mother would exhibit their "talents."  Matthew tells Kala that Sadie promised him the house so he could establish an art studio for fellow artists to hone their craft - but no will was ever located, and the house was eventually sold to the development company for which Kala's fiance works.  Kala decides to explore the inside of the house - but once inside, she finds more history than she bargained for!  When she goes upstairs and opens the door to the third floor bedroom, she sees a dead body lying on the floor!  She runs out of the house, only to find that when others go up to the room, it is empty, like the rest of the house.  Kala cannot decide if she really saw something, or if she hallucinated the whole thing.  One this is for sure - there is something sinister about the house and what happened there - Matthew, the police, even Peter's housekeeper, Fiona, and others in the village all seem to clam up when she starts talking about what she saw and questions the events surrounding Sadie's death.  A suicide, it was ruled - but Kala now believes that was not the case.

 

There is definitely the romantic side to the story, as Kala finds herself falling in love with Matthew and breaking off her engagement to Peter; but the focus is definitely on the mystery of what really happened to Sadie Andrews, did she have a will and, if so, where is it, and what kind of supernatural power still resides within the house?  A dark presence that attacks her, strange whistling sounds in the night, and visions of Sadie Andrews with dire warnings all press in on Kala, making her question her own sanity.  But like Nancy Drew herself, Kala puts aside her fears and sets about to uncover the truth about the house, Sadie Andrews, and her missing will - but the ultimate truth puts her in way more danger than she ever expected and from a very unlikely source!

 

The story is filled with suspense and mystery that definitely kept my attention, and the cover art certainly captures those same feelings.  At least with this book, we are able to identify the cover artist, since his signature appears on the art, just below the cover blurb.  Len Goldberg (a/k/a Leonard M. Goldberg), who also did the cover art for Castle at Jade Cove, the third book in the Harlequin Gothic Romance series.  He superbly captures the expression of fear on Kala's face on this cover, although, admittedly, the details of the house do not exactly match those in the book.  I can forgive him that, however, because the art is still gorgeous!

 

I do have to mention, before I finish up this post, that I did like the name of the cove, over which the blue house loomed - Seven Devils Cove.  I wonder if the author pulled the name from the Seven Devils Wayside, which is located in Oregon and is the home to three beaches.  According to local history, the road's name came from the deep ravines that run down the hills to the beach.  There is also the Seven Devils Mountains on the Idaho-Oregon border, which boasts some very "dramatic" cliffs, one travel site says.  These mountains overlook the deepest gorge in North America, known as "Hells Canyon." With names like this, they definitely make the perfect setting for a gothic mystery!

 

Another fantastic addition to the Harlequin Gothic Romance line - so far, it's been a successful 10 for 10 with these books!

 

RATING:  10 empty bottles of syrup out of 10 for an intriguing story of a house, a woman, a murder, and a hidden past - all nicely weaved together into a true tale of suspense! 

Jane Withers and the Swamp Wizard - the second Whitman Authorized Edition

The second Whitman Authorized Edition mystery to feature actress Jane Withers has some easily discernible differences from the first book.  There is a different author for this book - Kathryn Heisenfelt takes over the writing chores -  you may recognize her name, as she wrote quite a few of the Whitman Authorized Editions, including mysteries starring Ann Rutherford, Ann Sheridan, Betty Grable, Bonita Granville, and even the Powers Model girl.  I have done reviews of a number of these books, and if you look back, you'll see Ms. Heisenfelt's writing has never gotten more than a 5 out of 10 (in some cases, only 4, and in one case, as low as a 3!) rating.  I am definitely not a fan of her writing, so I went into this book with quite a bit of trepidation.  The story also has no seeming relation to the previous book - there is no mention of any of the characters from the previous book, and while Jane was a student in the first book, it is implied that she is an actress in this book (just like her real-life namesake).  The tone is completely different as well - much, MUCH darker.  The question in my mind as I started reading - how bad is this going to be?

 

Jane Withers and the Swamp Wizard takes young Jane Withers to a small town named Burley (the state is left unnamed) to spend some time with her best friend, Miss Cordelia Champlin (affectionately referred to as "Cokey"), and her mother, Alice Champlin.  The two women, along with Cokey's younger brother, Eddie, have moved into a farm to start a new life.  "Dad is still in Washington," Cokey tells Jane (p. 14), adding that they do not expect to see much of him, "[b]ut then, we didn't anyway - lately" (p. 14).  Thus, with the man of the house out of the picture, and with the younger brother off-screen, so to speak, going into the next village to buy a tractor, it is just these three women left to face the mystery that lies ahead.  It begins when Cokey tells Jane about a strange feeling she got after being told of the Simmering Springs and the legend of the "Swamp Wizard" that is said to haunt the springs.  Jane puts no stock in the story, but Cokey reminds her friend that her hunches have always come true in the past, and she is certain there is trouble ahead for the girls.  Needless to say, her premonition turns out to be true.

 

As much as I have not liked any of the previous books written by Heisenfelt that I have read, this one turned out to be quite different and quite readable.  Perhaps a large part of that is because of the gothic feel she gives to the story.  The girls run an errand for Cokey's mother, and end up taking a side trip to deliver a message for a sick woman.  As they say, no good deed goes unpunished, and the girls go out of their way, get lost, and mistakenly end up in the house of a bitter woman who makes it clear she does not want them there!  But a storm is unleashed, which takes out the bridges that are the only way across the raging river, leaving Jane and Cokey stranded at this lonely old farmhouse with the woman, her cantankerous father, and her brooding son.  All three want the girls gone, insistent that the Swamp Wizard does not like strangers near the springs - which is exactly where the farmhouse is located!  Jane and Cokey are not able to rationalize this family's fear, but when they hear the strange cries in the night, and when the woman's son appears to be missing, they have to wonder if there is some supernatural force at work.

 

  

 

The gothic tropes abound in this story - the secluded house, the family with secrets, the visitors who are not wanted there, the whispers of supernatural creatures, and the dire warnings of impending doom.  The night seems to be endless, and the storm unrelenting.  The girls are shuffled off to an upstairs room at the end of the hall, with strict instructions to not leave the room.  Of course, Jane is much too curious to remain locked in the room, and she and Cokey venture out in the hopes of learning some of the secrets behind the animosity this family had towards them and why they are so afraid of a superstitious wives' tale about a wizard in the swamp.  Heisenfelt does a decent job of building up the tension, of keeping the secrets right there on the edge of everyone's thoughts, and instilling terror in her characters, leaving the reader to wonder who really is the bad guy of this tale. There is even a scene where the woman's father takes the girls to the edge of the springs, claiming he wants them to understand why they need to leave and never come back - but Cokey loses her balance (or was she pushed?) and nearly falls into the deadly quicksand that makes up the swampy springs!  This scene is depicted on the endpages, with Jane reaching out desperately to save her friend!

 

The conclusion builds up nicely, as the secrets are not so quickly revealed, even after Cokey's mother finally arrives with some others, who were out searching for the missing girls (remember - they had simply gone on an errand to buy eggs, yet never came home for more than 24 hours!).  These villagers, who know the woman, are given the same harsh welcome that Jane and Cokey endured, and it is from the most unlikely of sources that the truth behind the Swamp Wizard is finally revealed. Once that truth comes out, and once the secrets of the past are laid bare, the woman is finally freed from all that has been haunting her for so many years, and Heisenfelt provides a very satisfying conclusion to the story and its characters.  The book even concludes with Jane observing that, "I've a hunch we're going to have a lot of fun this summer!" (p. 248).

 

Henry E. Vallely, who has provided the art for so many of these Whitman Authorized Editions, does the line illustrations for this book.  For this, I am glad, as he does a fantastic job of drawing expressions that help strengthen the scene depicted, so that even if there were no words given, you would get the impression of what was going on.  In one such instance, where Jane has left the upstairs bedroom to learn more about the secrets of this hose, Vallely shows Jane hiding behind the couch as Alma Frieson and her father prowl around in the night - just by looking at Jane's face, you can see the fear she feels at the thought of being discovered; while, at the same time, the harsh expressions on Mrs. Frieson and her father give you a clear sense of just how fierce this family can be. The mood created fits perfectly with the gothic nature of the story, and I can't imagine a better artist to provide the illustrations for this one than Vallely.

 

This was an unexpectedly good book to read, and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it.  Now I am curious as to the third Jane Withers mystery, as it is written by yet another author (Roy J. Snell) - I wonder how it will compare to these first two...

 

RATING:  9 bowls of strawberry preserves out of 10 for a suspenseful story of gothic terror mixed with young adult mystery.