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!