The Secret of the Devil's Cave - a Magnum Gothic original

This is now the second Gothic novel I've read that was written by Jennifer Hale (otherwise known as Frank E. Smith (1919-1984), the previous one being Ravensridge, published in 1971, just two years prior to this one.  The plots of both books are entirely different, but the stories are both exceptionally suspenseful and filled with mystery and drama.  I am still, to this day, awed at the ability of these male authors, back in the day, writing so well books aimed at a female audience, capturing so nicely the strength of their female protagonists without making them helpless (but giving them just enough danger to need a man to assist in their journey through the Gothic tropes).  While this book was also written in a first-person perspective (which I am not a fan of at all!), just like the previous book, I will still able to thoroughly enjoy and get caught up in the story. 

 

The Secret of Devil's Cave is a book I would have picked up on the title alone, as it invokes memories of all those children's series book titles from back in the day (The Mystery of ... / The Clue in ... / The Secret at ... / etc.).  The story centers around young Beth Nolan, whose father has died and left her property in the Ozarks of Missouri, on which is located not only a rather large mansion, but also some cave that goes by the name "Devil's Cave."  Beth is shocked, as her father never mentioned this property, and although Beth knows they moved from Missouri when she was three years old, she was unaware he had no sold all of the property the family owned at that time.  It seems her father had some secrets to keep, one of which is a mysterious photograph of a gravestone that is not engraved.  Who would bury someone, place a headstone at the grave, and then not inscribe it?  Having no other choice, Beth temporarily closes the antique shop she and her father ran and travels to Devil's Cave to claim her inheritance.

 

Hale (a/k/a Smith) sets the mood of the story right from the get-go, with Beth driving through some extremely dense fog, lost within the Ozarks as she tries to make her way to the cave.  When she finally comes across a small gas station / general store, she is met with some hesitation when she asks directions to her destination. From the owner of the store, Beth learns the cave is said to be haunted, with people hearing voices calling out in the cave.  She also learns that two girls have died in the cave - one by accident (supposedly), but the other murdered.  And the alleged murderer was never convicted and still lives on the property that neighbors her own!  On top of all that, Beth also learns the Bratcher family lives on her property, having been there ever since her own family left, and everyone thought the family owned the land.  The store owner warns her the family will not be happy when she stakes her claim.  And, boy, he wasn't wrong!

 

Earl Bratcher and his wife are definitely none-too-pleased at Beth's sudden appearance.  Earl insists he has a signed contract with Beth's father, allowing him to manage the property and tourist attraction, yet he persistently makes excuses why he cannot show it to her.  The Bratchers' two sons - Walt and Mark - run hot and cold: Walt is sarcastic and clearly does not welcome Beth's presence, while Mark is a bit more reserved and takes Beth under his wing to try and protect her a bit from his family's harsh attitudes.  The Bratchers' daughter, Leda, is a bit of a wild child, one who happens to be in love with Charles Woodward - the very man accused of killing the young girl in the cave!  Then there is poor Flossie, Walt's wife.  She is not quite all there (being the product of inbreeding, as Earl so bluntly puts it), but Beth feels sympathy for her and tries to become her friend ... until she learns that some years back, Flossie killed her brother's dog and dumped it down the "bottomless" well inside the cave, all because her husband liked the dog better than her ... and she won't let her husband like anything, or anyone better than her ... including Beth!

 

There is definitely plenty of suspense and mystery in this book - who really killed those girls in the cave?  Why did the Bratchers close the cave, and what happened to the guest who disappeared while exploring the cave some weeks ago?  Is there really a hidden treasure somewhere within the cave?  Why does the father of a local artist have a painting of Beth in his house?  What is the secret behind the photo of that tombstone, and how will the answer to that question change Beth's life forever?  What surprising revelations are being held within the old trunk in the basement of the great house?  And just why does that old woman who claims to be a witch think that Beth is a dead woman come back to life?  What knowledge does she have about Beth, the Devil's Cave, and the Bratcher family that will reveal a past so dark and filled with lies and secrets that no one will come out unscathed?

 

This book proved to be a fantastic read, a page-turner that I literally could not put down until I had finished it.  The cover artist is not identified, and while I do like it, I have to admit it has some oddities to it.  Beth's hair flying up like that makes it seem like there's an air draft coming from beneath her (makes me think of that famous image of Marilyn Monroe trying to keep her dress down as the air blows up from below), and those lamp posts are all leaning inward, pointing toward the mansion behind Beth - not sure why the artist chose that kind of perspective, but it seems just a bit off.  However, the barren trees, the coloring of that sky behind the house, and Beth's expression definitely create a sense of terror that fits the story within.

 

That's two for two with the Jenifer Hale Gothics I have read, so it gives me strong reason to find the rest of her (his) Gothics and read them as well!

 

RATING:  10 glass coffins on display out of 10 for a superb Gothic mystery with just the right touches of supernatural suspense and hellish horror!

Ravensridge - a Magnum Gothic original

I had every expectation from the first page that I was not going to like this book.  With those opening two words, "My nerves..." (p. 5), I was already disappointed.  I am not a big fan of first person narrative. I can tolerate it when the story is sufficiently good, or if I am already a fan of the particular characters in the book.  But as a general rule, I prefer reading third-person narrative stories.  But, I took a breath and went on reading, figuring I could work my way through the story and at least see what happens and how it all turns out.  Well, despite the first person POV, by the third page of the story, I was thoroughly hooked.  And by the end of the book, I realized how glad I was that I did not put it aside after those first words.  This book has literally become on of my favorite gothic reads!

Ravensridge, published in 1971 under the "Magnum Gothic Original" imprint, was written by Jennifer Hale. According to the Paperback Warrior blog, Jennifer Hale is a pen name for Frank E. Smith (1919-1984), who was a successful author of police procedural novels.  Smith apparently used several other pseudonyms, but he began using "Jennifer Hale" for the five gothic novels he wrote between 1971 and 1978, including this one.  Thus, we have yet another male author hiding behind a female pen name for purposes of writing and selling gothic stories.  But I give Smith credit, as the story rates definitely on the high end when it comes to Gothic greatness.  The book has everything a reader will want to see in a gothic story - a dark, gloomy house; a mysterious family with secrets; the death of a past resident under strange circumstances; a young protagonist who is thrust into the middle of all this darkness; threats that escalate as the story progresses; and danger, suspense, and mystery that keep the reader turning page after page after page!

Melissa Manion is the heroine of this particular novel.  She is a professional photographer who has come to Ravensridge at the invitation of her friend, Charles Courtney, to photograph the house and all of its priceless antiques.  But from the moment she arrives on the dark and stormy night, it is clear things are not right at the old house.  The housekeeper, Miss Kane, has no idea who she is or why she is there, and she makes it clear to Melissa that she is not welcome.  Charles is not at home, and Charles' older brother, Philip, was unaware of her visit, but he warily welcomes her into their home.  The groundskeeper and all-around handyman, Lennie, let's it slip that there have been deaths of other women in the past at the house.  And the young maid, Helen, is skittish and scared, worried that there will be more death in this house, particularly now that Melissa has arrived!  And last, but not least, the arrival of Stephanie Doyle, the woman who claims to be Charles' fiance and who is determined that Melissa will not steal her man away (despite the fact Melissa is not interested in Charles and plainly tells her so!).  Then, when Charles does finally appear, he is haggard and depressed.  There is so much going on at Ravensridge that Melissa begins to wonder if her coming there was a mistake...

Oh, yes, let's not forget the local townsfolk, as they definitely play a large part in the story.  There's Earl Mitchell, whose sister Nancy was killed in the local cemetery - and he firmly believes Philip Courtney was the one who did it!  There's Alan Greer, the man that some people claim Philip's wife ran away with (although others believe his wife is dead, murdered by someone at Ravensridge!).  And we musn't forget Floyd Emmert, the former deputy sheriff and brother to Philip's wife, who has insinuated his way into Ravensridge with his other daughter.  Of course, there is also Burt Loftus, a dangerous man who believes Charles is having an affair with his wife - and who gives Melissa a very terse warning to pass on to Charles when she sees him: stay away from his wife, or Charles will find himself as dead as Nancy Mitchell!

Plenty of characters, plenty of secrets, and plenty of suspicions to go around!  And poor Melissa finds herself drawn into all of it.  At first, it is innocuous enough - a missing lipstick, a stolen photograph.  But then matters begin to escalate.  A large gargoyle falls from the roof of the old house, nearly crushing Melissa.  Then, she is nearly killed when a gas line is opened in her room while she is asleep - a sleep from which she nearly never awakens!  It all culminates in the Lost Souls Cave on the outskirts of the Courtneys' property, where Melissa faces off against an insane evil that has been terrorizing Ravensridge for some time - and our young heroine nearly loses her life, only to be rescued by the man she at one time thought might have been behind all of the horrors at the old house.  

I was drawn into the story from the first few pages, and I simply could not put it down until I had finished it.  The suspense, the mystery, the drama, the characters, the setting - they all blend together so seamlessly to create a terrifying tale of gothic horror that any fan will thoroughly enjoy.  The cover art is gorgeous, with a semblance of connection to the story (even though the winged creature is not technically a gargoyle, and neither is is located on the upper roof of the house, but at least it signifies some form of danger from a statue in the tale...); however, there is no artist signature and no artist is identified on the copyright page or the back cover - so we are left to wonder who painted this haunting image.

This is DEFINITELY a gothic novel I highly recommend - well worth the read!

RATING:  10 expensive wide-angled lenses out of 10 for a story of mystery and suspense superbly written in true gothic fashion.