Shadow of the Caravan - a Pocket Books gothic

It still amazes me at just how many publishers jumped on the "gothic wave" during the 1960s and '70s.  It seems every time I turn around, I'm finding gothic novels from yet another publisher that I was unaware published any during that time.  This time, it's Pocket Books, under the "Pocket Goth" line as set forth on the spine of the book.  Pocket published a number of books by many regular gothic authors, such as Joan Aiken, Lynn Benedict, Dorothy Daniels, Miriam Lynch, Janet Louise Roberts, Dan Ross, Mary Kay Simmons, and so many others.  This one caught my eye at my local used book store because of the gorgeous cover art, so beautiful and spooky.  Plus, the title has that "Nancy Drew" style to it - you know the one I mean, "The Secret of the -- " or "The Mystery of the --" and the like.  So, I could not pass it up, and having now read it, I'm glad I did not!

Shadow the Caravan is a tale of the past, set in the late 1800s.  It was written by Saliee O'Brien, which name is the author's real name and not a pseudonym.  Ms. O'Brien was born at the turn of the 20th century in Missouri, and she died at the age of 94 in Florida just a little over 20 years ago.  She was not quite as prolific as many of the gothic authors were, and it appears she only wrote a few gothic novels during the '60s and '70s (The Bride of Gaylord Hall, Beelfontaine, Night of the Scorpion [for the "Zodiac Gothic novel" series], and this book).  If the rest of her books are as well-written and enjoyable to read as this one, I will definitely be tracking them down!

The story is about Lila Bruce, who travels to California with her frail Aunt Catherine so that Lila can marry the wealthy Giles Castle and share his grand home.  Lila is fully aware that Giles is not in the best of health, but she is not prepared for what awaits her when she arrives at the House of the Camel (it is called, since the Castle family has a business of camel caravans).  Lila discovers that no one in the house - not family nor staff - has ever heard of her, and even more devastating, she learns that her betrothed has died!  On that dark, cold, rainy night when she arrives to a house of people who distrust and dislike her, Lila is at a loss what to do.  She and her aunt used their entire savings to make the long trek from Missouri to California (remember, this is the 1800s, so it was completely by stagecoach!), and they have nowhere else to go.  Giles' younger brother, Timothy, allows them to stay the night, as the funeral will be the next day and they are reluctantly allowed to attend.

It is a well-written mystery that begins when Lila finds a small note in the hands of her deceased husband as he lies in the casket in the parlour - a note that tells her to return home, she is not wanted!  Not heeding that warning, she then gets pushed into the grave after the casket is lowered into the ground, and the family thinks she is nothing more than histrionic, playing at the grieving fiance.  It is after the gravesite service that she (and the Castle family and friends!) learn that Giles made a new will just prior to his death, leaving the bulk of his estate to Lila!  Clearly this leads to greater threats, as she is locked in a stable, left to face the not so friendly camels on her own; she is then tripped before a herd of stampeding camels; she later discovers a deadly scorpion under the covers of her bed; and she ultimately falls from the balcony of her upper floor room, which gives way after having been nearly sawed through!  It is evident someone is determined to remove her from the picture, but the question is: who?

 

First, there's Timothy Castle, Giles' younger brother who was set to inherit the entire Castle fortune in the even of his brother's death. There's Patricia Swann, who, along with her mother Daisy, keep the House of the Camel running (and who clearly has eyes for Timothy).  There's Brawley Jones, the gruff stable hand who works with the camels. There's also Steven Perry, the Castle family's attorney who resides at the great house in order to manage the Castles' legal affairs. Then there's Fancey Abbott, the next-door neighbor who grew up with the Castle boys and makes it very clear it has always been her intention to become a Castle wife.  And there's Roger Castle, Giles and Timothy's second cousin whose ranch adjoins Giles and Timothy's, but is nowhere near as bid nor as successful; and finally, there's George Damon, the Castles' neighbor across the way.  The only ones who show any friendliness or courtesy to Lila and her aunt are the attorney, the cousin, and the neighbor across the way - the rest of the family and staff make it clear in no uncertain terms that Lila is an interloper and not wanted.  In fact, Timothy takes several opportunities to tell Lila she would be better off returning home and never coming back!

 

The novel definitely builds suspense, but O'Brien gives readers a protagonist who is neither weak nor submissive.  Sure, she gets frightened, and sure, there are moments when she is rescued and thankful to be held by the strong arms of a man; but that does not mean she does not have the strength of her own to stand up to them all and determination to not give up and run away.  Despite the growing danger, she sticks to her decision to stay, knowing this is what Giles wanted for her.  Now, that being said, it's not exactly difficult to determine which of this cast of characters is actually behind all of the happenings at the House of the Camel.  Despite the large number of harsh characters who do not hide their contempt for Lila, anyone who has read a large number of gothics will know that the villain is usually hiding behind an outward appearance of niceties, love, and concern, and this story is no different.  But that does not make it any less of a great read.  No, in fact, the story is so filled with suspense, it is a fantastic read, and I could easily envision this story made into a film.  I mean, the final scenes where Lila and her aunt are kidnapped (and HOW they are kidnapped is rather unusual!), and the final confrontation with the culprit definitely make for a superb climax to the tale.

Without a doubt, I'll be going out there to find O'Brien's other gothic novels!

RATING:  10 burlap bags of grain out of 10 for a prime example of gothic greatness with the perfect blend of mystery, suspense, and terrific characterization!

Terry Carvel's Theater Caravan - an Alma Benecke Sasse novel

This is yet another one of those books that I have heard about for years and years, but I never thought I would actually ever read the book, let alone own a copy.  Yet, thanks to my wonderful friend, Geoffrey S. Lapin, who gifted me with a copy of the book this past summer, I know have a beautiful copy of Alma Benecke Sasse's novel for young adults.  And for those who do not know, Alma Sasse was the ghostwriter for the 29th Nancy Drew Mystery Story, The Mystery at the Ski Jump (1952).  Thus, I was aware of her name, and I was aware that she had written this particular book; I just never thought I'd have a copy of the book, especially in dust jacket, since it has always seemed so elusive.  But now I was able to sit down and enjoy this wonderful tale of a young woman's dream of running a community theater in her hometown...

Terry Carvel's Theater Caravan (notice the alliteration in the title ... T.C., T.C.) is the story of college senior Terry Carvel.  There is no mystery to this story, unlike Sasse's Nancy Drew tale or her other book, The Mystery of the Chinese Box.  Rather, this more akin to a career girl story, as the protagonist graduates college and sets about to fulfill her dream of establishing a community theater and directing local talent in plays for her hometown.  In fact, Sasse writes a Foreword to the book that specifically states the book "...is written for all those eager, dramatically minded young people whose Caravan of Dreams is, in some way, connected with the stage."  And the story opens with Terry reading the announcement on the college bulletin board that auditions for the annual commencement play are about to be held.  Terry, who is a drama student, "had dreamed of taking part ever since her freshman days" (p. 2).  Interestingly enough, Sasse does not describe her lead character as beautiful - in fact, she makes it clear that Terry is "certainly not beautiful; her mouth a trifle too wide, with good-humored quirks at each corner.  In fact only the eyes redeemed her features from plainness.  These were a heritage from her Irish mother and a deep sea blue" (p. 4).  Most protagonists in young adult books are always beautiful, or at the very least pretty in some way; so it is refreshing to see a book where the lead character is as plain as likely many of her readers were!

Although this book was published in 1943 (with even the disclaimer at the front of the book indicating the book was manufactured under wartime conditions in conformity with all government regulations controlling the use of paper and other materials), it is clear from reading that the story takes place prior to the United States entering World War II.  There are several mentions of the possibility of the country entering war, and even at the end, one of the main characters reveals that he has registered with the government, and it is likely he will be called "if war comes" (p. 238).  Whether this is an indication that Sasse actually wrote the story prior to the country entering the War, or if she simply decided to set the tale prior to the War to avoid any complications a wartime setting might create, I suppose we will never know.  In any event, even with the thought of war looming over the characters, they never lose their zest for life.

The story itself follows Terry as she auditions for her college's commencement play (which happens to be Madame Butterfly).  Her hopes are high until she learns that the auditions will be conducted in the presence of Carl Milton Zorkoff, who is described in the book as being "the greatest stage director since Belasco" (p. 25).  While Zorkoff is a fictional character, Belasco is a direct reference to David Belasco, who was an American director and playwright who just so happened to be the first writer to adapt Madame Butterfly for the stage!  Later in the story, Terry's competition for the coveted role in the play makes references to Billie Burke, Anna Neagle, Leslie Howard, and Lionel Barrymore (p. 27), all actors who got their start in the theater before moving on to Hollywood. Thus, Sasse knew her stuff when she threw these references into the story.  Anyway, Terry is a bit disappointed that she does not land the lead, but she does get the next best part - but even better, she is asked by the director at one point to assist with directing when he has to be away for a few days!  Terry gets a taste of running the show, and before you know it, her aspirations for opening a community theater are burning brighter than ever before!

The play is a success, and along the way, Terry becomes friends with Don Mackaye, a young man who handles all of the lighting and electrical matters for the college plays.  It's pretty obvious from the moment he is introduced that he and Terry will become much more than friends, but it literally takes the entire book for that to happen!  Of course, along with Don comes his little dog, Brutus, who Don affectionately refers to as "Et tu" - and anyone who knows theater will immediately get the reference; if not, then go look it up (it will do you good to do some research!).  At one point, Terry's godfather, Dr. Jed, and Don become boarders at the Carvel house while Terry's father goes to California for the summer to regain his strength after an automobile accident (which occurred before the opening of the story).  This only serves to keep them in close contact with one another, so even after Terry's graduation and her escapades in starting that community theater, Don is a constant presence in her life.  And while we are on the subject of Don, he shares a similar physical aspect with Terry - he's "not exactly handsome," as Terry describes him, but his eyes twinkle and he has a nice, wide smile (p. 141).  Funny how both Terry's and Don's physical traits are specifically played down, while their character and personality are played up to their fullest.  What a great way for Sasse to remind her readers that it is not always about looks!

One might notice while reading this book that even though this is not a mystery series book, Sasse does follow some of the same plot devices as many of those series did back in the day.  Terry lives with her father, who is a professional (albeit on a sabbatical at the moment); her mother died when she was young; and they have a live-in housekeeper (by the name of Timmie!) who has helped raise Terry and is always looking out for her well-being.  Gee, does that sound like the set-up of a very familiar female sleuth that we all know and love?  There are no big chapter cliffhangers, though, and there is nothing to really build up suspense.  Instead, the reader follows along as Terry first takes a summer job working with neighborhood children to put on a play for their families; then moves up to having the production put on at the local movie house as part of a series of amateur nights; and ultimately to convincing the community at large that they would benefit from the theater and directing her first of many plays using local members of the community as her actors!  And, frankly, I'm surprised she moves the story at a natural pace, as it takes place not just over the summer, but into the fall, over the Christmas holidays, through the next spring, and int the next summer!  So, Terry does not see her success come overnight - it takes a lot of hard work and determination on her part.

And for her part, Sasse does utilize a number of real theatrical references throughout the book.  One of the first plays Terry directs is The Bishop Misbehaves (p. 192), which is a comedy that originally premiered in England back in 1934 before opening on Broadway in 1935.  Later, when Terry goes to visit her friend Vi in Seattle, she is overjoyed at the chance to visit The Showboat Theater, the Penthouse Theater, and the Repertory Playhouse (p. 201).  All three are actual theaters that existed at the time this book was published - The Showboat Theater opened in 1938 (demolished in 1994); The Penthouse Theater was built in 1940 (which is still in use today, albeit in a new location): and the Repertory Playhouse opened its doors in 1930 (but closed them in 1950, after which it was acquired by the University of Washington).  I love when authors integrate some of the real world into their stories, as it breathes some life into them that grounds them in reality!

The book does end on a bittersweet note - one of Terry's actors, an elderly gentleman who always wanted to try his hand on the stage, passes away and bequeaths a sum of money to Terry to help get the Stanbrook Repertory Playhouse off the ground.  While the bequest is definitely generous and just what Terry needs to get her career started, it is also sad that one of the characters that you grow to enjoy reading about dies for that to happen.  But, again, these are things that happen in real life, so it blurs that line between fiction and the real world.

The only thing I was actually disappointed about when I finished this book is that we see very little time in the story actually spent at the theater or on the stage.  We get the build up of Terry trying to get actors, find a stage, etc. - but we see very few, if any, rehearsals, and we only get brief snippets of the actual plays themselves.  I was really hoping to see the book focused on the ups and downs of trying to put on one, or maybe two plays.  Instead, we jump from the commencement play to the children's play to the first community play, to the caravan play (yes, before the book closes, a nearby town asks Terry to bring her troupe over to their area to put on one of their plays, and that is where the title of the story comes from), with more time spent on the in-between moments as Terry tries to get her act together than we do with the plays themselves.  But, I guess that is part of what makes a career girl story - it's the drama of trying to build up to and succeed in the chosen career and not actually about the career itself.

One last thing I wanted to mention before I sign off - on the back cover of the dust jacket, there is a listing of books by Gertrude E. Mallette, headlined as "Books for Girls Interested in Careers."  Some of the titles include No Vacancies, Private Props, Single Stones, Inside Out, and others.  I did quick search online to see if I could find any of these books, and I was surprised to discover she wrote a book that I already had (and did not even realize...)  If you're wondering what that is, well, you'll find out in just a few posts...

RATING:  9 big boxes of chocolates out of 10 for a story that delves into numerous sides of the community theater and the truth that it truly does take a community to put it all together!