Genre: Gothic Romance

POV: 3rd Person

Sensuality: Very subtle

Violence: Mild

My Grade: B

Ammie, Come Home is the second book by Barbara Michaels that I’ve read so far and I found it an entertaining read.

Widowed Ruth Bennett is a stylish 40-something-year-old living in Georgetown, Washington D.C. Ruth inherited a beautiful old house from an elderly relative and has been lovingly restoring it to its former splendour. She has also acquired a longterm houseguest in the form of her niece, Sara, a student at a local college.

When Sara brings her favourite anthropology professor home for tea, Ruth is both amused by and attracted to the charismatic Pat MacDougal. Also a veteran of a miserable marriage, Pat is a few years older than Ruth, and the son and heir to an illustrious lineage.

Despite his background, Pat and his society hostess mother are anything but snobs, and welcome Ruth into their home for one of their (in)famous social gatherings. At this particular event, a renowned medium holds a séance. Ruth regards it as nothing more than a lark, but a few too many glasses of wine prompt her to invite the medium to hold a séance in her own house.

Sara is delighted at the prospect of attending a séance and Ruth feels she can hardly back out now. The guests are a small but select group, including Pat and Sara’s cynical boyfriend, Bruce. The evening starts well, but takes a nasty turn when the medium collapses in the middle of the séance and Sara falls into a strange trance. From that evening forward, strange things occur in the house and Sara retreats further into herself, sometimes speaking in a voice which is not her own.

Forming a reluctant alliance, Ruth, Pat, Bruce and Sara are determined to get to the bottom of the mystery and discover what is wrong in the house.

Ammie, Come Home is a supernatural suspense novel with a lovely romance between older characters. Ruth and Pat’s budding relationship was my favourite aspect of the book. Pat is instantly attracted to Ruth and determined to woo her with his intelligence, wit and good humour. Ruth is initially flustered by Pat’s attentions. At forty-five, Ruth had convinced herself that passion and romance would no longer feature in her life. It takes her a little while to realise that Pat is not merely flirting with her, but is in love with her. Ruth’s tentative response to Pat is sweet, as is his gentle but persistent pursuit.

Another aspect to the book which I enjoyed was the setting. It’s been a long time since I was in Washington D.C. and the description of the beautiful Georgetown houses made me want to go back. The book was set in the late 1960s and it was amusing to read Ruth’s observations on hippies, Flower Children and mini skirts.

I’m not usually a fan of ghost stories and this one didn’t entirely convince me, despite the interesting historical premise. However, the characters were wonderful, and more than made up for a weak suspense plot. I have a few more Barbara Michaels books on my TBR shelf and I’m looking forward to reading them.

Genre: Gothic Romance

POV: 1st Person (from the heroine’s perspective)

Sensuality: Warm

Violence: Mild

My Grade: B

Be Buried in the Rain is the first book I’ve read by Barbara Michaels, who also writes the popular Amelia Peabody series under the pseudonym Elizabeth Peters. Be Buried in the Rain is a Gothic Romance/Thriller. Despite being written 25 years ago, it is surprisingly undated. Only the relatively young age of the heroine (23) and the lack of modern technology dates the book.

Medical student Julie Newcomb comes from an old but impoverished Virginian family. The Carr’s have lived on the now decaying Maidenwood plantation for centuries, and numerous fanciful legends surround it, including tales of virgin heroines and buried treasure. Julie has never paid great heed to the legends, and harbours no love for Maidenwood or its inhabitants. As a child, she was forced to live there for four years following her parents divorce, and Julie never wants to return.

When Martha – the family matriarch and current owner of Maidenwood – suffers a stroke, the family persuade Julie to spend her summer holiday at Maidenwood caring for her grandmother. Julie hates and fears Martha, and has no desire to spend her vacation catering to a tyrant. Caving under family pressure  - and promises of financial renumeration – Julie reluctantly agrees to go to Maidenwood.

Shortly before Julie’s arrival, the skeletons of a mother and child are found on a dirt track leading to the plantation. Due to Maidenwood’s illustrious history, a team of archaeologists are called to the scene and begin searching for the remains of a 17th Century settlement whose inhabitants were allegedly massacred during an Indian uprising. To further complicate Julie’s life, the leader of the excavation team is her ex-boyfriend, Dr Alan Petranek, a specialist in historic archaeology and even more devastatingly handsome than Julie remembered.

Both Julie and Alan suspect that the skeletons of the mother and child which were found on the estate are not from the 17th Century settlement, and they join forces to investigate the mystery. But someone – or something – doesn’t want them to discover the truth…

Be Buried in the Rain is written with the skill and assurance which is the hallmark of an experienced and prolific author. The characters feel real, including the tyrannical Martha. While the solution to the mystery was somewhat predictable, the compelling storytelling and engaging characters made it a pageturner. I read it in one sitting.

I particularly liked Julie’s character. She’s intelligent and courageous without venturing into reckless territory. Her no-nonsense attitude with Martha is commendable, especially in light of their mutual history. Julie is also well able to stand up to her cousin, Matt, who would be inclined to ride roughshod over her if she permitted him to do so.

The romance between Julie and Alan is obviously only seen from Julie’s point of view as the story is told in the 1st person. However, I appreciated the fact that Alan is not painted to be a perfect character. He’s ambitious, driven, and an exacting boss. He’s craved the opportunity to excavate at Maidenwood for years, and now that he has the chance, he’s determined to make a name for himself. Despite this, he feels genuine affection for Julie, and he values her sharp intellect.

I’m a sucker for stories featuring mysterious old houses and Be Buried in the Rain certainly delivered on that front. In addition, I loved the details on the archaeological excavation, and I would have liked even more.

Thankfully, Barbara Michaels has an extensive backlist as I intend to read more of her books.

Continuing my Gothic Romance phase, I recently read two books by Victoria Holt. The first – Mistress of Mellyn – I enjoyed quite a bit, but I was less impressed by The Shadow of the Lynx.

MISTRESS OF MELLYN BY VICTORIA HOLT

Premise: Martha Leigh comes from impoverished gentry. Having failed to secure a marriage proposal, she finds herself obliged to accept a position as governess. Her new employer is the widowed Connan TreMellyn, the owner of Mount Mellyn, a vast estate on the Cornish coast. Her charge is his daughter, Alvean, who has already driven off several governesses with her outrageous behaviour.

On the train journey to Cornwall, Martha has a disturbing encounter with a man who claims to be a palm reader. He tells her to beware of Little Alice. Martha doesn’t believe in fortune telling, but is disturbed nonetheless. Her sense of unease is heightened upon her arrival at Mount Mellyn. Alvean is truculent and uncooperative, and her father is mysterious and brooding. It doesn’t take Martha long to realise that something very sinister is afoot.

My Thoughts: I enjoyed Mistress of Mellyn. Is is a typically melodramatic Gothic, complete with cliffs and ghosts. Naturally, a romance develops between Martha and her employer, Connan TreMellyn. I think I would have given this book a higher grade had I not read it immediately after finishing Mary Stewart’s excellent Nine Coaches Waiting, which has a similar premise. As it is, I consider Mistress of Mellyn to be a solid B-.

THE SHADOW OF THE LYNX BY VICTORIA HOLT

Premise: When seventeen-year-old Nora Tamasin’s father dies on his quest for gold in 19th Century Australia, Nora finds herself penniless and at the mercy of her father’s business partner, a mysterious man known as the Lynx. The Lynx sends his son, Stirling Herrick, to escort Nora on her journey from England to Australia. Before they set sail, Nora and Stirling make an unexpected detour to the beautiful estate of Whiteladies. But is their visit by chance or by design?

When Nora arrives in Australia, she is immediately captivated by the charismatic and domineering Lynx. Despite fancying herself in love with Stirling, Nora finds her thoughts frequently occupied by his father. The Lynx, for his part, is obsessed with gold and amassing great wealth with which he means to avenge himself on his enemy in England: the owner of Whiteladies. He soon extends his obsession to Nora and makes her his wife, but theirs is not destined to be a Happily Ever After…

My Thoughts: While I enjoyed the parts set in Australia, I didn’t care for the love story, and the suspense element lacked depth. I despised Stirling’s wishy washy character and Nora’s lack of constancy. Furthermore, I found the switch to another character’s point of view towards the end of the book irritating. In short, this is not a book I would recommend. C

Have you read either of these books, or any other novels by Victoria Holt? If so, what did you think of them?

Genre: Gothic Romance

POV: 1st Person (heroine’s perspective)

Sensuality: Kisses

Violence: Mild

My Grade: B

When I posted the first of my two posts on Mary Stewart’s Gothic Romances, a couple of people suggested I try the author, Phyllis Whitney. She seems to be the American counterpart to Victoria Holt and Mary Stewart. Unfortunately, very few of Phyllis Whitney’s books are currently in print, but I did find Hunter’s Green at The Book Depository.

When the American, Eve North, receives a letter informing her of her estranged husband’s intention to remarry, she impulsively decides to travel to England to see him one last time. She arrives at his stately home, Athmore, as part of a guided bus tour. While viewing the famous topiary garden which is designed to represent a chess board, she has a disturbing encounter with Old Daniel, Athmore’s head gardener. He warns her that the king must beware of the rook. Before Eve has a chance to question Old Daniel further, he is killed in a mysterious accident.

Justin North, Eve’s estranged husband, does not welcome her back with open arms. They parted three years ago on very bad terms. Justin caught Eve kissing his younger brother, Marc, and refused to give Eve the opportunity to explain the situation. In the meantime, Justin has reunited with the devious Alicia Daven, his longtime neighbour and the girlfriend he jilted to marry Eve. Alicia has made a tidy fortune, and Justin desperately needs her money to save Athmore and settle Marc’s gambling debts.

Meanwhile, someone has been sabotaging Justin’s efforts to create a new type of fuel with which he hopes to revolutionise the auto industry. Eve is distrustful of both Marc and Alicia and decides to stay at Athmore until she can discover who is behind the malicious pranks. She’s joined in her efforts by an unlikely helper, Marc’s outspoken girlfriend, Dacia Keane.

Between mysterious night prowlers and near-fatal accidents, Eve and Dacia have much to contend with. Eve is also determined to win back her husband. Will she succeed in her pursuit of a Happily Ever After with Justin? And can she really trust Dacia?

Hunter’s Green is a fun read. In similarity to Mary Stewart’s books, it’s very much of its time and Justin is the typical old-fashioned, chauvinistic hero. Nonetheless, I liked the story and the characterization is superb. There is a relatively small cast of characters and each one is convincingly depicted – including the villain. The conclusion to the suspense plot was somewhat weak but this didn’t diminish my overall enjoyment of the book.

I sincerely hope that more of Phyllis Whitney’s books will be brought back into print. If Hunter’s Green is any indication of their quality, I’d love to read them.

I discovered the joys of Mary Stewart’s Gothic romances in January, and I’ve been steadily reading my way through her backlist ever since. This post is comprised of three mini-reviews, as was my previous post on Mary Stewart’s books.

THE IVY TREE (1961) BY MARY STEWART

The Premise: Mary Grey leaves Canada to travel to England, the land of her ancestors. While visiting Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland, she is confronted by an angry young man who insists she’s the image of his dead cousin, Annabel.

Once Mary finally persuades Connor Winslow that she’s not his late cousin, she finds herself drawn into a nefarious scheme of deception and impersonation to help Connor inherit the estate which he feels is rightfully his.

My Thoughts: The Ivy Tree is a wonderful book and one of my favourite of the six Mary Stewart books I’ve read so far. I’m relieved to be able to write a mini-review and not a longer one as this is a story full of delicious twists and turns which could only be spoiled by a more detailed synopsis. Highly recommended. A-

AIRS ABOVE THE GROUND (1965) BY MARY STEWART

The Premise: When Vanessa March is asked by a family friend to escort her teenage son to Vienna, she initially refuses. Vanessa is married to a man who travels a lot for work. They recently had an argument when he had to cancel a long-anticipated holiday in favour of a business trip to Sweden. Vanessa is still hoping that Lewis will return in time for them to have some sort of holiday to make up for the one they missed.

When a friend spots Lewis in a cinema newsreel of a recent fire in Austria, Vanessa can scarcely believe it. She goes to the cinema to watch the footage herself, and sees her husband in the company of a beautiful young woman in a country in which he’s not supposed to be. Furious, Vanessa makes the impulsive decision to accompany her friend’s son to Vienna after all, determined to track down her errant husband and confront him.

My Thoughts: This is another fun story by Mary Stewart. I loved the Austrian setting and the details about the Lipizzan stallions. The interaction between Vanessa and Timothy, her seventeen-year-old charge, was amusing, and I thought the romance element was particularly well done in this book. B

MY BROTHER MICHAEL (1960) BY MARY STEWART

The Premise: Camilla Haven has broken her engagement to the overbearing Philip and gone to Greece in search of adventure. A case of mistaken identity gives her possession of a hire car intended for someone named Simon at Delphi. As Camilla wants to visit Delphi in any case, she seizes the opportunity to drive the car there in search of the mysterious Simon. When she locates Simon, Camilla finds herself drawn into his quest to locate his brother’s killer.

My Thoughts: While I found the suspense plot rather weak in this book, I loved the Greek setting and the details about the history of Delphi. I also enjoyed the subtle but romantic interaction between Simon and Camilla. It is an old-fashioned story in the sense that Simon almost always takes the lead, but I was pleased to see Camilla start to assert herself as the book progressed. B

Have you read any of these books? If so, what did you think of them?

Thanks to Mary Stewart’s wonderful Nine Coaches Waiting, I’ve gotten over my reading slump and seem to be on a Gothic romance kick. When I started reading Nine Coaches Waiting, it occurred to me that I’d read hardly any books which qualify as Gothic romances. I loved Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca, which could be deemed a Gothic romance. One or two Georgette Heyer books could be considered Gothic Lite. Apart from that, this is a new genre for me.

So far, I’ve read the aforementioned Nine Coaches Waiting, plus Madam, Will You Talk? and Wildfire at Midnight, which are all by Mary Stewart. If you click on the links in the previous sentence, they’ll take you to the reviews of the books at All About Romance. Angie of Angieville also has a recent review of Nine Coaches Waiting at her blog.

This post is comprised of three mini reviews, plus my reflections on Gothic romances in general.

NINE COACHES WAITING (1958) BY MARY STEWART

The Premise: Linda Martin arrives in France to work as governess to nine-year-old Philippe, Comte de Valmy. Philippe was recently orphaned and now resides in the family Château with his paternal uncle, Léon de Valmy, and his wife, Héloise. Linda is excited to be back in France but uncomfortably aware that she got the job through lying by omission. Madame de Valmy was most insistent that Philippe’s new governess should be English and only speak that language with her charge. Linda concealed her half-French origins to secure employment, and now must butcher her perfect French in order to maintain the pretence.

Linda is wary of her new employers, particularly the charismatic wheelchair-bound Léon de Valmy. Even more disconcerting is Léon’s handsome son, Raoul. When a series of attempts are made on Philippe’s life, Linda realises she’s become embroiled in something sinister at the Château Valmy.

My Thoughts: This is a wonderful, old-fashioned story of suspense. While it is very much “of its time”, complete with melodrama and domineering alpha males, it was a fun read and one which I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend. A-

MADAM, WILL YOU TALK? (1955) BY MARY STEWART

The Premise: Charity Selborne is a wealthy widow. Her husband, Johnny, was a race car driver who died in WWII. Charity is newly arrived in Provence, where she intends to take a holiday with her old friend, Louise. Louise and Charity have a comfortable friendship and take care not to cramp each other’s style. While Charity loves to visit the tourist sites, Louise prefers to paint. They usually part ways in the mornings and meet up in the evenings for dinner.

The small hotel in which they are staying has an interesting assortment of guests. One of these is thirteen-year-old David Bristol with whom Charity strikes up a friendship. He’s a lonely boy staying with Loraine, his indifferent step-mother. Louise discovers that David’s father, Richard, and Loraine were at the centre of a notorious murder trial in which the father was accused of murdering Loraine’s lover. Although Richard was acquitted due to lack of evidence, Loraine retained custody of David.

When it becomes apparent that Loraine and David are on the run from Richard, Charity is determined to protect David. But is all as it seems?

My Thoughts: This is another winner from Mary Stewart. The mystery has a few nice twists and turns and the characterization is excellent. In order to accept the romance element, one has to believe in love at first sight. I found it a bit hard to swallow given the events directly preceding the declaration of undying love. Nevertheless, this book is a fun read and I adored the setting. B

WILDFIRE AT MIDNIGHT (1956) BY MARY STEWART

The Premise: Gianetta Drury is a renowned fashion model. Professionally, her life is a huge success. Personally, not so much. Gianetta married young and was devastated to discover her husband’s infidelity. She divorced Nicholas and has been single ever since. Worn out and over-worked, Gianetta’s boss suggests she take a holiday. When her parents recommend a small hotel on the Isle of Skye, Gianetta decides a spot of rustication is exactly what she needs.

When she arrives at scenic Camasunary, she is shocked to discover that one of her fellow hotel guests is none other than her ex-husband. To add to her consternation, it seems a murder was committed shortly before her arrival and one of the guests might be the culprit. In this tense situation, Gianetta nonetheless attempts to find rest and relaxation. The murderer, however, hasn’t finished their grisly work…

My Thoughts: As a suspense story, I adored this book. As a romance, I was unconvinced by the Happily Ever After. The mystery is tightly-woven and kept me guessing until the end. There were only a few scenes devoted to the development of Gianetta’s romance with Nicholas and I would have preferred more. That said, the story kept me up well past my usual bed time, and I finished the book in one sitting, and I look forward to re-reading it. A-

Some Reflections on Gothic Romance:

As I was writing my mini reviews, I noticed a common thread. I seem to object to the romantic set-ups in the novels. It occurred to me that my reaction was most likely predicated by my modern sensibilities. These days, readers rarely appreciate depictions of domineering alpha males, and I know Nicholas’ infidelity would generate a maelstrom of comments were it to be first published today. When I read an older book, I try to put my modern perspectives aside and appreciate the story as it would have been at the time it was written. This is, of course, easier said than done, and there are aspects which I find it difficult to swallow as a modern reader.

The books are written in the 1st Person and narrated by the respective heroines. We only see the heroes through their eyes. I realise some readers object to romances in the 1st Person, but this aspect doesn’t bother me. It fits the stories.

The characters in all of the novels mentioned above smoke incessantly. This reminds me how PC we’ve become with regards to smoking — and I say this as a non-smoker. I can’t recall a modern hero smoking in a romance novel. Occasional references to cigars are made in historical romances, but that is about it.

Given that I loved Daphne Du Maurier’s novels, I’m amazed I haven’t read Mary Stewart’s books before now. They are tremendous fun and I’ve ordered all of those which are still in print. I’ve also ordered a few by Victoria Holt and I intend to do a blog post devoted to mini reviews of her books.

Some Questions to Ponder:

• Have you ready any books by Mary Stewart? If so, did you enjoy them?
• How do you evaluate older books? Do you find it difficult to put aside modern beliefs/perspectives and judge a book according to the time in which it was written?