Fiction / Gothic Romance-Thriller
639 pages
4 Stars
Before I begin my reviews please note I seldom read condensed books, and bought this online, having been assured by the seller it was not condensed. The illustrations are charming. Alas, it was. I must admit, I am somewhat familiar with a couple of the authors, and I think the Reader’s Digest Condensing Staff did a fairly good job. So…
Moonraker’s Bride—by Madeleine Brent (aka Peter O’Donnell). The reason for buy the book, actually. A friend recommended it. The story begins in Tsin Kai-feng, China where the orphan Lucy Waring lives. Her parents were missionaries and died when she was a baby. She was then raised by two women, only one of which who now lives, also missionaries. It is up to Lucy to take care of the children, figure out how to procure food, etc., since the mission committee no longer supports them.
Through a series of events, she finds herself meeting two Englishmen, both seeking treasure. Alas, one, she meets in prison—she for attempted theft, he for desecration of a tomb—and because he helps her buy her way out, she marries him and receives the gold he had secreted on his person. He writes a will, has it witnessed by two other Europeans, and tells her to return to England and see his lawyer in 6 months.
Intrigue, treasure, love, everything that makes a good gothic novel, well, Gothic.
The Golden Unicorn—by Phyllis A. Whitney. The television journalist, Courtney Marsh new she was adopted, and now that her loving adoptive parents are both dead, she comes upon a clue to who her birth mother might be. Alas, those records are sealed, and she cannot find out through legal and proper channels. One clue is a pendant she found that she thinks, may have been hers since birth or a golden unicorn. She takes it to an art dealer and discovers there is a reclusive artist in the Hamptons who almost always paints unicorns someplace in her art, often in the moon. Her work is quite famous, and against all odds, Courtney gains an interview and time at the home of the artist.
True to form, no one at the home from siblings to in-laws to adult children are “normal.” And someone wants Courtney gone. For good.
Kirkland Revels —by Victoria Holt. Cathy comes home from school to a dark and gloomy house. Her mother died when she was a babe, her father was aloof. She meets Gabriel out on the moors, and though not passionately in love with him, she likes him, and feels sorry for him, and agrees to marry him. When they go to him home, Kirkland Revels, she finds herself caught up in family intrigues she had no idea existed except possibly in fiction.
Kirkland Revels is anything but fun. No revelry here. Death. Ghosts. Not wanted by anyone in the family, with no friends and no one to turn to, Cathy must choose her companions carefully. At least one wants her dead. Or locked in an asylum.
Wings of the Falcon —by Barbara Michaels. Francesca is a young Englishwoman. Her mother was Italian, died when she was young (do you see a pattern here?) and her father, the Englishman, died as she becomes a young woman. He never talked about her mother’s family, but shortly before his death of consumption, he wrote a letter to them, explaining and asking. (Do you really need to know what? In either case?) He dies. The evil landlord is into bodice ripping and just as he’s about to go to the next step, into the room steps a dashing young count who rescues her and takes her home to there grandfather, the Prince Tarconti.
She meets her two male cousins, twins, one crippled by a horse-riding accident, the studious one. The other the dashing young swain. She also meets her aunt and another cousin, female. This is set in the time when Italy was rebelling to become a unified country instead of city states, etc. The popes, of course, didn’t want the unification. Francesca is in the northern, Piedmonte area, and the local rebel leader is known as il Falcone. He cuts a dashing figure and is the Italian version of Robin Hood, or perhaps Zorro. Oh, come now Gentle Readers, surely you can figure it out. But it was a fun read, especially since it was in Italy and not dark and gloomy England.
The Lady of Mallow —by Dorothy Eden. A long-lost son, Blaine and his small boy, Titus suddenly arrive to take their place at the House of Mallow. The mother, Lady Malvina is so starved for her son who left in a rage 20 years plus ago to come home, she is willing to overlook a few forgotten things due to his “amnesia.” She hates his wife but adores little Titus. In the meantime, her nephew Ambrose, who was sure he would be the heir, sued and lost.
Sarah Mildmay, the fiancé of Ambrose, decides to go to work for the Mallows to help Ambrose, her one true love, take his rightful place as Lord of the Manner. But things are not what they seem. Amalie, Lady Mallow and her husband’s marriage does not ring true. And the boy, Titus, not only bonds with Sarah, but she with him. People sneak in, people sneak out, Miss Mildmay keeps a journal and writes her beloved Ambrose of her findings. He is also playing detective and returns to Mallow House at the climactic end to announce his findings and reclaim what he is sure is rightfully his—the house, Miss Mildmay, the title, the money.
River Rising —by Jessica North. Rochelle Dumont never knew her father. If she asked her mother about him, she was told he’d died, end of story. At the age of two, her mother, Charlotte Armitage, took young Rochelle and left the Canadian side of the St. Lawrence River for Antigua where Rochelle grew up. As her mother laying dying (note the reverse here?) she tells Rochelle never to trust her Canadian Armitage family and dies. Sometime later, she receives a letter from her Aunt Regina, of River Rising, the big house on the river cliff, with an invitation to come home to, and meet, her family, and the funds to do so.
With her mother’s words echoing in her memory, she goes. The village is almost medieval. The large chateau is rumored to be haunted. Her first introduction to the villagers is less than friendly, her introduction to her family isn’t much warmer. She isn’t wanted. Well of course she isn’t wanted. If she was wanted this wouldn’t be a Gothic Thriller, would it? But why isn’t she wanted? And who wants her dead? The cousin? The friend? The dashing boat captain? The village witch?
This is, truly a fun anthology. If you would like a copy, I suggest you check out www.abebooks.com