Night Shade

Night Shade by Dorothy Daniels
cover art by Hector Garrido
published by Pocket Books
Copyright 1976

Alsion, a lovely, young clinical psychologies, was
called to investigate the possible suicide of a cor-
porate giant, Clifford Dalton. She knew of the
dead man's harsh reputation, his last bitter words,
and his recorded threat to return and ruin all his
enemies. At the request of Dalton's relatives, a
medium was brought to a seance, and contact with
Dalton's spirit was made. From then on, his shade
haunted the household, and his maniacal laugh
resounded in the halls. Suddenly, two people asso-
ciated with the investigation were murdered.

As Alsion zeroed in on the truth, she realized that
she was marked as the next victim!

Sounds to me like Clifford Dalton is someone I could really relate to. I'm not talking about the whole corporate giant thing, or even the harsh reputation bit but, while I can't say I've ever partaken of a "sumptuous banquet", eating at Hometown Buffet ALWAYS makes me want to commit suicide.

Now if I was Alison, the lovely (and young) clinical psychologist, sent in to investigate this mysterious dinner time death, I'd say that with Hometown Buffet it is probably better to rule out food poisoning before bothering with the suicide thing.

We have a Hector Garrido cover here. Sadly I was unable to find much information regarding this artists himself but I did manage to find several additional samples of his work. The art sampling includes an absolutely fantastic cover for the Gothic romance novel Lodge Sinister and a cover for a GI Joe - Choose Your Own Adventure book. (When I was in 3rd grade I thought Choose Your Own Adventure books totally rocked!)

You can see more of Hector Garrido's cover work Nancy Drew Mysteries and The Hardy Boys series of books.

Thunder Heights & Baton Sinister

Thunder Heightsl by Phyllis A. Whitney
published by Ace Books
Copyright 1960

"THUNDER HEIGHTS IS A SUSPENSE
AND LOVE STORY APPEALING TO THOSE
WHO LOVE BRONTE, DU MAURIER
AND MARY STEWART" - Library Journal

Years ago Camilla King's mother died under
mysterious circumstances at Thunder Heights,
a gloomy, menacing old Gothic mansion
along the banks of the Hudson River.

Camilla's father, now dead, had always
forbidden her to set foot within Thunder
Heights' forbidding walls, but when her ailing
grandfather now summoned her, Camilla
went eagerly, hoping to find a home and a
family again.

What she found in this nest of bitter rivalries,
enduring hates and constant
dangers was that the same fate
that had befallen her mother
was being readied for her!

Its dark mood, brooking
atmosphere and realistic
backgrounds make
THUNDER HEIGHTS
"A romantic tale in
the turn Gothic
tradition." - Booklist.

I was already pretty impressed with this novel when I realized that the Ft. Wayne News - Sentinel compared it to "Rebecca" but when the back also promised "bitter rivalries" and "enduring hates" I was SOLD! Any one who has read this blog for any amount of time should know that the only thing better would be to boast "evil" and "the occult". This book is well deserving of my "Empty Promise" award. I promise I will read this one and get back to you regarding all of its splendor.

Okay, I love cover illustrations from the 50's, 60's and 70's. for any genre, but especially Gothic romance and the more racy men's novels. So when I ran into this graphic little cover, I had to scoop it up.

This back cover promises that Baton Sinister is going to duel and wench his way through "the glittering pomp of Renaissance Genoa". With this cover I believe it!

Some how it seems dirtier in red.

Reception at High Tower

Reception at High Tower by Dewey Ward
published by Dell Books
Copyright 1969
Cover Illustration: Robert McGinnis

THE MONSTROUS TRUTH OF HIGH TOWER

When Maurie Thomas returned against her will to
High Tower, it was as if she were setting foot in her
ancestral manor for the first time. The lovely young
girl had but recently emerged from the darkness of
insanity, and her memory had been destroyed.

But if she did not know the strange secret of High
Tower, there were those who did. Her imperious
grandmother, with her bitter hate for Maurie ... her
father, seeking solace in drink ... the silent, hand-
some groom ... the whispering servants.

Here, where the very walls and corridors seemed
rank with evil, Maurie felt rising from the icy depths
of her mind the horror that would not let her go.

Hooray, we have a McGinnis illustration. And what a fabulous job. I love this cover. The house is awesome and the chick truly look like she is insane. I totally buy it. I'm not sure if it is the nightgown falling from her shoulders, the bizarre way her left arm hangs dead at her side or even the weird way her long finger touch she face but she seems absolutely mad.

Born in Ohio in 1926, Robert McGinnis studied art at the Ohio State University and at the Central Academy of Commercial Art in Cincinnati, Ohio. With more than 11,000 book cover along with magazine illustrations and movie posters it would be hard not to have seen his work at some time or other.