The Spectral Mist

The Spectral Mist by Dan Ross writing under Clarissa Ross
published by Magnum Books
Copyright 1972

ASK NO QUESTIONS ...

The huge old house on the California
coast seemed to be constantly
shrouded in fog, which added to the
gloom that permeated the atmosphere
and affected the senses of the people
who lived there. The master of the
house was the famed poet, Ford Hunt -
who had not been seen by anyone
but his nephew and his manservant
since the death of his wife, five years
ago. The old man kept to his attic
apartment, communicating with
no one below ... but did he really live
there? What was he hiding from ...
if indeed he was still alive? Enid Blair
could not help asking herself that
and many other questions when she
came to Cliffcrest after a whirlwind
courtship and marriage. Now she was
Geoffrey's bride, and should have
been happy in the household of such
famous a man - but Geoffrey seemed
married to the service of her
mysterious uncle ... and to a secret
so shocking that it was to
threaten Enid's sanity ... and life!

Okay, so the way I see it, Enid Blair just married a guy without a job. Oh yeah, he can say that he is some sort of personal secretary to his uncle, who may or may not exist, but from experience I can tell you that is most certainly code for "family mooch". Ford Hunt maybe a famous poet, but lets me honest, even the most well paid poet would have a hard time supporting himself, his manservant, his family and the families of his siblings and still pay the mortgage on his fog shrouded home.

Yes this cover is pretty damaged but I had to jump on picking up a Women Running From Houses book with a photo cover. This is the first time I personally have ever seen that done. Add to this fact that it is a Dan Ross and that it also features a young Grayson Hall lookalike (or is it just the open mouth stare), how could anyone say no.

Bellwood

Bellwood by Elisabeth Ogilvie
published by Dell Books
Copyright 1968

AT FIRST CAROLINE ASKED NO QUESTIONS...

Bellwood seemed too good to be
true when lovely Caroline Brew-
ster took up her post as governess
at the isolated mansion on the
great cliff overlooking the sea.

Her young charge, Tim, though
crippled, was delightfully alive.
The landscape was dreamlike. And
above all, there was the darkly
handsome master, Rees Morgan.

Caroline was sure she could help
this proud and lonely man forget
the horrible death of his wife, ease
the torture in his eyes, stop his
strange, savage outbursts of rage.
Too late Caroline realized that
Bellwood held a secret that
cursed all who dwelled (sic) ther, and
there was no escape...

We have a three choices here. Caroline is either wearing her schoolmarm get-up, a sexy nightgown in hopes of seducing Rees Morgan, or a cheap wedding dress with a elastic waistband.

While white is great for helping to camouflage chalk dust and on a governess's salary an economical wedding dress maybe the only option, I am voting for seduction-wear.

What woman wouldn't go to any length to secure herself the darkly handsome master of a mansion. Especially if he has tortured eyes and has savage outbursts of rage. The later of which was nothing what-so-ever to do with the horrible death of his wife. Nothing.

Remember there isn't a character defect in the world that really loving a man can't fix.

Harriet, the Haunted

Harriet, the Haunted by Katheryn Kimbrough
published by Popular Library
Copyright 1976

Saga of the Phenwick Women
HARRIET,
THE HAUNTED

is one of the spellbinding novels in the greatest
series of gothic romances ever conceived.
You won't want to miss the others,
exclusively in Popular Library editions.

Lovely young Harriet was the picture of innocence - yet
within her seethed a secret that filled her with shame, and
threatened her with madness and death. (you know,
I am beginning to think these Phenwick men are simply
attracted to the wrong kind of girl)

Growing up on a lush Southern Plantation, Harriet had
been victim of a violent act that ripped her innocence from
her, and left her with a mind clouded by the unspeakable
event. Now years later Harriet hoped that time had healed
her ghastly emotional wound, and that she was free to give
herself to the handsome suitor who offered her his love and
the Phenwick name. Then Harriet discovered that terrifying
truth. The satanic spirit of the man who had caused her so
much misery was reaching out from beyond the grave to
claim her once again with his passion, and torture her with
his eternal vengeance. And not even love seemed able to
protect the most horror-haunted of all the Phenwick
women from this diabolical possession and the hellish abyss
that opened up to claim her ...

It is "So, is that a wedding dress or what?" week but when looking at this book, the question of whether our leading lady is wearing a wedding dress is actually secondary to the question of whether Katheryn Kimbrough had simply run out of good names. No offence to any Harriets out there but it doesn't seem to be a real romance novel kind of name. There is nothing inherently sexy about it, but I guess not all of us can have a name like Sugar Hill.


But, back to our question at hand. I would have to say that yes, that must be a wedding dress. Look how carefully she holds up the length to help protect it as she ... walk around in a swamp. Look at the hair she had curled so carefully and the subtle yet beautiful emerald earrings. And the neck line, cut to flatter her neck and narrow her shoulders. This absolutely has to be a wedding dress or she is really, really trying to over compensate for that name.

The Pretty Ones

The Pretty Ones by Dorothy Eden
published by Ace Books
Copyright 1957

The
Pretty Ones

SHADOWS BEHIND SHADOWS; WHEELS
WITHIN WHEELS. THIS WAS
COURTLANDS, EMMA'S NEW HOME... (what
on earth are they talking about?)

It seemed that nothing would ever
upset the joys of marriage for Emma and
her husband Barnaby, even though she
knew little about the man she had met
and married in a matter of weeks. (so what
exactly are you basing this eternal optimism on?)

Then the unpleasant rumors started
-that Barnaby's first wife disappeared
under sinister circumstances; that no one
really knew what happened to the two
pretty young governesses who simply
ran off without cause or explanation.

Emma trusted Barnaby; there were
no questions she could or would ask him.
But when a pathetic, lonely grave turned
up in the field, her loyalty to her brood-
ing, secretive husband gave way to cold,
hard fear ...

Okay, I knew my husband (Aaron Bias - See Silver Age Gold) pretty well when we got married. In fact, I could, with all confidence say I trusted him completely. (Oh to be 21 and naive again) but I would have to say, I would not have had any hesitation is suspecting that he was responsible for a mass grave in my backyard even without all the suspicious circumstances surrounding this guy.

I mean really. Mysterious disappearances, brooding, secretiveness? Emma, that ugly shirt isn't going to save you from having your neck broken.