The Spectral Bride

The Spectral Bride by Margaret Campbell
published by Signet Books
Copyright 1975

Terror or Romance,
Legend or Love?

Was lovely Adelaide Fenton a simple country girl, or was
she the pale shadow of another maiden who had met
violent death many years before? Was handsome James
Daintry, the last Earl of the Seagroves, a fanciful
young man, or the final victim of a legendary specter
which had taken its toll in madness and sorrow?
Was it the power of love which drew them together, or
were they caught in a darker pattern - cursed for a crime
they did not commit, reliving a tale they scarcely knew?

Adelaide's family warned her not to look beyond her
station. James's advisors tried to keep him from their
secret trysts. But fate beckoned them on, down a
pathway from which no once could turn them, on a journey
which must lead them to happiness or death ...

Okay, so is this cover supposed to lead us to believe that these "trysts" between Adelaide and James take place in a cemetery? And not just any normal run-of-the-mill cemetery either but a long forgotten, tall-grass, crumbling tombstone, condemned "where's the roof" abandoned church, kind of cemetery?

I mean, stealing a few hours with a forbidden lover could be great, but not if you spend those few hours checking each other's hair for ticks. I feel certain if they don't have ticks they are at least assaulted by chiggers.

I just don't think that shaw is going to give Adelaide the protection she needs in that environment but I'm not sure what would. Maybe one of those suits that people who keep bees have. Or at the very least she needs to be carrying a fly-swatter. Maybe it could be hanging elegantly from her wrist tied with a little satin ribbon.

A Shadow on the House

A Shadow on the House by Florence Stevenson
published by Signet Books
Copyright 1975

FAME, FORTUNE, ROMANCE -
OR TERROR IN A MANSION OF DOOM ...?

The concert at the magnificent Fowler mansion was to be
the beginning of a long and success-filled career for
lovely, young opera singer Leila MacKenzie. But when her
chaperone fell ill, Leila was forced to remain with her as
an unwilling guest of the Fowlers, mournfully watching
the opera company move on without her.

Yet almost before she knew it, Leila found herself caught
up in a new life - a life and love centered around
George Fowler, the handsome master of the mansion.
Even when she learned his dread family secret and the
tragic destiny of the other women in his life, Leila was not
afraid. It was not until the ancient curse began to work
that Leila understood the true meaning of fear and
the horror of the fate from which even George might not
be able to save her ...

Ah, once again we have another dumb girl with more time to kill than common sense.

I am willing to admit that we ALL have secrets. I, for one, would never want any of my business clients to know that I spend my spare time blogging about bad romance novels, comic books and View-Masters under the name Spectergirl. But it is always a good rule of thumb to NEVER pursue a romance with anyone who has a "family secret". It almost assuredly will have something to do with some sort of Wilbur Whately recessive gene, Hitler or cross-dressing (and not in a good Tim Currey kind of way).

Terror? A mansion of doom? Even the advertisers weren't going to pull out their A game for this sad little collection of clichés.

But what a great cover! The mansion is fantastic and the execution of the dress is wonderful.

The Towers of Fear

The Towers of Fear by Caroline Farr
Cover Art by Allen Kass
published by: Signet Books
Copyright 1972

THE TOWERS

OF FEAR

TERROR, LIKE A COLD
FOR, ENVELOPED THE HOUSE ...

To Storm Towers, the brooking mansion of the
wealthy and influential Hailsworth family, came
lovely black-haired Ali Cavanagh on a visit to her
former college friend, Joan, young daughter of
the house.

Almost at once Ali was drawn into the web of
mystery that encircled the Hailsworth family:
Joan, strangely remote, was locked in her private
nightmare world; Ursula, whose relationship with
Joan held sinister undertones; Monty, the
handsome playboy, who attracted Ali yet frightened
her by his strange behavior; Donald, whom Ali
longed to trust but didn't dare. And then there was
Greg, Ali's former colleague - what was the real
reason for his unexpected presence in the mansion?

All were captive to the fear that filled the vast halls
of the old house where an unknown intruder
prowled the hidden corridors. The silent menace
grew until one fearful night when Ali found herself
struggling against a faceless evil that threatened
her sanity-and her life-and Storm Towers
revealing its shocking secret ....

This whole Hailsworth family seems just a little too familiar. FLASH BACK 18 YEARS: Joan? Easily me. Strangely remote and also lock in a private nightmare world. Ursula? Totally my younger sister, our relationship has ALWAYS held sinister undertones. Monty? No doubt my older brother, if strange behavior can include playing role playing games. As for Donald and Greg? They could be any number of the people who paraded in and out of my childhood home. I can say with all confidence that I don't think I'd like this book.

Now this cover is an Allan Kass whom we have see here on "WRFH" before. In fact there is a blogger site here dedicated to to his work.

Allan Kass was born in New York City in 1917. He received his BFA in Painting from Syracuse University after which he received an apprenticeship in the fashion art department of a Manhattan newspaper.

He joined the Air Force during WW2 flying 44 combat missions over Burma and Thailand. He was awarded 2 Distinguished Flying Crosses and promoted to Captain.

After the end of the war he continued to fly for the Air Force, art becoming only a hobby. After not being called for duty for the Korean War, Allan Kass retired from the military and began again to work as an artist. This time for an auto catalogue located in Detroit.

In the last part of the 1960's, after years in advertising, Kass painted sample book cover illustrations and traveled to New York City to solicit freelance work from book publishers. Here began what Kass himself said was a more artistically satisfying career. (Though I personally am rather fond of his advertising work.)

With approximately 1000 book cover illustrations from 1969-1998 for publishers such as Signet and Fawcett covering Romance, Western, Young Adult, and Historical Fiction, Allan Kass retired. Eventually moving to Big Sky, Montana.

Allan Kass died September 2, 2005.

Below are just a few additional examples of his work.

Isle of the Unded

Isle of the Undead by Virginia Coffman
published by Signet Books
Copyright 1978

In the Land of Voodoo ...

St. Cloud, the tropical island where dashing Sir Anthony Fisher
and his beautiful (if a little cross-eyed), wealthy wife, Leslie, made
their home while Tony worked
on his latest novel ... St. Cloud, where native
drums beat out a nightly rhythm calling the islanders
forth for a dance of death ...

And what started for Leslie Fisher as a last attempt to save
her marriage soon became a nightmare of terror as
she helplessly watched Tony fall under a deadly voodoo spell.
Fearing for Tony's life and her own, Leslie turned
desperately to handsome Governor Edmund Durrell for help.
Edmund, devoted to Leslie, swore he would protect her.
Yet the enemy they faced drew on a force much older and more
powerful than any civil authority - a force that once
roused would never let its victims escape ...!

It is hard to believe that there could possibly be any one or thing more powerful then a local government official, but there you have it.

And really, why does one of her eyes appear to be lazy? Unless her lazy eye plays some sort of role in our story I'd think the artist would have changes that. But I haven't actually read the book so who am I to judge. Her eye could play a very important rule for all I know BUT since our back cover synopsis seems to all but tell you the thrilling conclusion of the tale, you'd think they would have mentioned it.

The Unsheltered

The Unsheltered by Dewey Ward

published by Signet Books
Copyright 1966

They had made her an outsider

They had killed her mother, the only person Sara King ever
loved. Now, they nakedly coveted Seabrea, the neglected
hilltop estate - Sara King's last possession.

Mobilized by hate, Sara King struck out. Her target was an
entire community. Her weapon was her breathtaking beauty.
"The book may be highty plotted, but it is well plotted. Mrs. Ward has the storyteller's knack to keeping people in motion."
- THE NEW YOUR TIMES BOOK REVIEW

"An exciting and engrossing examination of the emotional degeneration of a warped and wondering human spirit."
- CHICAGO TRIBUNE

NOW IN SIGNET PAPERBACK

i JAN CREMER
an autobiographical novel

WOW! WHAT A BOOK!

It's the roring sensation of the crazy sixties.
"ADVENTURES CAPABLE OF GREYING THE HAIR
OF EVEN A CASUAL PURITAN" - The New York Times

Again, no artist listing here but a nice cover. The story is a nice change from the everyday gothic formula.

Shadow Over Grove House

Shadow Over Grove House by Mary Linn Roby

published by Signet Books
Copyright 1973

A WHIRLPOOL OF EVIL

Since her husband's tragic death the year before,
Amanda Harcourt had been living in somber
seclusion in her father-in-law's lonely Victorian
house. And now, this stranger, Michael Kyd, a
darkly handsome man who bore a disturbing
resemblance to her dead husband, had crossed the
threshold and declared: "...it was no accident that
your husband died...he was MURDERED!"... And
so the stage was set for a drama of hate and greed
that would plunge her into a turmoil of malice-
and passion.

Step by step, terror by terror, Amanda learned the
truth about her husband's death. But not before
she was torn by a growing fear of the man she had
come to love...

The art for this cover is signed by Allen Kass. There is a fabulous group on Facebook dedicated to his work where you can view a vast number of his cover illustration. Click here to see their gallery of nearly 600 Kass covers.

Woman in Black

Woman in Black by Monica Heath

published by Signet Books
Copyright 1974

Mansion of Terror-

Julie had come West expecting a loving reunion
with her father, wealthy John McKay. But McKay mansion
turned a foreboding face to Julie, for her father was
dead, and her step-family viewed with hostile suspicion the
newcomer out to claim the family fortune. And when
suddenly the shrouded figure of the woman in black began
to haunt her, warning her to leave the mansion,
Julie did not know who to trust.

But in spite of herself, Julie found herself drawn to
Greg Gallagher, the handsome, brooding man whose name
was linked with so many unsolved mysteries of
the town. Julie knew it was madness to harbor such ardent
feelings about the man who might have murdered
her father, but she found herself caught in a tightening
web of terror. Could she dare express her love, and
trust her fate to this strange but irresistible man who might
lead her to her doom...?

Assignment: Can Julie pick'em, or can she pick'em? Okay, I've never read this but it just screams Scooby Doo. And, so that you'll are never find yourself fooled by some old caretaker in a rubber mask, please watch at least 4 hours of Scooby Doo, Where Are You? and take notes.