Dark Shadows - Barnabas, Quentin and the Haunted Cave - Book 21

Barnabas, Quentin and the Haunted Cave by Marilyn (Dan) Ross
published by Harper Collins Publishing
Copyright 1970

Harriet Turnbridge asks Barnabas Collins
for help after her husband, her brother-in-
law, and father-in-law are found dead, their
throats savagely ripped open.

The police insist the killer is a mad beast.
Harriet thinks that the phantom recently
seen at Collinwood is responsible. Barnabas
suspects that Quentin Collins, disguised a
wealthy hippie, is guilty.

Where will they find the murderer? In the
nightmare world of Harriet's dreams? In the
haunted cave beneath the Collins' family
cemetery? Or in another century - when
witchcraft and demonology threatened Col-
linwood?

I was very excited to pick up 3 more of the Dark Shadows paperbacks this weekend, and while their covers do not hold the iconic image this site is dedicated to seeking out, Dark Shadows is just awesome!

Why, if not a woman running from a house, couldn't this cover hold an image of David Selby disguised as a "wealthy hippie"? I wonder exactly what a wealthy hippie would look like. I only know that they would smoke the very best of weed.

Much like the television show there doesn't ever seem to be much attention paid to the details with these books. If you take a closer look you'll notice that the image on the front isn't even in the correct proportion for the oval inset and they just added a sad little block of gray at the top. But that is all made up for by Quentin Collins sporting one of those sport jacket and tight dress pant ensembles all the woman love.

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.

Drifthaven

Drifthaven by Dan Ross writing as Clarissa Ross
published by Avon Books
Copyright 1974

A Chilling
Performance
By An Actor's
Ghost

When Jean finally regained consciousness in the
hospital, her brother-in-law Ian was at her bedside.
He explained that she'd been lying there unconscious
for five years as a result of the car crash that had
taken her husband Darrel's life.

Darrel had been a successful actor, but a
temperamental one and a hard drinker. Their
marriage had always been a stormy one. Right after
she left the hospital, Jean realized that her problems
with Darrel were far from over. Her husband's
ghost began to make frequent appearances. Jean was
soon aware that Darrel intended to kill her. But a
spirit surely couldn't do her real physical harm ...
or could it?

How many of you are guessing that it is actually going to be her brother-in-law Ian. He wants all the money her dead husband left to her. He probably had control of it while she was in a comma and, after five years, doesn't want to loose it.

But it seems to me that after five years in a comma you are bound to wake up with some sort of supernatural powers. I don't see any way around it. Maybe she can read your thoughts. Maybe she knows what is going to happen minutes before it does. Maybe she can send you flying across the room with only an evil stare. It's hard to say, but one thing for sure is nobody better mess with Jean. And not just because she has a tough-girl, Camel smokin', steal your boyfriend and then beat you up kind of name either.

Out of the Fog

Out of the Fog by Dan Ross writing as Clarissa Ross
published by Magnum Books
Copyright 1979

THE SHROUDED PAST

The three neighboring houses on
Maine's seacoast seemed lost in the
fog, cut off from the rest of the world.
The houses belonged to Vera Waters,
her aunt - and now there was a strange
new family, who came shrouded in
mystery as deep as the fog. Who were
the Harpers? Just two men and a
woman who, as they claimed, liked the
area? If so, why did Aunt Samantha's
astrological readings, usually happy
and frequently correct, warn Vera
of impending danger?

The threat to Vera's sanity and life
become brutally clear the day a private
investigator arrived in town. One of
the Harpers, and Detective Egan, was
mad, haunted by an ancient murder -
and driven to kill again! Vera, equally
compelled, found herself the unwilling
bait in a trap more terrifying than
her worst imaginings!

I know exactly what Vera is going through. I know that more than once I had to wonder at the true motivation of my own neighbors. It is hard to believe that so many people would actually want to move into a housing development on a edge of Galloway Ohio. Really? You liked the area? I doubt it.

Also, what is that outfit. It's like she is a flasher. Well I guess the white gloves make her a "fancy" flasher, but still.

No signature on this one but this just one more reason I totally want to visit Maine. That has got to be the most exciting State in the Union.

The Third Spectre

The Third Spectre by Dan Ross
published by Macfadden-Bartell Books
Copyright 1967

Welcome
to Terror ...

The newlyweds had come home to the
Marchand mansion. But the silent old manor
house quivered with hidden terrors.

Their life together had just begun, yet,
suddenly, it faced a horrible - and abrupt -
ending. For the beautiful bride had just re-
ceived an invitation to die. And the murderer
was near ... very near ...

The best thing about this book, besides the fabulous eye shadow, is the name of Dan Ross. Under that name Marilyn Ross, Dan Ross wrote 32 Dark Shadows novels between 1966 and 1972.

While, sadly, only the cover of the 2nd novel is graced by a woman running from a house, the Dark Shadows book series is an entertaining addition to one of these best, if a little cheap, Gothic television shows ever.

Thought breaking on my cover rule, I'll be dedicating all of October to the Dark Shadows series of books.