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.

This Ancient Evil

This Ancient Evil by Dorothy Daniels
published by Lancer Books
Copyright 1966

THE BROODING GHOSTS

Verna Ward was worried. Worried ... and determined
in spite of her fear.

A strange, apparently supernatural menace had taken
hold of her best friend, Lucia. Elusive and silent by
day - she walked by night and performed rituals to
the Aztec gods whose pyramid temple loomed men-
acingly over the Mendoz ranch.

Verna had to find the explanation - no matter what the
cost of her own life and wonderful new love ...

Unless Verna Ward plans to handle some highly toxic liquid I don't know why she is wearing those awful gloves.

Several years back I worked for the kind of research and development company where there were almost as many men in military uniforms as there were people in lab coats, and I can tell you that her gloves are pretty heavy duty for a chick wearing a bow that's wider than her waist.

But maybe the bow is so large to help minimise her waist and the gigantic "Umbrella Corporation" gloves are to distract from the crazy-ass giant bow. Maybe her whole fashion statement is a variation on the "Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly" thing and if we were able to see her feet it would just get WAY uglier.

I'd sure like to think so!

The Most Dangerous Game - Mill Reef Hall

Mill Reef Hall by Ariadne Pritchett
published by Fawcett Books
Copyright 1968

From the moment she stepped out
of the coach into the blinding
snowstorm, Lilia Franklin felt a strange chill
that was from something more than the
icy blasts that whipped at her.

Another might have turned back. But the
raven-haired young girl who had been
hired as nurse-companion to old Lord Reef
had curiosity as well as courage. Besides,
there was no alternative. She was a
penniless orphan.

Then she met Lord Reef's brother Seaton
and nephew Edgar and was more certain
than ever that she was in danger. Never had
she been made to feel so unwelcome. She
could not know then that she was in their way.

For they did not want to wait for old
Lord Reef to die. And now they had to plan
for Lilia, too. But Lilia was more than
they bargained for - much
more. And she had a few
plans of her own ...

If someday in the far future I need to hire a nurse-companion I will definitely hire myself a penniless orphan. It appears they will take all kinds of shit from you. I bet you could even hunt them. You know, give them something like an hour head start on the extensive grounds of your evil mansion and then just hunt them. My weapon of choice would be a bow but it is really a hell of a lot of fun to shoot a gun.

But anyway, back to my possible far future employee needs. I will hire a nurse-companion BUT will not hire a nurse-companion with such a long neck. I would have problems not staring and staring would just be rude. Still, a neck like that would really look great mounted on the wall of my game room.

Here we have a signed cover by the prolific Harry Bennett.

Born in Lewisboro, New York in 1925, Bennett was raised in Connecticut and studied painting and illustration at the American Academy of Art in Chicago after returning from his service in the South Pacific during World War II.

He began is commercial illustration career working in advertising with companies such as Pepsi and Keds in the late 40's and early 50's before moving on to illustrating book covers for publishers such as Fawcett, Crest and many others.

Below are several examples of other cover illustration you may or may not have seen.

Cry Shame, 1950 Illustrated Cover

Spectergirl's Crypt of Post-Code Horror

Life not horrific enough? Stop by...

Spectergirl's Crypt of Post-Code Horror

We've dusted off a mouldering short-box of penny-dreadfuls from the Bronze Age of FEAR!

It's TERROR only the Comics Code Authority would DARE approve!

They said it couldn't be done! - Dark Interval

Yep, that's right. They said it couldn't be done but with today's offering I will have judged exactly 100 books by their covers!

On our journey we have seen beautiful illustrations and childlike scrawls. We have seen lovely ladies and frightening drag queens. We have seen looming castles, Greek ruins, crypts, swamps and turbulent seas. And we were even lucky enough to see a wheelchair.

So I wanted to thank you for stopping by as Women Running from Houses celebrates its 100th book and vows to bring you 100 more!

Dark Interval by Joan Aiken
published by Pocket Books
Copyright 1974


She Woke to Terror

When Caroline awakened, she didn't know where
she was. Then a name pricked at her memory.
Beaumont - a word from her childhood at the
manor. Beaumont - where the hopelessly mad
were committed. Beaumont - great, gloomy
home of the living dead.

And now she was there, watched over by hard-
eyed nurses, visited by a doctor whose smile could
not hide the icy indifference of his gaze. Why was
she there? How could she escape? And above all,
where was the man who had claimed her body
and destroyed her mind - and who she so des-
perately loved?

This cover brings many questions to mind the least of which concerns that woman's creepy man-hands. Yikes! Questions like how much does it cost to check into a mental health facility located in a castle? Does that floor length pink gown come in a straight jacket? And is it really a good idea to have crumbling archway structures dotting the landscape outside of a madhouse?

All sensible questions.

But my real question is if there is really anything unhealthy about "desperately" loving someone who wants to destroy your mind? Isn't that the whole bad-boy thing taken to a super extreme? And EVERYBODY knows that if a little of something is good for you a whole lot more is even better,

If loving a man who wants to destroy my mind is wrong I don't want to be right!