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Dark Shadows #19
Barnabas, Quentin and the Crystal Coffin
Heiress Betty Ward is worried about her twin sister, who has eloped with Jeremy Frene. She follows them from Paris to the Frene estate at Collinwood -- but arrives too late!
Her twin is dead, victim of a mysterious illness. Her body has been sealed in a crystal coffin and kept in a darkened room. Jeremy swears that because her ghost returns to the castle each night, he refuses to bury the coffin.
Betty is convinced her sister's death was not a natural one. Jeremy's aunt opposed the marriage. Her ally against the couple seems to have been Quentin Collins a suspected werewolf.
Betty turns to Barnabas Collins for help, despite the rumors that he is a vampire. But she does not realize that by doing so, she has placed herself in mortal danger...
Her twin is dead, victim of a mysterious illness. Her body has been sealed in a crystal coffin and kept in a darkened room. Jeremy swears that because her ghost returns to the castle each night, he refuses to bury the coffin.
Betty is convinced her sister's death was not a natural one. Jeremy's aunt opposed the marriage. Her ally against the couple seems to have been Quentin Collins a suspected werewolf.
Betty turns to Barnabas Collins for help, despite the rumors that he is a vampire. But she does not realize that by doing so, she has placed herself in mortal danger...
157 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 1970
158 people want to read
About the author
Marilyn Ross
126 books61 followersWilliam Edward Daniel Ross, W. E. Daniel "Dan" Ross (born 1912) is a bestselling Canadian novelist from Saint John, New Brunswick who wrote over 300 books in a variety of genres and under a variety of mostly female pseudonyms such as Laura Frances Brooks, Lydia Colby, Rose Dana, Jan Daniels, Olin Ross, Diane Randall, Clarissa Ross, Leslie Ames, Ruth Dorset, Ann Gilmer, Jane Rossiter, Dan Ross, Dana Ross, Marilyn Ross, Dan Roberts, and W.E.D. Ross. As Marilyn Ross he wrote popular Gothic fiction including a series of novels about the vampire Barnabas Collins based on the American TV series Dark Shadows (1966-71).
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 15, 2019
I started reading Marilyn Ross’s novelizations of “Dark Shadows” episodes as what is called these as a tween. They were still being published at the time, but in a town with no bookstores and a library miles away, I found them in Goodwill, in the book bin where they could be had for a nickel or dime. (I know I’m dating myself here!). Then, as I mention elsewhere (Sects and Violence in the Ancient World), I gave them away when I thought I’d grown up. I’ve spent the last several years regathering the collection and each time I read one I have to remind myself why I’m doing it.
The stories are formulaic and often not at all surprising. Characters can’t figure out that Barnabas is a vampire—but a good one!—and all the girls fall in love with him. Still, I can stop myself from reading one every once in a while. Barnabas, Quentin and the Crystal Coffin is one of the episodes set in the past. When the standard narrative of Barnabas visits Collinwood, something mysterious happens, people blame Barnabas, Barnabas solves the mystery and disappears, grows too old, Ross throws the story into the past and bring in cousin Quentin, the werewolf in the family tree. It all comes to pulp fiction fun and bland writing, but like potato chips, although they’re not good for you once you start you can’t stop.
This story has less of Barnabas and more of the backstory of the heroine, Betty Ward. It features a cross-Atlantic voyage and a creepy artist as well as the deranged aunt and ghost with a Scooby-Doo ending. And yet still I read. W. E. D. Ross (Dan Ross), is considered one of Canada’s most prolific writers. He wrote hundreds of brief books like this and I can’t grudge him making a living off what many of us wish we could do. And people like me will keep coming back to reread the stories, although we know what to expect before we open the familiar olive green cover.
The stories are formulaic and often not at all surprising. Characters can’t figure out that Barnabas is a vampire—but a good one!—and all the girls fall in love with him. Still, I can stop myself from reading one every once in a while. Barnabas, Quentin and the Crystal Coffin is one of the episodes set in the past. When the standard narrative of Barnabas visits Collinwood, something mysterious happens, people blame Barnabas, Barnabas solves the mystery and disappears, grows too old, Ross throws the story into the past and bring in cousin Quentin, the werewolf in the family tree. It all comes to pulp fiction fun and bland writing, but like potato chips, although they’re not good for you once you start you can’t stop.
This story has less of Barnabas and more of the backstory of the heroine, Betty Ward. It features a cross-Atlantic voyage and a creepy artist as well as the deranged aunt and ghost with a Scooby-Doo ending. And yet still I read. W. E. D. Ross (Dan Ross), is considered one of Canada’s most prolific writers. He wrote hundreds of brief books like this and I can’t grudge him making a living off what many of us wish we could do. And people like me will keep coming back to reread the stories, although we know what to expect before we open the familiar olive green cover.
March 25, 2025
This one was nutty even for this series. As in "Paperback from Hell" nutty, as this story could have fit right into that recently created subgenre.
There's too much nuttiness to get into totally, but Quentin is still evil and Barnabas has another woman fall in love with him. Yes, that happens every novel. I think it's his vampiric hypnotism although it's never been fully stated. There's more insane characters in this volume than usual, and the main villain was revealed to be truly evil.
I've heard these described as "so bad they're good", and that did fit this one. It was nutty, but oh so entertaining. On to the next!
There's too much nuttiness to get into totally, but Quentin is still evil and Barnabas has another woman fall in love with him. Yes, that happens every novel. I think it's his vampiric hypnotism although it's never been fully stated. There's more insane characters in this volume than usual, and the main villain was revealed to be truly evil.
I've heard these described as "so bad they're good", and that did fit this one. It was nutty, but oh so entertaining. On to the next!
January 22, 2012
Back in earlier centuries, before embalming became a regular practice, there were actual and horrific cases of people being buried alive. Author Dan ("Marilyn") Ross uses this motif in BARNABAS, QUENTIN AND THE CRYSTAL COFFIN to chilling effect. For here the burial will be INTENTIONAL and the perpetrator an immensely evil character. This book scared me a lot when I first read it, back in 1970. It still scares me today!
The heroine is Betty Ward, a smarter-than-usual Ross character. She leaves her home in England and comes to America to investigate the mysterious "death" of her twin sister, Georgette. Georgette's body, she discovers, has been placed in a crystal coffin by grieving hubby Jeremy Frene. (The time period is late Victorian, when mourning had become a regular art form.) Betty soon suspects that Georgette may have been murdered by someone at Frene Castle, Georgette's married home. (It is near Collinwood and the Frenes, we learns, are related to the Collins family.) Before long, in an eerie but not altogether unexpected twist, Betty begins seeing her sister's ghost! She applies to Barnabas Collins for help and predictably, falls in love with him. Yet she's also friendly---at least initially---with werewolf Quentin, who may have formed an evil alliance with Georgette's likely killer...
A good read. This one was atmospheric and weird.
The heroine is Betty Ward, a smarter-than-usual Ross character. She leaves her home in England and comes to America to investigate the mysterious "death" of her twin sister, Georgette. Georgette's body, she discovers, has been placed in a crystal coffin by grieving hubby Jeremy Frene. (The time period is late Victorian, when mourning had become a regular art form.) Betty soon suspects that Georgette may have been murdered by someone at Frene Castle, Georgette's married home. (It is near Collinwood and the Frenes, we learns, are related to the Collins family.) Before long, in an eerie but not altogether unexpected twist, Betty begins seeing her sister's ghost! She applies to Barnabas Collins for help and predictably, falls in love with him. Yet she's also friendly---at least initially---with werewolf Quentin, who may have formed an evil alliance with Georgette's likely killer...
A good read. This one was atmospheric and weird.
December 28, 2017
This one was a bit more gory than others I've read in the series. Embalming a woman in a crystal coffin qualifies. And this book, once again, paints Quentin in a diabolical role. I guess he was just introduced into the show when this book was written and before he became a fangirl's dream.
Not too bad, but I've read better books in this Dark Shadows tome.
Not too bad, but I've read better books in this Dark Shadows tome.
April 18, 2020
"Marilyn" Ross brought his A game for this one, in which a protagonist not in the TV series travels from her home in England, first to France, then to Collinwood in search of her twin sister, whom she believes to be in grave danger. Turns out, said sister is in the titular Crystal Coffin, not in a grave. We have a vampire and a werewolf, but neither are the focus of the book. Usually these books feature a series of mysterious attacks and Barnabas or Quentin or both must leave before being driven out by the villagers. This time Barnabas only takes a little nip out of the heroine, and Quentin doesn't do too much harm in his werewolf guise. I didn't see the twist ending coming, but I'll admit to turning my brain off when I read these masterpieces. So, to review, we have ripoffs of Dracula, The Wolf Man, The Fall of the House of Usher, and The Lady of the Shroud. Three stars if you're not a Dark Shadows fan, four stars if you are. Honestly, one of the better books in the series.
January 9, 2022
For me, this was an entertaining entry in the Dark Shadows series.
Though we open with Present day Carolyn and Barnabas, we soon switch to the past, as Barnabas tells her a story.
Betty Ward comes to Collinsport, to try and find her twin sister.
This entry is interesting, in that it goes away from the usual formula established in previous novels.
No action takes place in Collinwood.
After his brief appearance at the beginning of the book, Barnabas is not in the story until page 60.
The heroine Betty takes up much of the story.
And though she eventually finds herself falling for Barnabas, it is not a major part of the story, or the major point.
But again, Quentin is not presented in a good light, and he's not in the story much.
This one did keep me guessing, until the end.
As always the writing is very good when describing the fog and the rain. Good atmosphere.
Though we open with Present day Carolyn and Barnabas, we soon switch to the past, as Barnabas tells her a story.
Betty Ward comes to Collinsport, to try and find her twin sister.
This entry is interesting, in that it goes away from the usual formula established in previous novels.
No action takes place in Collinwood.
After his brief appearance at the beginning of the book, Barnabas is not in the story until page 60.
The heroine Betty takes up much of the story.
And though she eventually finds herself falling for Barnabas, it is not a major part of the story, or the major point.
But again, Quentin is not presented in a good light, and he's not in the story much.
This one did keep me guessing, until the end.
As always the writing is very good when describing the fog and the rain. Good atmosphere.
April 22, 2023
Set in the 1890s, this somewhat plodding story is elevated by a dramatic final chapter. I guessed the truth about Georgette , but the details of the situation eluded me. I went down a whole other path and my solution was based on groundwork laid in the earliest chapters. I was happy to be proved wrong! Once again Quentin is a cipher with uncertain motivations .
June 1, 2023
Another story based on the TV series "Dark Shadows". This one has identical twins, mad painters, a werewolf on a ship and Barnabas, of course. It's as rushed and illogical as most in this series, but has its own appeal.
June 16, 2020
Amazing how Kathryn is able to talk Her way thru a whole book with all those vocal changes. And how does she keep them all straight in her head???
December 26, 2021
One of the better books in the series.
January 24, 2026
Audiobook delightfully read by Kathryn Leigh Scott!
March 11, 2023
Another hilarious, so-bad-it’s-good, DS novel in which everyone behaves absurdly and ridiculous things happen. The voyage aboard the steamship, The Eagle, is (unintentionally) laugh-out-loud funny. There’s a missed opportunity to link a Parisian art instructor named Duprez to our beloved Widow’s Hill widow.
January 17, 2016
This is a really neat and very story about a woman that is in crystal coffin in a house. It starts out with a woman named Betty Ward whose sister had married a guy and moved to Collinwood.
The location of the coffin is Frene castle which is on the Collin's estate. Barnabas is telling a story to Carolyn about what happened in the late 1890's that led to the ruined state of the castle in today's world. Both he and Quentin were there to witness events.
Betty Ward is living in France. She has a twin sister named Georgette. She decides to go to America to see her. On the journey over on a boat strange things happen and she ends up suspecting that Quentin, who she met in France, is a werewolf responsible for murdering people.
She meets Barnabas on the train. She goes to the castle but is told that her sister is dead. This ends up leading to her finding her sister's body in a crystal coffin in a room in the castle. Her husband refuses to bury her and even claims that she does painting almost nightly in another room.
A woman named Vivian is living in the castle and is extremely nasty, trying to get Betty to leave. Betty ends up suspecting that Quentin, who has followed her, and Vivian are tied in to her sister's fate. Barnabas tries to help her as things get even worse for her. Barnabas turns out not to be her only friend there, fortunately, and together they work to try to get at the truth of what is happening.
The location of the coffin is Frene castle which is on the Collin's estate. Barnabas is telling a story to Carolyn about what happened in the late 1890's that led to the ruined state of the castle in today's world. Both he and Quentin were there to witness events.
Betty Ward is living in France. She has a twin sister named Georgette. She decides to go to America to see her. On the journey over on a boat strange things happen and she ends up suspecting that Quentin, who she met in France, is a werewolf responsible for murdering people.
She meets Barnabas on the train. She goes to the castle but is told that her sister is dead. This ends up leading to her finding her sister's body in a crystal coffin in a room in the castle. Her husband refuses to bury her and even claims that she does painting almost nightly in another room.
A woman named Vivian is living in the castle and is extremely nasty, trying to get Betty to leave. Betty ends up suspecting that Quentin, who has followed her, and Vivian are tied in to her sister's fate. Barnabas tries to help her as things get even worse for her. Barnabas turns out not to be her only friend there, fortunately, and together they work to try to get at the truth of what is happening.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews