What do you think?
Rate this book
The Dark Below
Original title THE DARK BELOW.
- GenresHorror
207 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1975
36 people want to read
About the author
Michael T. Hinkemeyer
9 books6 followersAlso used the pseudonym of Vanessa Royall. and Jan Lara
Michael Hinkemeyer was born on Oct. 18, 1940, in St. Cloud, Minn., to Ralph Hinkemeyer and the former Melania Kuhn, and grew up on a 200-acre farm in nearby St. Augusta, where he worked the fields with a team of Belgian draft horses and later a tractor. He attended a one-room schoolhouse with no plumbing, which has since become a museum.
After graduating with a degree in history from Saint John’s University in Minnesota in 1962, Mr. Hinkemeyer served in the Army and was stationed in Germany. Upon discharge, he earned a master’s degree in teaching history, and then a doctorate in education from Northwestern University in Illinois.
He met Arlene Dingilian, the woman who would become his wife of 52 years, while at Northwestern. In 1971, he was hired as an assistant professor at Queens College, and the couple moved to New York City.
Throughout his life, Mr. Hinkemeyer was eager to become a professional novelist. He read the works of classic American writers such as Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, and F. Scott Fitzgerald, and was inspired by “Forever Amber,” a historical romance by Kathleen Winsor.
He started writing poetry and short stories, and then graduated to writing novels. In 1974, he sold his first book, “Dark Below,” a suspense novel, to Fawcett Books, without the help of an agent.
Two years later, he left teaching to write full time. He and his wife moved to Manhasset, where they brought up two children.
Mr. Hinkemeyer published 21 novels, including seven historical romances written under the pen name Vanessa Royall. Two of his favorite novels were “The Fields of Eden” and “A Time to Reap,” murder mysteries featuring a small-town Minnesota sheriff named Emil Whippletree.
His novels have been translated into nine languages, and in 2014 Diversion Books republished his historical romances as e-books. There is a library of his manuscripts and papers at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota.
Mr. Hinkemeyer, who lived year round in East Hampton since 1996, was a docent at the Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center in Springs for more than 10 years. He was widely read in history, followed national politics closely, and had a prodigious memory.
He died of cardiopulmonary arrest on November 28, 2019. He was 79 at the time of his death and had been in declining health for more than a year.
Michael Hinkemeyer was born on Oct. 18, 1940, in St. Cloud, Minn., to Ralph Hinkemeyer and the former Melania Kuhn, and grew up on a 200-acre farm in nearby St. Augusta, where he worked the fields with a team of Belgian draft horses and later a tractor. He attended a one-room schoolhouse with no plumbing, which has since become a museum.
After graduating with a degree in history from Saint John’s University in Minnesota in 1962, Mr. Hinkemeyer served in the Army and was stationed in Germany. Upon discharge, he earned a master’s degree in teaching history, and then a doctorate in education from Northwestern University in Illinois.
He met Arlene Dingilian, the woman who would become his wife of 52 years, while at Northwestern. In 1971, he was hired as an assistant professor at Queens College, and the couple moved to New York City.
Throughout his life, Mr. Hinkemeyer was eager to become a professional novelist. He read the works of classic American writers such as Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, and F. Scott Fitzgerald, and was inspired by “Forever Amber,” a historical romance by Kathleen Winsor.
He started writing poetry and short stories, and then graduated to writing novels. In 1974, he sold his first book, “Dark Below,” a suspense novel, to Fawcett Books, without the help of an agent.
Two years later, he left teaching to write full time. He and his wife moved to Manhasset, where they brought up two children.
Mr. Hinkemeyer published 21 novels, including seven historical romances written under the pen name Vanessa Royall. Two of his favorite novels were “The Fields of Eden” and “A Time to Reap,” murder mysteries featuring a small-town Minnesota sheriff named Emil Whippletree.
His novels have been translated into nine languages, and in 2014 Diversion Books republished his historical romances as e-books. There is a library of his manuscripts and papers at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota.
Mr. Hinkemeyer, who lived year round in East Hampton since 1996, was a docent at the Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center in Springs for more than 10 years. He was widely read in history, followed national politics closely, and had a prodigious memory.
He died of cardiopulmonary arrest on November 28, 2019. He was 79 at the time of his death and had been in declining health for more than a year.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 22, 2022
"Set in the Long Island community of Sea Cliff, New York, the story is based on a true incident which occurred elsewhere on Long Island a few years ago."
That's from the opening Author's note, but my Google-fu failed me, for I couldn't find any "true" ghost story resembling the one depicted in The Dark Below. Of course the most famous Long Island ghost story is the one that provided the basis for The Amityville Horror, but considering the real incident took place in Dec. 1974, the same year as this book's copyright date, that can't be it, though there are similarities. Oh well. And the book itself has no reviews -- online or in print (that I know of) -- other than the one-sentence review here on Goodreads. It's mentioned in passing in a 1975 NY Times article on the 70s Gothic paperback boom, but I have no idea why this book was included, other than the fact that the (awesome) cover does have an ominous house in the background, with the obligatory lone lit window typical of Gothic romances of the era. This novel actually has more in common with old fashioned, MR Jamesian ghost stories, only padded out to novel length.
It concerns a family of four who move into a new beachside house with an unsavory history. Very soon they're plagued by ghostly apparitions and poltergeist activity, the latter seemingly trying to warn them of some impending doom, the former intent on bringing that doom to fruition. Within weeks the family is crumbling apart, and Ken must figure out what's going on before it destroys them. I guess moving out is just never an option, is it? But it's actually very well-handled. The characterization is quite good all around and their motivations mostly make sense, at least within the context of the story, though one thing I couldn't get past is why Ken, a psychology professor, didn't show more concern for his young daughter's paralyzing nightmares. Shouldn't he know a bit about dreams, at least enough to try and help her?
Still, the story held my interest, but it was never outright scary. Just your typical ghost story, the main premise of which would have fit right in among turn-of-the-century ghost tales. But I liked it. Sometimes, 3 stars for me means "it was decent," but other times, as with The Dark Below, I actually really enjoyed it, but do not feel it quite warrants 4 stars (I really wish we had half stars here). There are a couple chilling moments, but mostly it was pretty..."cozy," I guess you'd say. And I was totally fine with that.
3.5 Stars.
That's from the opening Author's note, but my Google-fu failed me, for I couldn't find any "true" ghost story resembling the one depicted in The Dark Below. Of course the most famous Long Island ghost story is the one that provided the basis for The Amityville Horror, but considering the real incident took place in Dec. 1974, the same year as this book's copyright date, that can't be it, though there are similarities. Oh well. And the book itself has no reviews -- online or in print (that I know of) -- other than the one-sentence review here on Goodreads. It's mentioned in passing in a 1975 NY Times article on the 70s Gothic paperback boom, but I have no idea why this book was included, other than the fact that the (awesome) cover does have an ominous house in the background, with the obligatory lone lit window typical of Gothic romances of the era. This novel actually has more in common with old fashioned, MR Jamesian ghost stories, only padded out to novel length.
It concerns a family of four who move into a new beachside house with an unsavory history. Very soon they're plagued by ghostly apparitions and poltergeist activity, the latter seemingly trying to warn them of some impending doom, the former intent on bringing that doom to fruition. Within weeks the family is crumbling apart, and Ken must figure out what's going on before it destroys them. I guess moving out is just never an option, is it? But it's actually very well-handled. The characterization is quite good all around and their motivations mostly make sense, at least within the context of the story, though one thing I couldn't get past is why Ken, a psychology professor, didn't show more concern for his young daughter's paralyzing nightmares. Shouldn't he know a bit about dreams, at least enough to try and help her?
Still, the story held my interest, but it was never outright scary. Just your typical ghost story, the main premise of which would have fit right in among turn-of-the-century ghost tales. But I liked it. Sometimes, 3 stars for me means "it was decent," but other times, as with The Dark Below, I actually really enjoyed it, but do not feel it quite warrants 4 stars (I really wish we had half stars here). There are a couple chilling moments, but mostly it was pretty..."cozy," I guess you'd say. And I was totally fine with that.
3.5 Stars.
May 22, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this haunted house story set in the Long Island community of Sea Cliff, New York. The story revolves around Ken and Rae Jean and their 2 young children Paul and Jenny who move from California to a beautiful house on Sea Cliff overlooking the bay. The family moved there due to a career opportunity for Ken who is a psychology professor. Not long after moving in the family begin to experience some strange ghostly sightings and paranormal activity. The youngest child Jenny starts to have nightmares about 'another mommy'. Jenny's personality changes from that of a happy and carefree 4 year old to one who is down and dejected and no longer finds joy in the usual activities. Over the course of the story the family unit begins to fall apart which prompts Ken into finding out about the history of the property. At first I felt this could be a story in the same vein as The Amityville Horror but it really wasn't all that similar. Although it had a few spooky scenes it wasn't particularly scary. It was however a highly engaging story with good characterisation and an interesting story line. I give it a solid 3.5 out of 5 stars.
February 9, 2013
This was an average 70's horror novel that would have translated well to screen.
April 28, 2024
This has been a favourite of mine since I was in high-school
November 21, 2020
I was really liking the book up until the end. It didn't make any sense.
August 23, 2023
This was a good little read
It has it's creepy moments but not all that frightening for a haunted house story
It has it's creepy moments but not all that frightening for a haunted house story
December 8, 2025
what a stupid woman! ugh
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews