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The Legacy
Six beautiful people arrive for a weekend in the country. Six guests of the unseen host who lies wasting away upstairs. Five heirs to a mysterious Legacy watch the body of the sixth float to the side of the pool. Four claim the unspeakable power of the Legacy, while a red stain spreads across the ceiling. Three realize that the Legacy has come to claim them, while outside a dog dines a thing that was once a man. And then there are two......
246 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 1, 1979
6 people are currently reading
668 people want to read
About the author
John Coyne
62 books35 followersJohn Coyne (born 1937) is an American writer. He is the author of more than twenty-five nonfiction and fiction books, including a number of horror novels, while his short stories have been collected in "best of" anthologies such as Modern Masters of Horror and The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror. A former Peace Corps Volunteer and a life-long lover of golf, Coyne has edited and written a number of books dealing with both subjects, the most recent two novels areThe Caddie Who Knew Ben Hogan and "The Caddie Who Played With Hickory".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
March 16, 2025
Absolutely enjoyed this Gothic horror masterpiece here. Maggie is summoned to London to do some redecoration works. Her friend and partner is with her. Soon they all end up in Ravenshurst, an old mansion on the countryside. Jason, the owner, has summoned six people to meet up with him. His life soon will end but before one guest after another dies. What is the reason for that to happen? John Coyne is an absolute master story teller coming up with a mysterious Gothic story you can't put down. Excellent cover and breath taking tale. What a blast from the past. Highly recommended!
June 24, 2017
1979 Berkley mass-market. One of the very few examples of a novelization that was more popular than the movie it was based on. It was actually a huge bestseller, while the movie, starring Katharine Ross and Sam Elliot, pretty much sank without a trace. I'm giving this a shot even though my only other John Coyne experience, Hobgoblin, was extremely underwhelming. I'm always down for a supernatural-infused And Then There Were None-type novel.
February 15, 2021
This book reminded me a lot of AND THEN THERE WERE NONE, but with a more transparent result. I enjoyed the concept of this book, but wish I hadn't been able to predict the ending so early on.
November 4, 2014
This was a very entertaining book. It definitely had me going as I wanted to know who the killer was. The characters were interesting and there was just enough build up that I cared for Maggie and Pete. In the end it still wasn't clear about this "legacy," but it was enough to satisfy. Even though the puzzle pieces fall into place, I felt like it was wrapped up too quickly. I would definitely read more from coyne and will be watching the movie to see how it compares.
January 22, 2021
Terrible movie novelization for a worst horror movie.
May 12, 2012
I stumbled across this little gem at my local used book store and despite having finals and a Heather Graham book to finish, I couldn't help but start flipping through it and finish it. It's a pretty fast read, so I don't feel overwhelmingly guilty at doing so. The book is unfortunately out of print, but you can still find used copies through the regular online vendors and (obviously) used book stores.
The story follows two Americans, Maggie and Peter, as they set out to England to take a job redecorating a prestigious office building. Once they get there, they discover that not only does the office not require their services, nobody remembers hiring them and the person responsible for sending them a job offer and plane tickets has been called away and is unreachable. (Remember that this is set in the 70s, before cell phones became a norm or a necessity.) While traversing the countryside and waiting to hear back from their employer, the pair are involved in an accident with a British gentleman that ends up bringing them back to his manor house... where it soon becomes apparent that the accident was no accident and that Maggie was brought to England to fulfill an ancient legacy that might cost her not only her life, but her soul as well...
To start off, don't expect Dante from this book. (I'm guessing that most of you aren't, just from looking at the cover.) This book is pretty much the epitome of the pulp horror novel of the 70s and 80s that graced the bookshelves of many stores and sparked the horror love of many a reader. It's also a movie adaptation of a Sam Elliott movie by the same name, which also starred his lovely wife Katharine Ross. (It also features a rather lovely scene of Elliott's derriere, which I'm sure was much to the delight of many a theater patron.)
The characters are somewhat thin at times and unfortunately the most interesting characters, five other guests with ties to the owner of the manor house, are introduced and later used as the inevitable horror movie cannon fodder. They're introduced enough to really give you a good idea of their personalities, but I can't help but want to have seen more of them. This is actually something that you get with a lot of books that are adapted from movies- they tend to sometimes only show as much as you see on the screen.
Legacy's plot is the real gem here, as it's incredibly hard to mess up the idea of a sinister legacy and murders in the beautiful English countryside. Just like the idea of a graveyard by the Louisiana Bayou, the foggy English manor house is a staple of horror books and novels that brings up an immediate atmosphere. Coyne makes the most of this with the short amount of pages that are within the book.
The bottom line here is that if you're a fan of older horror books, this is an absolute must read. It's a fun and semi-campy read with a great ending. It really makes me want to watch the Elliott movie, and not so I can watch him get naked. (Although I admit that it doesn't deter me from the movie either...)
The story follows two Americans, Maggie and Peter, as they set out to England to take a job redecorating a prestigious office building. Once they get there, they discover that not only does the office not require their services, nobody remembers hiring them and the person responsible for sending them a job offer and plane tickets has been called away and is unreachable. (Remember that this is set in the 70s, before cell phones became a norm or a necessity.) While traversing the countryside and waiting to hear back from their employer, the pair are involved in an accident with a British gentleman that ends up bringing them back to his manor house... where it soon becomes apparent that the accident was no accident and that Maggie was brought to England to fulfill an ancient legacy that might cost her not only her life, but her soul as well...
To start off, don't expect Dante from this book. (I'm guessing that most of you aren't, just from looking at the cover.) This book is pretty much the epitome of the pulp horror novel of the 70s and 80s that graced the bookshelves of many stores and sparked the horror love of many a reader. It's also a movie adaptation of a Sam Elliott movie by the same name, which also starred his lovely wife Katharine Ross. (It also features a rather lovely scene of Elliott's derriere, which I'm sure was much to the delight of many a theater patron.)
The characters are somewhat thin at times and unfortunately the most interesting characters, five other guests with ties to the owner of the manor house, are introduced and later used as the inevitable horror movie cannon fodder. They're introduced enough to really give you a good idea of their personalities, but I can't help but want to have seen more of them. This is actually something that you get with a lot of books that are adapted from movies- they tend to sometimes only show as much as you see on the screen.
Legacy's plot is the real gem here, as it's incredibly hard to mess up the idea of a sinister legacy and murders in the beautiful English countryside. Just like the idea of a graveyard by the Louisiana Bayou, the foggy English manor house is a staple of horror books and novels that brings up an immediate atmosphere. Coyne makes the most of this with the short amount of pages that are within the book.
The bottom line here is that if you're a fan of older horror books, this is an absolute must read. It's a fun and semi-campy read with a great ending. It really makes me want to watch the Elliott movie, and not so I can watch him get naked. (Although I admit that it doesn't deter me from the movie either...)
February 5, 2016
In ‘The Legacy’, Maggie and Peter travel to England in order to design a well-known company’s office. Upon arrival, they learn that there has been a mistake. After an accident with a gentleman named Jason Mountolive, he invites them to stay at his luxurious manor house while their vehicle is being repaired. However, when five guests arrive, it soon becomes evident that something unbeknownst to them is going on.
The book was slow-paced in the beginning as it took about six chapters for the actual story to begin – which is when Maggie and Peter first reach Jason’s grand residence. The wait was worth it though as there was plenty of mystery and suspense to keep me turning the pages. None of the characters were well fleshed out but they were distinguishable enough. Maggie and Peter were likeable and believable as a couple. I liked how the author simply and effectively conveyed the fact that the other guests knew the real reason they were invited there.
When one of them is found dead, they realize that their lives could be in danger too hence they decide to leave. Unfortunately, despite several attempts something always seems to go wrong. It was definitely frustrating to read about their struggles since I rooted for their safety but their reactions were realistic. They were also brave and willing to take risks while simultaneously doing their best to protect themselves by sticking together and making sure that no one was watching or spying on them. This was a refreshing change from the typical dumb main characters in some old and contemporary books.
There were some chilling and gory parts which I considered the highlights of the story. They weren’t too descriptive but they left me with vivid imageries. The mystery aspect was pretty good though somewhat predictable as a few major clues were given early in the story. The explanations made sense but I felt that the mystery could have been better if the key hints were only revealed later on and if the author had focused on the investigate aspect in terms of the possibility of a particular person committing a particular crime rather than Maggie and Peter guessing the identity of the perpetrator.
I liked the twisted ending but somehow, the book felt a little incomplete. Overall, ‘The Legacy’ was an enjoyable read filled with some terrifying and suspenseful moments.
The book was slow-paced in the beginning as it took about six chapters for the actual story to begin – which is when Maggie and Peter first reach Jason’s grand residence. The wait was worth it though as there was plenty of mystery and suspense to keep me turning the pages. None of the characters were well fleshed out but they were distinguishable enough. Maggie and Peter were likeable and believable as a couple. I liked how the author simply and effectively conveyed the fact that the other guests knew the real reason they were invited there.
When one of them is found dead, they realize that their lives could be in danger too hence they decide to leave. Unfortunately, despite several attempts something always seems to go wrong. It was definitely frustrating to read about their struggles since I rooted for their safety but their reactions were realistic. They were also brave and willing to take risks while simultaneously doing their best to protect themselves by sticking together and making sure that no one was watching or spying on them. This was a refreshing change from the typical dumb main characters in some old and contemporary books.
There were some chilling and gory parts which I considered the highlights of the story. They weren’t too descriptive but they left me with vivid imageries. The mystery aspect was pretty good though somewhat predictable as a few major clues were given early in the story. The explanations made sense but I felt that the mystery could have been better if the key hints were only revealed later on and if the author had focused on the investigate aspect in terms of the possibility of a particular person committing a particular crime rather than Maggie and Peter guessing the identity of the perpetrator.
I liked the twisted ending but somehow, the book felt a little incomplete. Overall, ‘The Legacy’ was an enjoyable read filled with some terrifying and suspenseful moments.
December 28, 2015
For my full review, please visit Casual Debris.
Former horror and current golf author John Coyne wrote The Legacy early in his fiction writing career, and it helped establish him among the ranks of best-selling young American horror authors of the period, such as Peter Straub and Stephen King. While the novel was a best-seller and Coyne did pen some other successful horror books, most notably Hobgoblin (1981), he never reached the heights of Straub or King and his name is not well recognized today. Though regarded generally as a good craftsman who has written horror, literary fiction and a number of non-fiction works, as well as a marketable commodity, it is odd that Coyne did not reach greater heights, nor maintained the height he did achieve. In his introduction to the 1983 anthology The Dodd Mead Gallery of Horror, writer and editor Charles L. Grant honours Coyne by referring to him as "one of the most gifted and literary writers."
The Legacy is a novelization of the 1978 movie of the same title, directed by Richard Marquand (best known for Return of the Jedi) with story and screenplay by Jimmy Sangster. It tells the story of six people invited to Ravenhurst, a remote estate in rural England. They are brought together by the mysterious and wealthy Jason Mountolive, yet while five are familiar with Mountolive and the reason for the gathering, the novel's protagonist, Maggie Walsh, along with her partner Pete Danner, believe they have been recruited from California for an architectural project. The story is a combination of murder mystery along the lines of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, and dark demonic fantasy.
Though it is lacking in some areas, the book is an enjoyable and quick read. The writing is strong and suits the work: it is straightforward and clear, nothing intrusive, simply well constructed prose that allows character, setting and plot to function on their own merits. The characters are recognizable caricatures, but so well delineated that their stock qualities work nicely with the story. The dialogue is strong and the interaction between the diverse members of the gathering worked particularly well. The setting is so clearly rendered that while reading the entire landscape appeared before my mind's eye. There are some grey areas in plotting and resolution, but personally I like my fiction with a little grey. Everything spelled out would eliminate much of the story's required obscurity. Of course many of these elements are likely the result of having to follow the film's screenplay, but regardless are a part of the completed text.
My only real problem with the book is the climax (some spoilers ahead). I did not care for the final showdown with Jacques Grandier. In fact, I did not fully understand it. Grandier was not behind the killings at Mountolive's estate, and I figure he is attacking Maggie and Pete because he believes they are the one's responsible for the recent deaths, and hence believes he is defending himself. Yet there was something odd about Grandier walking the plank of the roof (so to speak) in that I could not imagine him being so lithe and athletic. It does not help that someone who was such a great marksman with bow and arrow cannot shoot a couple of people with a shotgun. Perhaps because the book is so visual yet we are never given a clear image of Grandier on the rooftop that the action appears to be playing out in a kind of fog.
Former horror and current golf author John Coyne wrote The Legacy early in his fiction writing career, and it helped establish him among the ranks of best-selling young American horror authors of the period, such as Peter Straub and Stephen King. While the novel was a best-seller and Coyne did pen some other successful horror books, most notably Hobgoblin (1981), he never reached the heights of Straub or King and his name is not well recognized today. Though regarded generally as a good craftsman who has written horror, literary fiction and a number of non-fiction works, as well as a marketable commodity, it is odd that Coyne did not reach greater heights, nor maintained the height he did achieve. In his introduction to the 1983 anthology The Dodd Mead Gallery of Horror, writer and editor Charles L. Grant honours Coyne by referring to him as "one of the most gifted and literary writers."
The Legacy is a novelization of the 1978 movie of the same title, directed by Richard Marquand (best known for Return of the Jedi) with story and screenplay by Jimmy Sangster. It tells the story of six people invited to Ravenhurst, a remote estate in rural England. They are brought together by the mysterious and wealthy Jason Mountolive, yet while five are familiar with Mountolive and the reason for the gathering, the novel's protagonist, Maggie Walsh, along with her partner Pete Danner, believe they have been recruited from California for an architectural project. The story is a combination of murder mystery along the lines of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, and dark demonic fantasy.
Though it is lacking in some areas, the book is an enjoyable and quick read. The writing is strong and suits the work: it is straightforward and clear, nothing intrusive, simply well constructed prose that allows character, setting and plot to function on their own merits. The characters are recognizable caricatures, but so well delineated that their stock qualities work nicely with the story. The dialogue is strong and the interaction between the diverse members of the gathering worked particularly well. The setting is so clearly rendered that while reading the entire landscape appeared before my mind's eye. There are some grey areas in plotting and resolution, but personally I like my fiction with a little grey. Everything spelled out would eliminate much of the story's required obscurity. Of course many of these elements are likely the result of having to follow the film's screenplay, but regardless are a part of the completed text.
My only real problem with the book is the climax (some spoilers ahead). I did not care for the final showdown with Jacques Grandier. In fact, I did not fully understand it. Grandier was not behind the killings at Mountolive's estate, and I figure he is attacking Maggie and Pete because he believes they are the one's responsible for the recent deaths, and hence believes he is defending himself. Yet there was something odd about Grandier walking the plank of the roof (so to speak) in that I could not imagine him being so lithe and athletic. It does not help that someone who was such a great marksman with bow and arrow cannot shoot a couple of people with a shotgun. Perhaps because the book is so visual yet we are never given a clear image of Grandier on the rooftop that the action appears to be playing out in a kind of fog.
Read
February 6, 2009Horror Classics Book Review
THE LEGACY
By John Coyne
(Original publication date: 1979)
Folks, it doesn’t get much better than Coyne’s “The Legacy”. This book is the one of the reasons that horror is still cool. Written at the tail end of the 70s, Coyne managed to capture that exciting moment in horror history when all things were possible and there were yet no real clichés to avoid. It was a time when horror readers were being created by the likes of Straub and King, molded by savvy book marketers, and shaped by a burgeoning horror film trend.
A mysterious customer, who requests her specifically, contacts Maggie Walsh- an unknown designer for a small firm. So along with her suspicious fiancé, she travels to England for the job. Instead, she finds herself caught up in a bizarre drama between six strangers and their mysterious benefactor.
What makes this book a page-turner is Coyne’s facility in keeping the prose simple, yet potent. There are some wonderfully creepy moments in “The Legacy” that will give you a chill late at night, after the lights have gone out. His characterization is straightforward, archetypical, and still not without originality. The strangers are a diverse and interesting mix- a stimulating counterpoint to Maggie’s austere personality. The buildup to the ‘surprise’ ending is well thought out, and handled with a master storyteller’s deft touch. The ending is one of the oddest turns in a modern horror novel, and one not expected from the conservative times from which it sprang.
Again, we have a transitional book between the gothic and modern, an updating of the old dark house dramas of the 30s and 40s, without the silly Scooby-Doo ending. Here, we find masked fiends pretending to evil. This is a true evil.
But even that definition is examined in the greater context of what constitutes evil in a world of indifference and avarice. “The Legacy”, aptly named for many reasons that become apparent, as you get further into the story, is a choice of the lesser of two evils, and its place in the universe as a balance. And in essence it’s almost a modern fairy tale in the sense of its worldview of prosaic magic in a non-magical environment.
The great John Coyne hit plenty more homeruns as his career continued. Unfortunately, he’s not as well known as some of his peers from the same period. If you want a new favorite horror writer to explore, pick up Coyne’s other works, which include “Hobgoblin”, “The Searing”, “The Piercing”, “The Hunting Season”, and “The Shroud”.
--Nickolas Cook
04/26/06
THE LEGACY
By John Coyne
(Original publication date: 1979)
Folks, it doesn’t get much better than Coyne’s “The Legacy”. This book is the one of the reasons that horror is still cool. Written at the tail end of the 70s, Coyne managed to capture that exciting moment in horror history when all things were possible and there were yet no real clichés to avoid. It was a time when horror readers were being created by the likes of Straub and King, molded by savvy book marketers, and shaped by a burgeoning horror film trend.
A mysterious customer, who requests her specifically, contacts Maggie Walsh- an unknown designer for a small firm. So along with her suspicious fiancé, she travels to England for the job. Instead, she finds herself caught up in a bizarre drama between six strangers and their mysterious benefactor.
What makes this book a page-turner is Coyne’s facility in keeping the prose simple, yet potent. There are some wonderfully creepy moments in “The Legacy” that will give you a chill late at night, after the lights have gone out. His characterization is straightforward, archetypical, and still not without originality. The strangers are a diverse and interesting mix- a stimulating counterpoint to Maggie’s austere personality. The buildup to the ‘surprise’ ending is well thought out, and handled with a master storyteller’s deft touch. The ending is one of the oddest turns in a modern horror novel, and one not expected from the conservative times from which it sprang.
Again, we have a transitional book between the gothic and modern, an updating of the old dark house dramas of the 30s and 40s, without the silly Scooby-Doo ending. Here, we find masked fiends pretending to evil. This is a true evil.
But even that definition is examined in the greater context of what constitutes evil in a world of indifference and avarice. “The Legacy”, aptly named for many reasons that become apparent, as you get further into the story, is a choice of the lesser of two evils, and its place in the universe as a balance. And in essence it’s almost a modern fairy tale in the sense of its worldview of prosaic magic in a non-magical environment.
The great John Coyne hit plenty more homeruns as his career continued. Unfortunately, he’s not as well known as some of his peers from the same period. If you want a new favorite horror writer to explore, pick up Coyne’s other works, which include “Hobgoblin”, “The Searing”, “The Piercing”, “The Hunting Season”, and “The Shroud”.
--Nickolas Cook
04/26/06
November 26, 2024
I have mixed thoughts on this book. It is an incredibly fast read, and I can’t say I wasn’t gripped by a majority of it. But unfortunately, I found that there wasn’t a lot of substance to what was going on. There was the promise of an interesting backstory, but it never got fully fleshed out, and instead what could’ve been a strangely occult story about strangers slowly but surely falling victim to some darker magic just became a whirlwind where nothing seemed quite as structured as I would’ve liked.
I THINK I understood it by the end, but to be completely honest I’m not 100% certain. So for that reason…2 stars it is!
I THINK I understood it by the end, but to be completely honest I’m not 100% certain. So for that reason…2 stars it is!
August 31, 2022
This is absolutely one of my favorite horror novels, and Hollywood actually did a decent job on the movie.
June 9, 2011
Very entertaining. 'Ten Little Indians' by way of Stephen King.
The Legacy was made into a film in 1979 starring Katherine Ross and Sam Elliot. If you seen the film, it follows the book very closely.
December 31, 2014
I watched this movie when I was a child and thought it was very eerie. It always stuck out in my mind. I read the book and loved it. I recommend the book and the movie (even if just for the cast), but I must say the book is better.
February 24, 2015
What can you say, there's a curse, a satanic cult, and the English countryside with an old estate: what's NOT to love?! Although to me it seemed like most of the characters were too simple and the storyline pretty routine, I still really got into it! It's just a fun read that pleases easily.
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February 20, 2014The cover of this book TERRIFIED me as a little kid. If I ever come across it in a used bookstore, I will 1)scream and 2)read it.
July 15, 2019
I really liked this one. I resented anyone or anything that pulled me away from it. I finished it in a couple days. The only thing I didn't like was that this little gem didn't last long enough.
June 30, 2017
WhenI was about 10 I remember a commercial for a horror movie called the Legacy. The commercial showed a lovely young woman sitting outside a bed surrounded by various hospital equipment and as the woman leans closer to the bed, a hideous hand/claw grabs her by the wrist. And this is the novelization of that movie.
I have seen the movie fairly recently (most interesting that Roger Daltry is in it) and thought, I wonder what the novelization is like.
Unlike some novelizations that actually add to the movie experience, this one does nothing but reproduce it scene by scene. There are a few scenes early on that add to the background of the host of characters, but they are few and weak.
Now the essential story is that an American architect is hired by a prestigious London hotel to redecorate their new hotel. She and her boyfriend head to London and have some time to vacation before the job. They bum around the country side on a rented motor cycle. As they bum around they get run off the road by a luxurious limo and the owner offers to let them stay at his mansion until the bike is fixed. However, as with most horror novels, this isn't just an idyllic country estate but actually the coven for five powerful people and their mentor. As the novel progresses the characters begin to die in very disturbing ways and the main character and her boyfriend have several close calls themselves. The ending has a nice twist, but happens too quickly to be truly effective.
I would recommend that anyone interested in this story might be better served by watching the movie (if you can find it).
I have seen the movie fairly recently (most interesting that Roger Daltry is in it) and thought, I wonder what the novelization is like.
Unlike some novelizations that actually add to the movie experience, this one does nothing but reproduce it scene by scene. There are a few scenes early on that add to the background of the host of characters, but they are few and weak.
Now the essential story is that an American architect is hired by a prestigious London hotel to redecorate their new hotel. She and her boyfriend head to London and have some time to vacation before the job. They bum around the country side on a rented motor cycle. As they bum around they get run off the road by a luxurious limo and the owner offers to let them stay at his mansion until the bike is fixed. However, as with most horror novels, this isn't just an idyllic country estate but actually the coven for five powerful people and their mentor. As the novel progresses the characters begin to die in very disturbing ways and the main character and her boyfriend have several close calls themselves. The ending has a nice twist, but happens too quickly to be truly effective.
I would recommend that anyone interested in this story might be better served by watching the movie (if you can find it).
November 12, 2021
A rare novelization that surpasses the source material, John Coyne's "The Legacy," is an enjoyable work of paperback horror that's cheesy and fun in all the right ways.
It has a classic setup, instantly recognizable to even the most casual genre aficionados. Maggie and Pete are a sexy young couple--he's an architect (of course), she's an interior designer. They are whisked away to Merry Olde England on a work trip that sounds too good to be true. While touring the bucolic countryside, an accident ensues. Jason Mountolive, a fabulously wealthy and somewhat mysterious aristocrat, just happens to be on the scene and he whisks the couple away to his completely fantastical, totally cozy, and very stereotypical English mansion (think Clue). Soon after, a cast of bizarre characters with checkered pasts begin arriving on the doorstep for some kind of mysterious gathering...and then they start to get picked off, one by one.
Look, this is a novelization of a B horror movie I'm sure no more than 15 people have seen. If you are looking for literary horror that makes you think and challenges your sense of reality, you are in the wrong place. Coyne churned out a handful of 80s paperback potboilers during the horror boom and this one delivers the kind of thrills and chills you expect from the ridiculous cover art. If you are looking for a fun, trashy romp, this is a good one.
It has a classic setup, instantly recognizable to even the most casual genre aficionados. Maggie and Pete are a sexy young couple--he's an architect (of course), she's an interior designer. They are whisked away to Merry Olde England on a work trip that sounds too good to be true. While touring the bucolic countryside, an accident ensues. Jason Mountolive, a fabulously wealthy and somewhat mysterious aristocrat, just happens to be on the scene and he whisks the couple away to his completely fantastical, totally cozy, and very stereotypical English mansion (think Clue). Soon after, a cast of bizarre characters with checkered pasts begin arriving on the doorstep for some kind of mysterious gathering...and then they start to get picked off, one by one.
Look, this is a novelization of a B horror movie I'm sure no more than 15 people have seen. If you are looking for literary horror that makes you think and challenges your sense of reality, you are in the wrong place. Coyne churned out a handful of 80s paperback potboilers during the horror boom and this one delivers the kind of thrills and chills you expect from the ridiculous cover art. If you are looking for a fun, trashy romp, this is a good one.
September 5, 2023
পুরো বইটাই থ্রিলার আর হররের মিশেল! যদিও মূল বইটা পড়িনি, কাজী মাহবুব হোসেনের অনুবাদ পড়েছি। তবু ভালোই উপভোগ করেছি, হয়তো গভীর রাতে পড়ার জন্যে!
পৃথিবীর সেরা পাঁচজন ব্যক্তিকে বেছে নেওয়া হয়েছে উত্তরাধিকারী হিসেবে। কিন্তু পাঁচজনে এ চক্র অসম্পূর্ণ। তাই অনেক বছর ধরেই খোঁজা হচ্ছে চক্রের ষষ্ঠ মানুষটিকে.....
ম্যাগি আর পিট– দুজনেই একসাথে ক্যালিফোর্নিয়ায় কাজ করে। হঠাৎ ম্যাগি একদিন লন্ডন থেকে কাজের ব্যাপারে একটি প্রস্তাব পায়। লন্ডন গিয়ে ম্যাগি-পিট বুঝতে পারে, কোথাও একটা ভুল হয়েছে। দূর্ঘটনায় পড়ে জেসন মাউন্টওলিভ নামের এক ভদ্রলোকের আতিথ্য গ্রহণে বাধ্য হয় তারা। কিন্তু ভদ্রলোকের বাড়ি র্যাভেনহার্স্টে গিয়েই শুরু হয় ধোঁয়াশা...
সেই বাড়িতেই পাঁচ উত্তরাধিকারীদের সবাই এসে উপস্থিত। ম্যাগি আর পিট মিলে আরো দুইজন যুক্ত হলো। কিন্তু চক্রে থাকবে ছয়জন। তবে? কোন সে ছয়জন? অংশীদার যখন ছয়জন, তবে তাদের মনে তো লোভ আসতেও পারে, অন্যজনকে সরিয়ে… তাই না? কী ঘটবে শেষ পর্যন্ত র্যাভেনহার্স্টে?
অনুবাদটা খুবই ছোট। তাই প্রশ্নগুলোর ব্যাপারে আগ্রহী হলে পড়ে নিতে পারেন।
পৃথিবীর সেরা পাঁচজন ব্যক্তিকে বেছে নেওয়া হয়েছে উত্তরাধিকারী হিসেবে। কিন্তু পাঁচজনে এ চক্র অসম্পূর্ণ। তাই অনেক বছর ধরেই খোঁজা হচ্ছে চক্রের ষষ্ঠ মানুষটিকে.....
ম্যাগি আর পিট– দুজনেই একসাথে ক্যালিফোর্নিয়ায় কাজ করে। হঠাৎ ম্যাগি একদিন লন্ডন থেকে কাজের ব্যাপারে একটি প্রস্তাব পায়। লন্ডন গিয়ে ম্যাগি-পিট বুঝতে পারে, কোথাও একটা ভুল হয়েছে। দূর্ঘটনায় পড়ে জেসন মাউন্টওলিভ নামের এক ভদ্রলোকের আতিথ্য গ্রহণে বাধ্য হয় তারা। কিন্তু ভদ্রলোকের বাড়ি র্যাভেনহার্স্টে গিয়েই শুরু হয় ধোঁয়াশা...
সেই বাড়িতেই পাঁচ উত্তরাধিকারীদের সবাই এসে উপস্থিত। ম্যাগি আর পিট মিলে আরো দুইজন যুক্ত হলো। কিন্তু চক্রে থাকবে ছয়জন। তবে? কোন সে ছয়জন? অংশীদার যখন ছয়জন, তবে তাদের মনে তো লোভ আসতেও পারে, অন্যজনকে সরিয়ে… তাই না? কী ঘটবে শেষ পর্যন্ত র্যাভেনহার্স্টে?
অনুবাদটা খুবই ছোট। তাই প্রশ্নগুলোর ব্যাপারে আগ্রহী হলে পড়ে নিতে পারেন।
November 5, 2022
I thought I'd seen the 1978 movie "The Legacy," but now that I've read the novelization by John Coyne, I'm fairly certain I have not. From what Wikipedia tells me, Coyne's adaptation was more warmly received than the film it's based on. Could be. It's a mostly good, briskly paced, story about folks who just wanna live forever.
A nice American and her husband travel to England on a commission contract, only to find the contract null and its author a strange Dracula type who whisks the lady and her man off to his castle-house. They're joined here by this weird guy's acolytes, six in total, all eyeing the prize of inheritance if the old man should die, but none knowing exactly what the sinister and ancient man has in mind.
A nice American and her husband travel to England on a commission contract, only to find the contract null and its author a strange Dracula type who whisks the lady and her man off to his castle-house. They're joined here by this weird guy's acolytes, six in total, all eyeing the prize of inheritance if the old man should die, but none knowing exactly what the sinister and ancient man has in mind.
July 24, 2024
Book made zero sense whatsoever but was really fun. Was utter trash in so many ways (sorry if youre still alive john coyne) but I was obsessed with it. I think that this is gonna be a new genre for me: abdurd trash 70s pulp novels. I genuinely mean that—it was fun reading this ridiculous book.
Favorite line:
“Renato knelt down near the pool, enthralled by her body, and she reached to loosen his tie only to splash bathwater down the leg if his suit trousers. “Oh, Renato,” she giggled, “you have gone peepee!”
Favorite line:
“Renato knelt down near the pool, enthralled by her body, and she reached to loosen his tie only to splash bathwater down the leg if his suit trousers. “Oh, Renato,” she giggled, “you have gone peepee!”
August 8, 2017
Obviously, I need a WEIRD bookshelf, as this and Shirley Jackson clearly fall into that category. This book was made into a movie in the 70s, and they followed the book carefully. The story is spooky without being out-and-out scary. Can't say quite why, but this is one of my all-time favorites. Is it the nurse who transforms into a cat? Is it the grotesque way that the victims die in accordance with their transgressions? Or the innocent woman who finds her destiny is not at all what she thought it was going to be, and what will she do with it? And yes, it IS in part because of the movie scene with Roger Daltrey's fabulous death, choking on chicken (spoiler alert!!!) ... but he ate ham!
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September 17, 2025I almost put this book down because of the “her breasts bounced boobily” vibe emanating from the first few chapters. This is the third permutation of a tale that apparently began as a short story, which then became a movie and THEN became a novel - pretty unusual. I did not have high hopes. Still I have to admit it was entertaining, despite it being so predictable. Maybe because the bar was pretty low to begin with. My favorite character was Adams.
February 26, 2017
Old-school easy read thriller. Enjoyable, with a predictable but satisfying ending. Devil-worship, murder, and old England come together in Ten Little Indians-fashion to create an ongoing legacy of terror. The Legacy works well as a beach read, and while it is not scary it is riveting and fast-paced.
June 12, 2022
Not-awful novelization of the 1978 film of the same name, starring The Who’s Roger Daltrey and a brown haired but still moustachioed Sam Elliott. I read this when I was 10 and remember liking it, which was surprising for someone who, at that time, hated reading. On re-read, it’s a quick gory and guilty pleasure.
December 11, 2019
I loved this little book. It was like the opposite of some John Dickson Carrs novels—instead of a murder mystery flirting with the supernatural, The Legacy is a supernatural story held together with the trappings of a whodunit. Good read.
March 31, 2022
Definitely an interesting read. I do wish that the occult nature of the story could have been pursued a bit more, as I found that to be the most interesting part. Otherwise it was a very 70s/80s “spooky” book. Not super special, but enjoyable.
November 25, 2023
Predictable, but a quick read. Many scenes were set up in a way that seemed reminiscent of a movie. I later found out that it's a tie-in novelization of a 1978 movie that was panned by critics. For some reason the ending of the movie makes more sense than the ending of the book.
August 2, 2019
This book is surprisingly not terrible, given the cover! I expected it to be much more trashy, but it was actually pretty fun to read. The writing is mediocre, but not bad at all.
December 24, 2019
3.9 stars 70's style horror.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews