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Falconlough
Contemporary RomanceLarge Print EditionCassandra had been brought to Falconlough to be the brooding young masters secretary. But as soon as she arrived, she could see thefear on each frozen face of the household employees. An unknown horror lurked within Falconloughs walls, and all too soon, Cassandra realized that she was to play a strange and frightening role that of a woman to whom she bore a striking resemblance, a woman dishonored and dead. And as danger closed in on her, Cassandra realized that she could not leave. The secret of the doom that haunted the ONeills was inescapably entwined with the secrets of her own shrouded past.* Chaste
216 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1966
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 1, 2014
I really liked this. It is an atmospheric Gothic that starts in the ruins of Ireland and ends in a folly in California.
On the death of her guardian, Cassandra travels to Ireland, the land of her ancestors. There, while in an ancient church she is accosted by a man looking startlingly like herself.
"Shana? "
"You're mistaken, I'm Cassy"
"Ah Cassandra. Of course...Shana, you must never be frightened of me ..."
Thus begins a strange relationship between a man and woman who could pass for twins. While knowing next to nothing about this man Shane, (who both comforts and terrifies her), Cassy is drawn to him against her will and they travel together to a castle ruin in Northern Ireland.
Falconlough; the castle of the O'neills, now tipped into the sea. But that is not the end of Falconlough ...
There's a lot of interest in this story. Dopplegangers, falconry, caves and castles, family intrigue and a huge organ whose pipes dominate the very castle walls.
While somewhat predictable, there are enough twists and turns that I was still surprised by some of the revelations. Well worth a read!
CONTENT :
SEX : None.
VIOLENCE : Mild
PROFANITY : Mild
PARANORMAL ELEMENTS : One character is a self proclaimed witch. But not all is as it first appears.
MY RATING : PG
On the death of her guardian, Cassandra travels to Ireland, the land of her ancestors. There, while in an ancient church she is accosted by a man looking startlingly like herself.
"Shana? "
"You're mistaken, I'm Cassy"
"Ah Cassandra. Of course...Shana, you must never be frightened of me ..."
Thus begins a strange relationship between a man and woman who could pass for twins. While knowing next to nothing about this man Shane, (who both comforts and terrifies her), Cassy is drawn to him against her will and they travel together to a castle ruin in Northern Ireland.
Falconlough; the castle of the O'neills, now tipped into the sea. But that is not the end of Falconlough ...
There's a lot of interest in this story. Dopplegangers, falconry, caves and castles, family intrigue and a huge organ whose pipes dominate the very castle walls.
While somewhat predictable, there are enough twists and turns that I was still surprised by some of the revelations. Well worth a read!
CONTENT :
SEX : None.
VIOLENCE : Mild
PROFANITY : Mild
PARANORMAL ELEMENTS : One character is a self proclaimed witch. But not all is as it first appears.
MY RATING : PG
September 14, 2015
I didn't see that coming!
Cassandra Magee goes to Ireland on a tour of the land her family came from, and one day, caught in a rain storm she takes shelter from the downpour in St. Kevin's and there meets a striking man who calls her "Shana". He seems to know her, and yet she's never seen him before. Or has she, when she looks in the mirror...?
The two are draw together and Cassie is determined to solve the mystery of what this strange man really wants from her. He hires her as his secretary and takes her back to his mansion, Falconlough.
His family doesn't conceal their resentment of him, and strangly they focus it on her too, not quite believing that she's not the mysterious, dead Shana...
Which of them though, could have hated Shana enough to try and kill Cassandra in place of her? What is the mystery locked in Falconlough's attics, and will Cassie find out too late?
I loved this unusual gothic; unusual because the hero is not the romantic interest, unusual because although I guessed some parts, I was entirely taken back by others and unique, because while there is a slight romance, it it's the focus and it's doesn't affect the basic plot.
PG mention of children out of wedlock and a character who is a spirit medium. Nothing spiritistic actually happens. A few knocks on the head as well.
Cassandra Magee goes to Ireland on a tour of the land her family came from, and one day, caught in a rain storm she takes shelter from the downpour in St. Kevin's and there meets a striking man who calls her "Shana". He seems to know her, and yet she's never seen him before. Or has she, when she looks in the mirror...?
The two are draw together and Cassie is determined to solve the mystery of what this strange man really wants from her. He hires her as his secretary and takes her back to his mansion, Falconlough.
His family doesn't conceal their resentment of him, and strangly they focus it on her too, not quite believing that she's not the mysterious, dead Shana...
Which of them though, could have hated Shana enough to try and kill Cassandra in place of her? What is the mystery locked in Falconlough's attics, and will Cassie find out too late?
I loved this unusual gothic; unusual because the hero is not the romantic interest, unusual because although I guessed some parts, I was entirely taken back by others and unique, because while there is a slight romance, it it's the focus and it's doesn't affect the basic plot.
PG mention of children out of wedlock and a character who is a spirit medium. Nothing spiritistic actually happens. A few knocks on the head as well.
October 13, 2018
Great for nostalgia (and not terrible writing): inexplicably linking Irish folklore heritage with Mad Men-era northern California. Like Hitchcock took at wrong turn at Glendalough. I was hooked.
June 26, 2015
So-so gothic romance. Not particularly intriguing.
August 23, 2020
On a visit to Ireland, Cassandra Magee meets Shane O'Neill, like her on a pilgrimage to his ancestral homeland. Impulsively she agrees to accompany him as his secretary to Falconlough, the family compound in Northern California. There, we settle into a tale of mysterious lookalikes, family secrets, oddly named relatives, and possibly love. Many of Heath's favorite things are on tap: Ireland; American family homes that recreate Irish estates; extended introductory sections that take a while before the action shifts to the actual location; hints of sexual license; characters who don't know their family histories but find their lost birthrights; and, of course, a lot of physical wear and tear on the heroine. There is usually one or more of these tropes in all of her novels, which, in later works, became irritating. In this early work, however, nothing is too obnoxious, and the story moves right along, providing an entertaining example of late 60s gothic romance revival.
March 7, 2024
I'm almost embarrassed to admit I finished reading this book. After all, anyone can start a book thinking it might be an entertaining read, but to continue when it becomes clear what a jumbled pile of nonsensical garbage that book is...that's on the reader. I have no excuse. I throw myself on the mercy of Goodreads for continuing past the ridiculous falconry details (H is for Half-ass Research), past the ridiculously convoluted family situation (if ever a group of nutjobs was crying out for a Flora Poste to tell them to get over themselves) and most especially past the details and even characters that seemed to have been plucked from a 19th century historical and superimposed on 1960s San Francisco. Not sure why I stayed with it, unless it was to find out whether we were meant to find Shane romantic or brotherly (he was a bit of both, really, which added another layer of ick). Safe to say the Monica Heath oeuvre is safe from any further consideration by me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2017
This didn't feel like Gothic to me, it was more of a mystery. Besides, another con is that it is rather contemporaneous, maybe in the 20'? I mean, not Victorian.
Starts good, but as the story progressed it goes downhill, and the end is totally MEH. I think all members of Falconlough house should get out more and meet more people; there were shut in and all that made them have incestuous-ish relationship. WTH with all of them looking so similar.
There is no romance at all till the end, which was double-MEH. It would have been a bit better if there wasn't ANY at all.
I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who wants a good Gothic book. My copy will be donated to a library, that's for sure.
Starts good, but as the story progressed it goes downhill, and the end is totally MEH. I think all members of Falconlough house should get out more and meet more people; there were shut in and all that made them have incestuous-ish relationship. WTH with all of them looking so similar.
There is no romance at all till the end, which was double-MEH. It would have been a bit better if there wasn't ANY at all.
I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who wants a good Gothic book. My copy will be donated to a library, that's for sure.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews