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Lucifer Cove #1
The Devil's Mistress
To Christie Deeth, desperate to forget a broken marriage, a humiliating lover, and the agonizing loss of her self-respect, Lucifer Cove seemed as good a place as any to start a new life. Then, ever so slowly, Christie began hearing things, noticing things—and realized with horror that rather than the lover of a mortal man, she might well become the mistress of Satan…
182 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1970
1 person is currently reading
55 people want to read
About the author
Virginia Coffman
104 books41 followersVirginia Edith Coffman aka Jeanne Duval, Diana Saunders, Victor Cross, Ann Stanfield, Virginia C. Du Vaul, Kay Cameron.
A native of San Francisco, Coffman contributed movie reviews to the Oakland Tribune from 1933-40. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1938 and was a movie and television script writer for Columbia, RKO, and other Hollywood studios in her early writing career (1944-56). She had her first success with writing novels in 1959, when Crown Publishing decided to take a chance on Moura, and the novel was showcased by Library Journal. By the 1980s, Coffman was recognized as "the author largely responsible for setting off the Gothics craze of the 1960s, "earning her the reputation of "Queen of the Gothics."1
She quit her day job in Reno and became a full-time writer in 1965. While historical romance novels seldom find their way into the literary canon, Coffman, who was both prolific and dedicated, took her writing seriously. Her research for historical fiction was meticulous. She also drew upon personal experience as a world traveler when setting some of her novels in Hawaii, Paris, and other romantic locales. Several of her historical romances and gothic mystery novels were translated into other languages, and many have been published in large print and audio editions.
She was recognized by Who's Who of American Women and Who's Who in the West. She was a member of the Authors League of America and the Mystery Writers Guild of America. The Reno Gazette-Journal featured Virginia Coffman and her sister in a biographical story on April 4, 2002. In 2003, she donated a collection of her gothic mystery and historical romance novels to the University of Nevada, Reno Libraries.
A native of San Francisco, Coffman contributed movie reviews to the Oakland Tribune from 1933-40. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1938 and was a movie and television script writer for Columbia, RKO, and other Hollywood studios in her early writing career (1944-56). She had her first success with writing novels in 1959, when Crown Publishing decided to take a chance on Moura, and the novel was showcased by Library Journal. By the 1980s, Coffman was recognized as "the author largely responsible for setting off the Gothics craze of the 1960s, "earning her the reputation of "Queen of the Gothics."1
She quit her day job in Reno and became a full-time writer in 1965. While historical romance novels seldom find their way into the literary canon, Coffman, who was both prolific and dedicated, took her writing seriously. Her research for historical fiction was meticulous. She also drew upon personal experience as a world traveler when setting some of her novels in Hawaii, Paris, and other romantic locales. Several of her historical romances and gothic mystery novels were translated into other languages, and many have been published in large print and audio editions.
She was recognized by Who's Who of American Women and Who's Who in the West. She was a member of the Authors League of America and the Mystery Writers Guild of America. The Reno Gazette-Journal featured Virginia Coffman and her sister in a biographical story on April 4, 2002. In 2003, she donated a collection of her gothic mystery and historical romance novels to the University of Nevada, Reno Libraries.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 6, 2022
what's a sophisticated, highly attractive, highly strung divorcée recovering from a nervous breakdown to do with all of her new-found free time? why, visit a satanic spa, of course! such is the advice given to Christie Deeth by a similarly highly-strung friend. of course the "friend" "forgot" to mention the "satanic" part, but in this book that's par for the course because everyone is hiding something and everyone is playing the long game. and so off our intrepid and anxious heroine goes to Lucifer Cove (the spa's name is a bit of a giveaway). It's south of San Francisco, cozied away in a valley village that appears to have no roads in and no roads out, but also has lots of cute Tudor buildings and sulfurous hot springs and a very erotic dining establishment and a cozy temple devoted to the worship of the Son of the Morning Star... who also just may be the landlord of the charming sanitarium. Lucifer Cove's owner and its sexy staff are devoted to their clientele, encouraging them to find their true selves while fucking everyone in sight. this all sounds like a pleasant week away. but unfortunately for Christie, Lucifer himself has a very personal eye trained on our attractive young divorcée. an eye that gazes at her through mirrors, the tv set, through the assertive cat that follows her about. but could it possibly be... just maybe... that she is perhaps... falling for Satan too??
I got some Hiram Keller vibes from the author's description of "Marc Meridon" who basically spends all of his time staring and smoldering satanically at our agitated heroine. who's Hiram Keller? well, see the eyes above and/or click the spoiler below. but only at the risk of your eternal soul!
Virginia Coffman appears to be a craftsman at heart, well at least in the three books I've read by her so far. so expect no writerly flourishes or dreamy prose or interesting themes. oh well! I would have liked those things. but despite those lacks, she is a very competent writer who knows how to create atmosphere and construct a narrative that keeps the reader turning the pages. she also has a deft hand with description and so it was very easy to visualize everything in this hidden valley, its mountain pathways, the landscape, and especially the ornate design of the spa's various rooms.
favorite part was the casual relay of a satanic threat to poor Christie Deeth: oh, Mr. Meridon thinks your children should come and spend some time with you here... I gasped at that one. children in a satanic spa! heaven forbid! I can't imagine a bigger buzzkill to a week (or eternity) of orgies, drugs, and devil worship than some kids running around underfoot.
November 25, 2013
WARNING: Review contains mild spoilers.
Virginia Coffman was a very capable writer. Her prose is effortless and immerses you in the story, so that you lose consciousness of there being an author (which in my opinion is the mark of a good storyteller). There are certain dated aspects to this novel but that's to be expected of one written in 1969 and set in that present day.
Christie is a young mother of two whose husband has divorced her after discovering her affair with another man. She's consumed by guilt (sexual guilt is a big theme in this novel) and desperately wants to reconnect with her estranged children. Following a period of rehabilitation at a clinic in San Francisco she goes to a spa called Lucifer Cove (not the most imaginative name, frankly) on the recommendation of a strange women she had met at the clinic.
Coffman does a wonderful job describing the pink-and-gold spa and its ambience of luxurious excess. Christie soon becomes emotionally involved with a mysterious man who may or may not be the owner of the spa. There's a devil-worshipping cult replete with a Greek revival temple on the hilltop (this is right off the 101 freeway -- ha!), and many of the guests at the spa appear to be involved with this cult. None of it is taken very seriously until Christie finds it increasingly hard to leave the spa (one way or another, every effort she makes to leave is thwarted). I won't give away the ending although the book's title leaves little to the imagination.
The Devil's Mistress was a fun read because Coffman was able to spin a heavy atmosphere over her story that at times was almost as hypnotic and pleasantly befuddling as the Lucifer Cove Spa was described as being. I read it in only two sittings, not merely because it isn't a very long novel but because I found it hard to put down.
I rate this book four out of five stars -- lacking one star because I thought the denouement left something to be desired.
Virginia Coffman was a very capable writer. Her prose is effortless and immerses you in the story, so that you lose consciousness of there being an author (which in my opinion is the mark of a good storyteller). There are certain dated aspects to this novel but that's to be expected of one written in 1969 and set in that present day.
Christie is a young mother of two whose husband has divorced her after discovering her affair with another man. She's consumed by guilt (sexual guilt is a big theme in this novel) and desperately wants to reconnect with her estranged children. Following a period of rehabilitation at a clinic in San Francisco she goes to a spa called Lucifer Cove (not the most imaginative name, frankly) on the recommendation of a strange women she had met at the clinic.
Coffman does a wonderful job describing the pink-and-gold spa and its ambience of luxurious excess. Christie soon becomes emotionally involved with a mysterious man who may or may not be the owner of the spa. There's a devil-worshipping cult replete with a Greek revival temple on the hilltop (this is right off the 101 freeway -- ha!), and many of the guests at the spa appear to be involved with this cult. None of it is taken very seriously until Christie finds it increasingly hard to leave the spa (one way or another, every effort she makes to leave is thwarted). I won't give away the ending although the book's title leaves little to the imagination.
The Devil's Mistress was a fun read because Coffman was able to spin a heavy atmosphere over her story that at times was almost as hypnotic and pleasantly befuddling as the Lucifer Cove Spa was described as being. I read it in only two sittings, not merely because it isn't a very long novel but because I found it hard to put down.
I rate this book four out of five stars -- lacking one star because I thought the denouement left something to be desired.
April 14, 2014
This was unexpected. Christie is not a typical heroine. She is a divorced mother caught in a period of retrospection. She committed adultery and her marriage to Alan has ended. She has lost her way with her children and wishes to pick up the pieces of her life. Christie goes to 'rehab' where she discovers that her life has been dotted with the influence of a sinister being, Marc Meridon.
It emerges that Marc is a supernatural being who has an unnatural interest in Christie. He has manipulated situations so that time and time again Christie must choose a path. Ultimately, the decisions that Christie makes paves the way to his world from which she cannot escape. By the end of the novel Cristie has resigned herself to Marc's domain but in doing so she enjoys her own personal victory. She has found the strength to save her family and redeem herself as she clocks in for the battle of a life time.
Overall good writing style and the fresh perspective of author made this quite an enjoyable read.
It emerges that Marc is a supernatural being who has an unnatural interest in Christie. He has manipulated situations so that time and time again Christie must choose a path. Ultimately, the decisions that Christie makes paves the way to his world from which she cannot escape. By the end of the novel Cristie has resigned herself to Marc's domain but in doing so she enjoys her own personal victory. She has found the strength to save her family and redeem herself as she clocks in for the battle of a life time.
Overall good writing style and the fresh perspective of author made this quite an enjoyable read.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews