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Portrait of Fear
What strange twist of fate brings Elaine Barnett to the bizarre funeral that was meant for her?
Almost as soon as Elaine Barnett, a young artist, moves into the Victorian mansion she was pressured into buying, she realizes her life is in danger.
A strange telephone repairman arrives to work in her basement. Only when he reappears hours later does Elaine realize she had no phone. Tense and frightened, she sleeps fitfully. When she awakes the next morning, she barely avoids falling into a deathtrap.
Elaine, now terrified, has no one to turn to, except the Antonellis, the friendly neighbors who were so insistent she buy the house. And there was the stranger, a darkly handsome Frenchman with the name of MacLanahan, who was insistent she didn't...
If her life depends on one of these people, does the wrong choice mean her death?
Almost as soon as Elaine Barnett, a young artist, moves into the Victorian mansion she was pressured into buying, she realizes her life is in danger.
A strange telephone repairman arrives to work in her basement. Only when he reappears hours later does Elaine realize she had no phone. Tense and frightened, she sleeps fitfully. When she awakes the next morning, she barely avoids falling into a deathtrap.
Elaine, now terrified, has no one to turn to, except the Antonellis, the friendly neighbors who were so insistent she buy the house. And there was the stranger, a darkly handsome Frenchman with the name of MacLanahan, who was insistent she didn't...
If her life depends on one of these people, does the wrong choice mean her death?
173 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1971
7 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 8, 2026
I think I have a new obsession: collecting these 1970s gothic gems. This was wonderful! Filled to the brim with sleep aides, pitchers of very strong drinks, chain smoking, and not a single SPF in sight, I couldn’t get enough! While I jest, it was also a pretty damn good story, embodying everything gothic down to the creepy old house that was painted an unfortunate shade of bubblegum pink. Hey, even pink can be gothic!
December 18, 2022
Fun and fast paced! The ending was very'1971', but I did still enjoy it, overall.
February 8, 2026
I think I have a new obsession: collecting these 1970s gothic gems. This was wonderful! Filled to the brim with sleep aides, pitchers of very strong drinks, chain smoking, and not a single SPF in sight, I couldn’t get enough! While I jest, it was also a pretty damn good story, embodying everything gothic down to the creepy old house that was painted an unfortunate shade of bubblegum pink. Hey, even pink can be gothic!
February 5, 2020
Love interest was far fetched. This book was just, ok.
Want to read
April 19, 2025Horror of Horrors; The heroine is escaping the dangerous house in a pair of jeans instead of a sexy negligee!
July 21, 2025
Very good.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews