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Thunder Heights
When Camilla King's grandfather leaves her the family estate in his will, she is shocked. Before her summons to his deathbed, she had never met any of her late mother's relatives. Although the rest of the family clearly does not want her there, Camilla honors her grandfather's wish and becomes the mistress of the magnificent Thunder Heights.
But along with the grand house, Camilla has inherited a legacy of hatred and secrets. Not knowing who, if anyone, she can trust, Camilla searches for the truth about her mother's death. Soon she begins to suspect that it was no accident, but rather murder.
327 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1960
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About the author
Phyllis A. Whitney
191 books566 followersPhyllis Ayame Whitney (1903 – 2008) was an American mystery writer. Rare for her genre, she wrote mysteries for both the juvenile and the adult markets, many of which feature exotic locations. A review in The New York Times once dubbed her "The Queen of the American Gothics".
She was born in Japan to American parents and spent her early years in Asia. Whitney wrote more than seventy novels. In 1961, her book The Mystery of the Haunted Pool won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Juvenile novel, and she duplicated the honor in 1964, for The Mystery of the Hidden Hand. In 1988, the MWA gave her a Grand Master Award for lifetime achievement. Whitney died of pneumonia on February 8, 2008, aged 104.
She was born in Japan to American parents and spent her early years in Asia. Whitney wrote more than seventy novels. In 1961, her book The Mystery of the Haunted Pool won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Juvenile novel, and she duplicated the honor in 1964, for The Mystery of the Hidden Hand. In 1988, the MWA gave her a Grand Master Award for lifetime achievement. Whitney died of pneumonia on February 8, 2008, aged 104.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
May 6, 2019
The cover of this book proclaims Phyllis A Whitney to be the " Grand Mistress of Romantic Suspense". I would have to agree that she was for her time. Published in 1960, Thunder Heights tells the story of Camilla King. Camilla has inherited Thunder Heights from her estranged Grandfather. However, she is forced by the terms of the will to live there with her two spinster aunts and an adopted cousin, none of whom are real happy about the last minute change made in the will.
The suspense builds slowly as small incidences occur that leave Camilla unsure who to trust. While one of her aunts continues to fight the will, the other harbors terrible secrets. The man her grandfather had treated like a son, Ross Granger, agrees to stay on to help Camilla learn about her grandfather's business. The two get off to a rocky start, but end up falling in love. However, they both have obligations that may keep them from ever having a life together.
The only complaint I had with the book was that a time period was never stated. Obviously it's a historical novel, not a contemporary. But, I could never find where the exact period of time was stated. I found this frustrating because I couldn't get a feel for the manners, clothing, society, etc. Although horse riding apparel was described, I couldn't tell how far back in history we were talking. Nevertheless, our heroine was not some overwrought, hand wringing, melodramatic female.
She did find herself frustrated with learning a business, but was believable and strong. The suspense was killing me by the time I got to the last 50 pages or so. Very well done.
Although this is an old book, if you are a fan of mysteries or romantic suspense, you won't be disappointed.
The suspense builds slowly as small incidences occur that leave Camilla unsure who to trust. While one of her aunts continues to fight the will, the other harbors terrible secrets. The man her grandfather had treated like a son, Ross Granger, agrees to stay on to help Camilla learn about her grandfather's business. The two get off to a rocky start, but end up falling in love. However, they both have obligations that may keep them from ever having a life together.
The only complaint I had with the book was that a time period was never stated. Obviously it's a historical novel, not a contemporary. But, I could never find where the exact period of time was stated. I found this frustrating because I couldn't get a feel for the manners, clothing, society, etc. Although horse riding apparel was described, I couldn't tell how far back in history we were talking. Nevertheless, our heroine was not some overwrought, hand wringing, melodramatic female.
She did find herself frustrated with learning a business, but was believable and strong. The suspense was killing me by the time I got to the last 50 pages or so. Very well done.
Although this is an old book, if you are a fan of mysteries or romantic suspense, you won't be disappointed.
June 7, 2018
When we first meet Camilla King, she’s twenty-three years old and, finding herself freshly dismissed from her situation as governess for the Hodges Family of New York City. She’s standing in front of her bedroom window, taking it all in, the breeze ruffled tree tops of Gramercy Park, the passing hackney cabs on Twenty-First Street, and an unguarded bowler hat tumbling across the street…as I read that, I could got a powerful sense of how unanchored this young lady must have felt in those moments. My guess was confirmed when Phyllis Whitney chooses to let me in on the fact that this is actually Camilla’s second failed attempt at keeping a job as a governess.
By the end of page one, I knew that Camilla King is at a crossroads, and I was already quite sure I was going to like this novel.
My first clue of this came as I realized it was the author’s choice to place her ruminating protagonist in front of a window as opposed to something like a mirror. That told me something about Camilla King right away…she’s a forward looking character. It was Bill Withers who said something that I thought related perfectly to where Camilla was at the time of the first chapter:
“I feel that it is healthier to look out at the world through a window than through a mirror. Otherwise, all you see is yourself and whatever is behind you.”
And we know Camilla has two particular experiences that she wishes to keep behind her. In both cases, she’s proven to be too outspoken for the tastes of her employers. The first time, she spoke out against her employer’s inappropriate advances, and in the second, she spoke up about her opinion that Mr. Hodges was overly harsh and unfair with his children. I respected Camilla’s courage and at the same time understood how that courage, while admirable, comes with complications. As I read, I found myself relating to Camilla in a powerful way as I thought about circumstances in my own life where I took a stand and then paid a price for that stand. I should clarify…I paid a price in the short term, but ultimately, there were so many more rewards for doing the right thing…it just took time.
I would do it the same way if I had the chance to repeat my past.
I was hoping the same for Camilla King…that her courage would be somehow rewarded, and thankfully, the author gave me clues to indicate this would be so.
The first clue came when I read about Camilla’s late mother Althea, and the way she remembered her as a graceful woman who knew how to love and who always seemed to carry an aura of excitement with her. And even though Camilla was only eight years old at the time of her mother’s death, she was old enough to see how much her father John esteemed and deeply loved his beloved bride and how much she loved him in return. The author tells us that Althea possessed grace, and since we learn that Camilla is so much like her mother, we know she has this character trait as well. Knowing that Camilla, like her mother before her, was a graceful person, I also knew she had the capacity for happiness. This combination of grace and happiness would, I was certain, lead her down a positive path.
Denis Waitley captured this idea when he said the following:
“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude.”
I also noted how Phyllis Whitney tells us, early on through the telling of Camilla’s childhood, that she is a contented person. Camilla was an only child, but is described as a very good student at school, she’s given a fair amount of freedom and finds many amusements to fill her free time. She’s lonely on occasion, but is contented. We know that this would partly come as a result of the kind of father John was to her. According to the telling of Camilla’s childhood, her father, upon the death of his wife, seemed to transfer that extra measure of love to his daughter. John, a peaceful, scholarly man by nature, took the time to show love to his daughter, and did so within the environment of a quiet, peaceful household. It is that sense of freedom given to young Camilla, combined with her father’s steady, unreserved love that I guessed to be a source of her contentment, despite the early loss of her mother.
Whitney also tells us that Camilla is a combination of dreamer, and realist. A dreamer by nature, who learned how to be practical as she helped her father after Althea’s death.
The other reason why I liked Camilla right off was that she had a way of earning the loyalty of the people in her life. We see this in the novel’s opening scene, Camilla looking out the window of her room while Nettie, the parlor maid is tearfully packing her bags. Nettie is heavyhearted as the reality of Camilla’s departure sets in. Nettie believes her to be a pretty and clever governess…the right choice for the Hodges children. The author makes a point of telling us that packing Camilla’s bags is not part of Nettie’s work duties. We realize she just wants to do this out of her own free will. So Camilla has earned the admiration of the housekeeper, and when it comes to fiction, or real life for that matter, I know to trust and value the opinions and views of housekeepers. It takes great skill to know how to serve others.
Camilla is happy, courageous, graceful, contented and adventurous young lady who earns the trust and loyalty of those around her. My guess was that every one of these traits would be sufficiently drawn on as the story progressed.
In that opening scene, Camilla considers where she might go next. She remembers that she has wealthy relatives in the city, but she won’t be in contact with them due to the fact that she knew of the stories of how her grandfather, Orrin Judd, mistreated her mother and how her father John greatly disliked him for it. She never knew exactly what the nature of her grandfather’s fault was, but her father always insisted that she have nothing to do with her mother’s family. She held to that way of thinking out of respect for her father. But despite the fact that she was taught to ignore her mother’s family, she did know a few things about them, including the fact that her grandfather, Orrin Judd and his daughters lived in a great house on the Hudson named Thunder Heights.
It was on that, her last day at the Hodges home that a man named Alexander Pompton came calling for her. The man turns out to be her grandfather’s long time attorney, informing her that she’s to travel to Thunder Heights the very next day to visit Orrin, the haste, Pompton tells Camilla, is due to the fact that her grandfather is gravely ill with a heart condition and that he’s now confined to his sickbed. Camilla protests, informing the attorney that her grandfather actually disowned his daughter (her mother) and that he would have nothing to do with her family. Pompton then drops a bombshell on Camilla, her grandfather actually kept very close tabs on Althea over the years, and that if she were in need, at any time, he would have helped, even though he and his son-in-law John were at odds.
The lawyer informs Camilla that John was mistaken in blaming Orrin Judd for the death of Althea.
Camilla considers this, remembering that her father came back from her mother’s funeral, more convinced than ever that Althea’s family was fully to blame for the accident that lead to her death. Camilla remembered that her father didn’t want share the cause of her mother’s death with her, instead preferring that Camilla remember her mother as she was in life. She tells Pompton that she never knew how her mother died and that her father, upon returning from her mother’s funeral, reminded her, once again, to have nothing to do with her grandfather or any member of her mother’s family.
The lawyer reminds Camilla that her father has been dead for a number of years and that she’s now a grown woman. Perhaps she should make her own decisions in this matter? He suggests that Orrin, a dying man, may have regrets. He also tells Camilla that he knew Althea to be Orrin’s favorite daughter. He informs her that Orrin wishes to see her and that it would be good for her to make his acquaintance, and observing Camilla’s strong resemblance to her mother, he says he’s confident that her presence would bring happiness to her grandfather.
The lawyer’s encouragement comes with a warning that she should visit Thunder Heights for no more than a day or two and that Camilla’s Aunt Hortense may make things especially unpleasant for her as she’s still holding to a grudge against her sister that seemed to start when she left Thunder Heights in order to run away with John King. The lawyer warns Camilla that her grandfather, in his weakened state, may not be able to fully prevail an atmosphere of welcome for his granddaughter, but balances this warning by mentioning that Camilla’s other aunt, Miss Letty was a gentle soul and would most likely treat Camilla with warmth. He goes on to briefly inform her about Booth Hendricks, a man of thirty-six who was adopted by her Aunt Hortense when he was ten years old and an associate of her grandfather, and engineer named Ross Granger who was due to visit right about the time Camilla was to visit.
“Will you give your grandfather this last pleasure?” The lawyer asks, causing Camilla to seriously consider the idea for the first time. This turn in her thinking begins as acceptance, “There’s no reason why I can’t catch tomorrow’s boat as you suggest” she concedes. The lawyer, having secured her agreement, leaves Camilla to herself, as she sits there alone, all of these new revelations begin to sink in and her hesitancy begins to turn to enthusiasm as she imagines the possible adventures that may come when she visits Thunder Heights.
I really liked how the author reinforced Camilla’s love for adventure in the pages that followed. These glimpses into her venturous nature helped authenticate her decision to go to Thunder Heights in the first place, even against the lifelong, often repeated wishes of her beloved father that she never visit her mother’s family, or even step foot on Thunder Heights. This was one of the first scenes that reinforced how adventurous Camilla actually was:
It happened when she boarded the four deck boat that will take her to Westcliff, which is near the Thunder Heights estate. It’s a windy day and gusts are fiercely blowing across the deck of the boat. Almost all of the other passengers have sought refuge and comfort in the salons, but Camilla desires, above all, to drink in every aspect of this experience:
“Over her hat she tied a gray veil that matched her gray tailleur suit, knotting it in a bow under her chin. Then she went out on deck into the very teeth of the wind….the wind had increased its velocity, tearing at her hat as if to snatch it from beneath the enfolding veil, pulling black strands of hair from beneath its brim. Camilla pushed them back breathlessly and laughed into the gale in sheer delight. There was something satisfying about resisting its elementary force. She would choose a storm any day to brooding safely in the shelter of a small gray room whose very walls shut her away from the tempests and clamor of life.”
I absolutely loved what Phyllis Whitney did with this small scene. For one, as I mentioned above, it made Camilla seem more real, more vivid, causing me to imagine her in detail, and secondly, what a wonderful and absolutely captivating way to describe this lively young woman!
There were a number of enchanting scenes in “Thunder Heights” that stirred my imagination. One in particular was when Camilla arrives at Thunder Heights and is ushered into her assigned bedroom. It turns out to be her mother’s own childhood bedroom. Whitney does a fantastic job of helping us “see” the room itself, the “pink marble mantelpiece carved with a rose leaf design, French clock of gilt and enamel and the little French chandelier, adrip with crystal.” As I read these descriptions, I tried to imagine how it might have felt for Camilla to enter this space, to occupy a place that was so important to a mother who she lost when she was so young. This was a forbidden place, one was warned from for so long, yet it was a place that was central in the childhood life of her mother. What a befuddling mix of emotions this must have been.
But what I loved best about the way Whitney crafted this scene was the way in which she assigned human qualities to the room itself:
“This was her mother’s room. She wanted to feel it, to believe in it, to reach across the years to her mother through it. But the room, though charming, remained remote. It was not yet ready to accept her, to speak to her.”
I had to stop reading at this point and just imagine how Camilla would sense this, how it would be presented to her mind and to her heart.
Winning over the spirit of the bedroom of her late mother was just the first step in the larger aspect of challenge that Camilla had before her, that was to reinvigorate and renew the Thunder Heights estate itself. Not just physical improvements to the home and grounds, but a renewing of spirit, to the house and the people who lived in it. Phyllis Whitney put this challenge in beautiful words:
“She felt a little saddened by the deterioration that she saw everywhere in the house. How shining and rich everything must have been in the heyday of the past – and could be again, if only someone cared. It was not lack of wealth, but a disintegration of spirit that lay behind the neglect.”
Phyllis Whitney skillfully stirred all of these ingredients together, setting the tone, just right, in order that a superbly told story could unfold in the chapters head.
She achieved all of this and more in “Thunder Heights.” I truly loved this story, as I did Camilla!
By the end of page one, I knew that Camilla King is at a crossroads, and I was already quite sure I was going to like this novel.
My first clue of this came as I realized it was the author’s choice to place her ruminating protagonist in front of a window as opposed to something like a mirror. That told me something about Camilla King right away…she’s a forward looking character. It was Bill Withers who said something that I thought related perfectly to where Camilla was at the time of the first chapter:
“I feel that it is healthier to look out at the world through a window than through a mirror. Otherwise, all you see is yourself and whatever is behind you.”
And we know Camilla has two particular experiences that she wishes to keep behind her. In both cases, she’s proven to be too outspoken for the tastes of her employers. The first time, she spoke out against her employer’s inappropriate advances, and in the second, she spoke up about her opinion that Mr. Hodges was overly harsh and unfair with his children. I respected Camilla’s courage and at the same time understood how that courage, while admirable, comes with complications. As I read, I found myself relating to Camilla in a powerful way as I thought about circumstances in my own life where I took a stand and then paid a price for that stand. I should clarify…I paid a price in the short term, but ultimately, there were so many more rewards for doing the right thing…it just took time.
I would do it the same way if I had the chance to repeat my past.
I was hoping the same for Camilla King…that her courage would be somehow rewarded, and thankfully, the author gave me clues to indicate this would be so.
The first clue came when I read about Camilla’s late mother Althea, and the way she remembered her as a graceful woman who knew how to love and who always seemed to carry an aura of excitement with her. And even though Camilla was only eight years old at the time of her mother’s death, she was old enough to see how much her father John esteemed and deeply loved his beloved bride and how much she loved him in return. The author tells us that Althea possessed grace, and since we learn that Camilla is so much like her mother, we know she has this character trait as well. Knowing that Camilla, like her mother before her, was a graceful person, I also knew she had the capacity for happiness. This combination of grace and happiness would, I was certain, lead her down a positive path.
Denis Waitley captured this idea when he said the following:
“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude.”
I also noted how Phyllis Whitney tells us, early on through the telling of Camilla’s childhood, that she is a contented person. Camilla was an only child, but is described as a very good student at school, she’s given a fair amount of freedom and finds many amusements to fill her free time. She’s lonely on occasion, but is contented. We know that this would partly come as a result of the kind of father John was to her. According to the telling of Camilla’s childhood, her father, upon the death of his wife, seemed to transfer that extra measure of love to his daughter. John, a peaceful, scholarly man by nature, took the time to show love to his daughter, and did so within the environment of a quiet, peaceful household. It is that sense of freedom given to young Camilla, combined with her father’s steady, unreserved love that I guessed to be a source of her contentment, despite the early loss of her mother.
Whitney also tells us that Camilla is a combination of dreamer, and realist. A dreamer by nature, who learned how to be practical as she helped her father after Althea’s death.
The other reason why I liked Camilla right off was that she had a way of earning the loyalty of the people in her life. We see this in the novel’s opening scene, Camilla looking out the window of her room while Nettie, the parlor maid is tearfully packing her bags. Nettie is heavyhearted as the reality of Camilla’s departure sets in. Nettie believes her to be a pretty and clever governess…the right choice for the Hodges children. The author makes a point of telling us that packing Camilla’s bags is not part of Nettie’s work duties. We realize she just wants to do this out of her own free will. So Camilla has earned the admiration of the housekeeper, and when it comes to fiction, or real life for that matter, I know to trust and value the opinions and views of housekeepers. It takes great skill to know how to serve others.
Camilla is happy, courageous, graceful, contented and adventurous young lady who earns the trust and loyalty of those around her. My guess was that every one of these traits would be sufficiently drawn on as the story progressed.
In that opening scene, Camilla considers where she might go next. She remembers that she has wealthy relatives in the city, but she won’t be in contact with them due to the fact that she knew of the stories of how her grandfather, Orrin Judd, mistreated her mother and how her father John greatly disliked him for it. She never knew exactly what the nature of her grandfather’s fault was, but her father always insisted that she have nothing to do with her mother’s family. She held to that way of thinking out of respect for her father. But despite the fact that she was taught to ignore her mother’s family, she did know a few things about them, including the fact that her grandfather, Orrin Judd and his daughters lived in a great house on the Hudson named Thunder Heights.
It was on that, her last day at the Hodges home that a man named Alexander Pompton came calling for her. The man turns out to be her grandfather’s long time attorney, informing her that she’s to travel to Thunder Heights the very next day to visit Orrin, the haste, Pompton tells Camilla, is due to the fact that her grandfather is gravely ill with a heart condition and that he’s now confined to his sickbed. Camilla protests, informing the attorney that her grandfather actually disowned his daughter (her mother) and that he would have nothing to do with her family. Pompton then drops a bombshell on Camilla, her grandfather actually kept very close tabs on Althea over the years, and that if she were in need, at any time, he would have helped, even though he and his son-in-law John were at odds.
The lawyer informs Camilla that John was mistaken in blaming Orrin Judd for the death of Althea.
Camilla considers this, remembering that her father came back from her mother’s funeral, more convinced than ever that Althea’s family was fully to blame for the accident that lead to her death. Camilla remembered that her father didn’t want share the cause of her mother’s death with her, instead preferring that Camilla remember her mother as she was in life. She tells Pompton that she never knew how her mother died and that her father, upon returning from her mother’s funeral, reminded her, once again, to have nothing to do with her grandfather or any member of her mother’s family.
The lawyer reminds Camilla that her father has been dead for a number of years and that she’s now a grown woman. Perhaps she should make her own decisions in this matter? He suggests that Orrin, a dying man, may have regrets. He also tells Camilla that he knew Althea to be Orrin’s favorite daughter. He informs her that Orrin wishes to see her and that it would be good for her to make his acquaintance, and observing Camilla’s strong resemblance to her mother, he says he’s confident that her presence would bring happiness to her grandfather.
The lawyer’s encouragement comes with a warning that she should visit Thunder Heights for no more than a day or two and that Camilla’s Aunt Hortense may make things especially unpleasant for her as she’s still holding to a grudge against her sister that seemed to start when she left Thunder Heights in order to run away with John King. The lawyer warns Camilla that her grandfather, in his weakened state, may not be able to fully prevail an atmosphere of welcome for his granddaughter, but balances this warning by mentioning that Camilla’s other aunt, Miss Letty was a gentle soul and would most likely treat Camilla with warmth. He goes on to briefly inform her about Booth Hendricks, a man of thirty-six who was adopted by her Aunt Hortense when he was ten years old and an associate of her grandfather, and engineer named Ross Granger who was due to visit right about the time Camilla was to visit.
“Will you give your grandfather this last pleasure?” The lawyer asks, causing Camilla to seriously consider the idea for the first time. This turn in her thinking begins as acceptance, “There’s no reason why I can’t catch tomorrow’s boat as you suggest” she concedes. The lawyer, having secured her agreement, leaves Camilla to herself, as she sits there alone, all of these new revelations begin to sink in and her hesitancy begins to turn to enthusiasm as she imagines the possible adventures that may come when she visits Thunder Heights.
I really liked how the author reinforced Camilla’s love for adventure in the pages that followed. These glimpses into her venturous nature helped authenticate her decision to go to Thunder Heights in the first place, even against the lifelong, often repeated wishes of her beloved father that she never visit her mother’s family, or even step foot on Thunder Heights. This was one of the first scenes that reinforced how adventurous Camilla actually was:
It happened when she boarded the four deck boat that will take her to Westcliff, which is near the Thunder Heights estate. It’s a windy day and gusts are fiercely blowing across the deck of the boat. Almost all of the other passengers have sought refuge and comfort in the salons, but Camilla desires, above all, to drink in every aspect of this experience:
“Over her hat she tied a gray veil that matched her gray tailleur suit, knotting it in a bow under her chin. Then she went out on deck into the very teeth of the wind….the wind had increased its velocity, tearing at her hat as if to snatch it from beneath the enfolding veil, pulling black strands of hair from beneath its brim. Camilla pushed them back breathlessly and laughed into the gale in sheer delight. There was something satisfying about resisting its elementary force. She would choose a storm any day to brooding safely in the shelter of a small gray room whose very walls shut her away from the tempests and clamor of life.”
I absolutely loved what Phyllis Whitney did with this small scene. For one, as I mentioned above, it made Camilla seem more real, more vivid, causing me to imagine her in detail, and secondly, what a wonderful and absolutely captivating way to describe this lively young woman!
There were a number of enchanting scenes in “Thunder Heights” that stirred my imagination. One in particular was when Camilla arrives at Thunder Heights and is ushered into her assigned bedroom. It turns out to be her mother’s own childhood bedroom. Whitney does a fantastic job of helping us “see” the room itself, the “pink marble mantelpiece carved with a rose leaf design, French clock of gilt and enamel and the little French chandelier, adrip with crystal.” As I read these descriptions, I tried to imagine how it might have felt for Camilla to enter this space, to occupy a place that was so important to a mother who she lost when she was so young. This was a forbidden place, one was warned from for so long, yet it was a place that was central in the childhood life of her mother. What a befuddling mix of emotions this must have been.
But what I loved best about the way Whitney crafted this scene was the way in which she assigned human qualities to the room itself:
“This was her mother’s room. She wanted to feel it, to believe in it, to reach across the years to her mother through it. But the room, though charming, remained remote. It was not yet ready to accept her, to speak to her.”
I had to stop reading at this point and just imagine how Camilla would sense this, how it would be presented to her mind and to her heart.
Winning over the spirit of the bedroom of her late mother was just the first step in the larger aspect of challenge that Camilla had before her, that was to reinvigorate and renew the Thunder Heights estate itself. Not just physical improvements to the home and grounds, but a renewing of spirit, to the house and the people who lived in it. Phyllis Whitney put this challenge in beautiful words:
“She felt a little saddened by the deterioration that she saw everywhere in the house. How shining and rich everything must have been in the heyday of the past – and could be again, if only someone cared. It was not lack of wealth, but a disintegration of spirit that lay behind the neglect.”
Phyllis Whitney skillfully stirred all of these ingredients together, setting the tone, just right, in order that a superbly told story could unfold in the chapters head.
She achieved all of this and more in “Thunder Heights.” I truly loved this story, as I did Camilla!
August 8, 2017
***2017 Summer Lovin’ Reading List***
2.5 stars
A disappointment, as I had high hopes of Phyllis Whitney. So many gothic romances are set in England, at first I found it refreshing to read one set in New York instead. But I just couldn’t connect with the heroine, Camilla King, who seemed to be unrealistically naïve, especially for someone who had been through so much loss and was supporting herself through governessing.
The big party that happens close to the book’s ending would have been better placed in the middle or slightly before that, and to have introduced at least one other man into Camilla’s sphere of influence. As things stood, as a reader I knew she would have to end up with either the artist or the engineer/advisor. Whitney spent very little time letting Camilla form relationships with either one of them. As a result, when the choice was made at the end, I just couldn’t feel it was realistic—she barely knew the man she ended up with.
2.5 stars
A disappointment, as I had high hopes of Phyllis Whitney. So many gothic romances are set in England, at first I found it refreshing to read one set in New York instead. But I just couldn’t connect with the heroine, Camilla King, who seemed to be unrealistically naïve, especially for someone who had been through so much loss and was supporting herself through governessing.
The big party that happens close to the book’s ending would have been better placed in the middle or slightly before that, and to have introduced at least one other man into Camilla’s sphere of influence. As things stood, as a reader I knew she would have to end up with either the artist or the engineer/advisor. Whitney spent very little time letting Camilla form relationships with either one of them. As a result, when the choice was made at the end, I just couldn’t feel it was realistic—she barely knew the man she ended up with.
June 16, 2018
I guess the late Phyllis Whitney (born 1903, died 2008) is, in Victorian Gothic romance, the U.S. equivalent of Victoria Holt (1906-1993), and, in romantic suspense, she's our own Mary Stewart (1916-2014). Whitney was the contemporary of those two known English authors and actually began writing Gothics and romantic suspense before them. Her first romantic suspense book, RED IS FOR MURDER, was released in 1943. Stewart's first (MADAM, WILL YOU TALK?) was from 1954. And the first Gothic by Victoria Holt (pen name of Eleanor Bufford Hibbert for that genre) is MISTRESS OF MELLYN from 1960.
I was a devoted reader of all three authors in my tweens and teens and so have a soft spot for their work, but I do confess to finding Mary Stewart's writing superior to the other two and Victoria Holt's Gothic atmosphere superior to that of Whitney's. Even so, I was delighted to see that many of Whitney's books are now being released in e-format and am enjoying a trip down memory lane whenever I find one at a bargain price. (Several were $2.99 or $1.99 in price recently and I snapped them up.)
This one is a Victorian Gothic set in New York of the late 1800s. It's a typical Gothic set-up with orphaned, impecunious heroine in her 20s working as a governess when she is summoned to meet her dying grandfather and the two sisters of her late mother. A mother who, BTW, died some years ago in mysterious circumstances her father refused to talk about.
The setting is the gloomy mansion Thunder Heights on the Hudson River near Dunderberg Mountain (Dutch name that translates to "Thunder Mountain" but is not to be confused with the Disney version). Grandfather unpredictably leaves everything to our heroine. This, predictably, doesn't sit well with the rest of the family, i.e., the two aunts and the adopted son of one of them.
Everyone is strange or moody, as befits a Gothic. There's, of course, that mystery about how the heroine's mother died, but is there someone trying to kill our lovely heroine in the present time? Hard to tell which of the three family members, if so. Or maybe it's all three in collusion? And, as is the usual case in a Gothic, there are two possible love interests. The love is a bit underdeveloped and unconvincing and runs hot/cold, but then that's also to be expected. We wouldn't want a Gothic romance to get outside the formula lines, would we?
This is fun as a trip down memory lane and it's old enough to be forgiven for its many faults.
I was a devoted reader of all three authors in my tweens and teens and so have a soft spot for their work, but I do confess to finding Mary Stewart's writing superior to the other two and Victoria Holt's Gothic atmosphere superior to that of Whitney's. Even so, I was delighted to see that many of Whitney's books are now being released in e-format and am enjoying a trip down memory lane whenever I find one at a bargain price. (Several were $2.99 or $1.99 in price recently and I snapped them up.)
This one is a Victorian Gothic set in New York of the late 1800s. It's a typical Gothic set-up with orphaned, impecunious heroine in her 20s working as a governess when she is summoned to meet her dying grandfather and the two sisters of her late mother. A mother who, BTW, died some years ago in mysterious circumstances her father refused to talk about.
The setting is the gloomy mansion Thunder Heights on the Hudson River near Dunderberg Mountain (Dutch name that translates to "Thunder Mountain" but is not to be confused with the Disney version). Grandfather unpredictably leaves everything to our heroine. This, predictably, doesn't sit well with the rest of the family, i.e., the two aunts and the adopted son of one of them.
Everyone is strange or moody, as befits a Gothic. There's, of course, that mystery about how the heroine's mother died, but is there someone trying to kill our lovely heroine in the present time? Hard to tell which of the three family members, if so. Or maybe it's all three in collusion? And, as is the usual case in a Gothic, there are two possible love interests. The love is a bit underdeveloped and unconvincing and runs hot/cold, but then that's also to be expected. We wouldn't want a Gothic romance to get outside the formula lines, would we?
This is fun as a trip down memory lane and it's old enough to be forgiven for its many faults.
March 6, 2022
The year(s) of Phyllis A. Whitney roll on.
This was one of Whitney’s historical romantic suspense novels. The backdrop for this one was the islands of the coast of New York. It was set before all of the bridges connecting the islands were constructed and people were still dependent on the ferries.
I did this one as an audio book. If I had done it as paper, I would have finished it in one sitting, the story grabbed me from the start.
This story was also clean, so if you like your suspense this way, give it a go. Now onto the next audio and paper books by her in my queue.
This was one of Whitney’s historical romantic suspense novels. The backdrop for this one was the islands of the coast of New York. It was set before all of the bridges connecting the islands were constructed and people were still dependent on the ferries.
I did this one as an audio book. If I had done it as paper, I would have finished it in one sitting, the story grabbed me from the start.
This story was also clean, so if you like your suspense this way, give it a go. Now onto the next audio and paper books by her in my queue.
June 11, 2012
I started devouring Phyllis A Whitney's books even when I was back in elementary school in the 1960's and got them from my parents bookstore but somehow missed this one which came out in 1960. This edition was printed in a limited number and I am fortunate enough to have gotten hold of one of the 80 copies from my library.
Camilla King is in her early 20's and a governess in New York City. We don't know the exact year but early 1900's I would guess. She has just lost her second job when her boss thinks she is not tough enough on the kids. She has no where to go as both parents are dead but before she has to leave the house, an attorney shows up and tells her that her grandfather who she has never met is dying and wants for her to come upriver to his estate at Thunder Heights.
Thunder Heights is where her mother grew up with her sisters Hortense and Letty in a wealthy household dominated by their business mogul father. One day school teacher John King met the family and eloped with Camilla's mother, the spirited youngest daughter Althea. Orrin Judd, Althea's father disowned Althea and developed an instant hatred for John King, feeling he was beneath his daughter.
Later, when Camilla was 8, Althea had been called to her father's deathbed (only he didn't die) to be reconciled with him. While there, she had a suspicious accident and died. A bitter John King felt she was purposely killed and kept Camilla away . Now, Orrin is again supposedly dying and calls for Camilla.
The next day, Camilla is on a boat to Thunder Heights. She meets Ross on the boat. He is Orrin's assistant and is stunned to learn that Orrin has taken ill while Ross was on a wild goose chase in New York City. She receives a warm welcome from her Aunt Hortense's adopted son Booth Hendricks but while her Aunt Letty seems fluffy and out of it, Aunt Hortense outs out the unwelcome mat.
To her astonishment, her grandfather tells her to watch Letty and that he does not trust any of them and says he will talk to her about restoring the house to its former glory. Unfortunately, he dies quickly before he can talk to her about anything that very night.
The day he is buried, the attorney calls everyone into the house and says he wants to read the new will. Hortense and her son had been trying to pressure the old man into writing a new will favoring them but to everyone's surprise, he left Hortense the bible and Letty a picture and everything else to Camilla with instructions to live there, fix the place up, and provide for Hortense, Letty and Booth. If she leaves, she gives it all up. He left a private letter for her and she decides to accept.
Happily she begins to fix the property up but there is danger. Someone creeps around in the night trying her locked door. She is given herbal tea that she shares with Letty's cat and the cat nearly dies from the poison. She receives mysterious warnings. She falls in love with Ross who seems to push her away. Someone sabotages the basement stair and booby traps it then sends her down to the basement to get a vase. Everyone has much to hide and she does not know who to trust, if anyone. Someone is out to kill her just as they killed her mother before her. It is when she is out in a storm riding a spirited horse in the same riding outfit that her mother wore to her death that she finds out who.
Read this one with the lights on and the door locked. Don't accept any tea from loved ones. They might be out to poison you.
Camilla King is in her early 20's and a governess in New York City. We don't know the exact year but early 1900's I would guess. She has just lost her second job when her boss thinks she is not tough enough on the kids. She has no where to go as both parents are dead but before she has to leave the house, an attorney shows up and tells her that her grandfather who she has never met is dying and wants for her to come upriver to his estate at Thunder Heights.
Thunder Heights is where her mother grew up with her sisters Hortense and Letty in a wealthy household dominated by their business mogul father. One day school teacher John King met the family and eloped with Camilla's mother, the spirited youngest daughter Althea. Orrin Judd, Althea's father disowned Althea and developed an instant hatred for John King, feeling he was beneath his daughter.
Later, when Camilla was 8, Althea had been called to her father's deathbed (only he didn't die) to be reconciled with him. While there, she had a suspicious accident and died. A bitter John King felt she was purposely killed and kept Camilla away . Now, Orrin is again supposedly dying and calls for Camilla.
The next day, Camilla is on a boat to Thunder Heights. She meets Ross on the boat. He is Orrin's assistant and is stunned to learn that Orrin has taken ill while Ross was on a wild goose chase in New York City. She receives a warm welcome from her Aunt Hortense's adopted son Booth Hendricks but while her Aunt Letty seems fluffy and out of it, Aunt Hortense outs out the unwelcome mat.
To her astonishment, her grandfather tells her to watch Letty and that he does not trust any of them and says he will talk to her about restoring the house to its former glory. Unfortunately, he dies quickly before he can talk to her about anything that very night.
The day he is buried, the attorney calls everyone into the house and says he wants to read the new will. Hortense and her son had been trying to pressure the old man into writing a new will favoring them but to everyone's surprise, he left Hortense the bible and Letty a picture and everything else to Camilla with instructions to live there, fix the place up, and provide for Hortense, Letty and Booth. If she leaves, she gives it all up. He left a private letter for her and she decides to accept.
Happily she begins to fix the property up but there is danger. Someone creeps around in the night trying her locked door. She is given herbal tea that she shares with Letty's cat and the cat nearly dies from the poison. She receives mysterious warnings. She falls in love with Ross who seems to push her away. Someone sabotages the basement stair and booby traps it then sends her down to the basement to get a vase. Everyone has much to hide and she does not know who to trust, if anyone. Someone is out to kill her just as they killed her mother before her. It is when she is out in a storm riding a spirited horse in the same riding outfit that her mother wore to her death that she finds out who.
Read this one with the lights on and the door locked. Don't accept any tea from loved ones. They might be out to poison you.
June 29, 2018
i love reading old romance and mystery book they have a great storyline to them . if i could give this book more than five stars i would . i love this book so much because it kept me guessing what would happened till the end of the book. i have not read a book by this writer till now .and i plan to read more of her book in the future.
November 18, 2014
The heroine of the story goes to visit long-lost relatives at her dying Grandfather's request. Once there she encounters long buried family secrets, greed, wealth, fear, death and courage. Your typical gothic story.
So, between the flighty aunt, the bitchy aunt, the brooding step son and the cantankerous neighbor, who do you think is the 'bad guy' in this story? And you'd be right! So, not many surprises but an enjoyable story of a young woman who finds her confidence and pieces together pieces of the family secret.
And speaking of which, I found that while this seemed to be an important part of the story, it really was a lame thing in that one of the characters felt it was their fault simply because . But a reason was needed to get the heroine to the family estate so I guess this was as good a reason as any.
One more quibble - there is a cat in this story but no mention is made of it at the climax of the story when And so on. I believe modern storytelling is sure that any mention of animals always follows through with keeping track of them. Not so in this case.
So, between the flighty aunt, the bitchy aunt, the brooding step son and the cantankerous neighbor, who do you think is the 'bad guy' in this story? And you'd be right! So, not many surprises but an enjoyable story of a young woman who finds her confidence and pieces together pieces of the family secret.
And speaking of which, I found that while this seemed to be an important part of the story, it really was a lame thing in that one of the characters felt it was their fault simply because . But a reason was needed to get the heroine to the family estate so I guess this was as good a reason as any.
One more quibble - there is a cat in this story but no mention is made of it at the climax of the story when And so on. I believe modern storytelling is sure that any mention of animals always follows through with keeping track of them. Not so in this case.
September 10, 2023
A Write to Review
A novel to read over and over again without ever getting bored! Camilla King takes a trip to a gothic mansion named Thunder Heights where her grandfather resides, a grandfather whom her father had done everything in his power to cut connections from. Curiosity might just be the end of the cat on this one as she meets a family she didn't even know she had. She found two aunts; Aunt Hortense who is set in a style of another day, Aunt Letty, haunted beyond reason, also Hortense's adopted son, Booth, a sarcastic man, idle in his ways and Ross Granger, an aide to her grandfather. Mystery and intrigue surround this story in Camilla's grandfather's will, a painting never quite finished, and a long-kept secret that someone doesn't want to be revealed.
A novel to read over and over again without ever getting bored! Camilla King takes a trip to a gothic mansion named Thunder Heights where her grandfather resides, a grandfather whom her father had done everything in his power to cut connections from. Curiosity might just be the end of the cat on this one as she meets a family she didn't even know she had. She found two aunts; Aunt Hortense who is set in a style of another day, Aunt Letty, haunted beyond reason, also Hortense's adopted son, Booth, a sarcastic man, idle in his ways and Ross Granger, an aide to her grandfather. Mystery and intrigue surround this story in Camilla's grandfather's will, a painting never quite finished, and a long-kept secret that someone doesn't want to be revealed.
December 20, 2014
I read Thunder Heights many years ago back in the 1970s. Suspenseful and gothic! I loved it!
October 13, 2020
Took a while for me to get into this one, and Whitney's formula is fairly predictable (Mary Higgins Clark's formula is similar--love triangles), but when the story finally picked up speed, it was rather inventive in some ways and I did like the artist/horse-riding/herbal aspects of things. Whitney had a real knack for capturing atmosphere, and some of her turns of phrase are lovely. I'm enjoying walking down memory lane, reading through some of Whitney's books I hadn't read in my teen years.
October 11, 2011
Camilla's maternal grandfather suddenly passes away, leaving her his estate overlooking the Hudson River--Thunder Heights. She is an orphan and is hoping to have a family and home now, but...instead she gets to deal with two aunts--one very ghostlike and the other one cold. There are also other interesting characters and dangers to endure in solving the mystery of her mother's death. The ending was kind of abrupt, but worked.
Ms. Whitney is like comfort food--familiar and vintage.
Ms. Whitney is like comfort food--familiar and vintage.
June 9, 2021
Wow, I really enjoyed Thunder Heights. We meet the main character Camilla right as she is leaving her most recent governess job and learns that her grandfather is ill and has sent for her. She has an estranged relationship with her mother's family, never really dealt with them after the death of her mother and you can really tell she is excited to meet and be with her family. So she makes the trip up river to the family home, Thunder Heights where she meets her grandfather before he transitions, her two aunts and one of her aunts' adopted son, oh and he who becomes the love interest she meets on the boat.
Camilla's arrival is like a ghostly presence for the sisters; she reminds them so much of their dead sister (Camilla's Mom) Althea. Once there, she really begins to learn there is possibly so much more to her Mom's death.
Phyllis A. Whitney nails the gothic feel of this books; tons of descriptions of grey weather, rainy days that coincide perfectly with the constant feelings of loneliness and uncertainty we see Camilla experience. There is the huge manor where if the walls could talk, the secrets they'd tell.
There is a lot of talk of the Hudson River which I enjoyed; Whitney really emphasized the important and symbolism, what the river meant for communities along it. This felt like a Phyllis A. Whitney book. She traveled so much throughout her life for her books; this book felt like a character visiting a place for a short while but on her way somewhere else. Loved seeing that reflection of her through Camilla.
Camilla's arrival is like a ghostly presence for the sisters; she reminds them so much of their dead sister (Camilla's Mom) Althea. Once there, she really begins to learn there is possibly so much more to her Mom's death.
Phyllis A. Whitney nails the gothic feel of this books; tons of descriptions of grey weather, rainy days that coincide perfectly with the constant feelings of loneliness and uncertainty we see Camilla experience. There is the huge manor where if the walls could talk, the secrets they'd tell.
There is a lot of talk of the Hudson River which I enjoyed; Whitney really emphasized the important and symbolism, what the river meant for communities along it. This felt like a Phyllis A. Whitney book. She traveled so much throughout her life for her books; this book felt like a character visiting a place for a short while but on her way somewhere else. Loved seeing that reflection of her through Camilla.
August 21, 2010
I went through a period of time where I read Phyllis Whitney books back to back - I chain-read her books! Her writing style appeals to me, and these books make a great summer day in the park type read, or a good story to curl up with on a rainy day. The only drawback is the plots are all pretty similar (girl is usually trying to solve a family mystery and finds an attractive yet scary man, etc.) and I can't remember which is which! I liked them all, however.
June 19, 2011
When I found this battered paperback in a library book sale I was delighted. I have read many books by Phyllis Whitney and I have enjoyed them all. However, this one was new to me. Yes, it is easy to guess the villain--especially if you've read other books by this author. Nevertheless, Ms. Whitney's strength lies in revealing character--bit by bit. All the players are carefully drawn and the descriptions are vivid as well as haunting.
Take a trip back in time and read this book.
Take a trip back in time and read this book.
July 12, 2011
This book has been on my shelf waiting to be read for years (along with a LOT of others!). I just wanted to read an old-fashioned mystery and this one was just right. I'd forgotten how much I like Phyllis Whitney. Yes, her plots and characters are all similar (I told my husband, in general terms, how the book would end and, of course, I was right) but she does gothic mysteries so well that I enjoyed every moment while I read it.
February 11, 2008
Camilla has never seen her grandfather or aunts. One day she is called to her mothers old home by her grandfather, but someone doesn't want her there.
November 26, 2008
This was my first Phyllis A. Whitney. I was hooked and read nothing but Phyllis Whitney for about 2 years until I read almost all I could find.
March 1, 2009
I loved these romantic mysteries when I was 16-17 years old. I read lots of Phyllis Whitney and Mary Stewart.
July 21, 2013
Although it wasn't "amazing," I still gave it five stars, as it's classic Whitney: well written, suspenseful. Good memories of my teenage years reading this wonderful author.
Read
May 21, 2012Interesting.
December 7, 2024
Thunder Heights has an unusual setting for a gothic romance, which is part of the reason I picked it up. It takes place in New York near the Hudson River, and it isn’t specific about the time period it’s set in (although carriages still seem to be the main source of transportation). There were a lot of aspects to like. The many characters living in the house were interesting to encounter, and the story itself had a strong concept. Overall, though, it was too easy to guess the villain, and too infuriating to watch the main character refuse to see what was in front of her face. The main character was naive and lacked agency, and that was what ultimately made this a 3 star read for me.
September 7, 2022
3.5 stars. An entertaining Gothic suspense novel, well written and not that badly aged. The heroine was meant to be appealing but she was vaguely annoying, and there were a few too many red herrings, so not a full 4. This edition was from my library and interestingly features a moody cover by Ezra Jack Keats (author/illustrator of many children's classics, including one of my absolute favorites, The Snowy Day).
August 12, 2025
This is a fun Gothic that exists mostly on vibes. The setting, the Hudson River Valley in the 1890s, is wonderfully realized and delightfully engaging. The plot does require the characters to do some truly unhinged things (the main character spends a good chunk of time repeatedly wearing the riding clothes her mom died in) but that just makes the whole thing better.
April 26, 2023
A superb romantic mystery. It kept me guessing until the very end. I can’t wait to read more of hers!
December 18, 2014
Not having had much exposure to classic gothic romantic suspense novels, I thought I'd try a few and Thunder Heights wasn't a bad choice - there's nothing particularly new or different about the fairly standard story, but sprinkling of "dun dun dun" suspense and a light romance makes this a solid rainy-day comfort read.
It's the tried and true story - our young orphaned protagonist, Camilla King, is the recipient of a large inheritance from her estranged grandfather and travels to Thunder Heights to claim it, only to find herself faced with an extremely hostile environment. The story started off stronger than it ended and the suspense (and romance) mostly peters out after the midway point, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I liked Camilla for the most part (aside from some short flashes of silly obstinance), and seeing her struggle to win the approval of her jealous relatives and fight off a growing sense of threat made for an entertaining read. Unfortunately the mystery itself ended in a rather melodramatic and nonsensical manner; it was never quite clear whether the author was dropping red herrings or attempting to convince me that this is the true culprit, since the motivations made little sense.
And the romance wasn't particularly exciting - it was pretty abrupt and there was virtually no development as it hopped from heated arguments to passionate embraces and professions of love. I didn't even understand what she saw in Ross Granger; he certainly never improved in temperament throughout their acquaintance. Still, if one is looking for a reasonably satisfying comfort read with a dash of suspense and 'romance,' this is not a bad choice.
It's the tried and true story - our young orphaned protagonist, Camilla King, is the recipient of a large inheritance from her estranged grandfather and travels to Thunder Heights to claim it, only to find herself faced with an extremely hostile environment. The story started off stronger than it ended and the suspense (and romance) mostly peters out after the midway point, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I liked Camilla for the most part (aside from some short flashes of silly obstinance), and seeing her struggle to win the approval of her jealous relatives and fight off a growing sense of threat made for an entertaining read. Unfortunately the mystery itself ended in a rather melodramatic and nonsensical manner; it was never quite clear whether the author was dropping red herrings or attempting to convince me that this is the true culprit, since the motivations made little sense.
And the romance wasn't particularly exciting - it was pretty abrupt and there was virtually no development as it hopped from heated arguments to passionate embraces and professions of love. I didn't even understand what she saw in Ross Granger; he certainly never improved in temperament throughout their acquaintance. Still, if one is looking for a reasonably satisfying comfort read with a dash of suspense and 'romance,' this is not a bad choice.
November 6, 2015
Once I attempted to read Phyllis Whitney, and for some reason, I wasn't hooked. Maybe it was because of reviews saying her style was similar to VH, and to me, it wasn't. One of the major differences was that PW's plots take place in US and I prefer Gothics in Victorian Europe.
In spite of that, I think this book was good and, yes, similar to VH. A former governess (and young orphan), suddenly heiress of a Mansion. The members of her family, 2 Aunts and a Cousin, are suspicious of trying to kill her. The mystery may not be great, but I love how she, Camilla, cannot trust anyone, and escapes death by mere luck.
There were 2 negative aspects of the book: 1) the last chapter. I assume it is because the edition I have is condensed. All ends too rushed, and kind of melodramatic; 2) Camilla's love interest. There is not enough about him to make you like him. And the little there is of him, he is always angry.
Nevertheless, point Nr. 1 is due the edition of my book, and point Nr. 2 is only secondary to the story.
In spite of that, I think this book was good and, yes, similar to VH. A former governess (and young orphan), suddenly heiress of a Mansion. The members of her family, 2 Aunts and a Cousin, are suspicious of trying to kill her. The mystery may not be great, but I love how she, Camilla, cannot trust anyone, and escapes death by mere luck.
There were 2 negative aspects of the book: 1) the last chapter. I assume it is because the edition I have is condensed. All ends too rushed, and kind of melodramatic; 2) Camilla's love interest. There is not enough about him to make you like him. And the little there is of him, he is always angry.
Nevertheless, point Nr. 1 is due the edition of my book, and point Nr. 2 is only secondary to the story.
December 2, 2013
Probably a 3.5 really. I am tempted to rate it higher for Whitney's skill in writing and the fact that it was compelling storytelling. I liked the setting and the characters. But the protag had moments of cluelessness and obstinance that, while they made for convenient plot turns/devices, didn't read true. And for all its sudden surge of melodramatic action, the ending felt a little flat; it didn't really seem in keeping with the tone of the rest of the book. Also, I would rate it more of a mystery than a "haunting novel of suspense" as the cover describes. That's not a bad thing at all, it just didn't have the moodiness or tautness I look for in gothic reads. Definitely encouraged to check out more of her writing though.
September 29, 2014
I saw this on a bookshelf recently and just had to read some Phyllis Whitney again. I read a lot of Whitney and Victoria Holt, among others, as a young teenager. They were quick reads with just the right amount of romance, mystery and intrigue. I will admit that when I re-read this, it didn't take me long to "remember" who the hero and villain were but it was a nice respite from the more serious stuff I've been reading.
I tended to avoid books that took place in America as a teen. I was too much a Europhile, but I made the occasional exception. This book takes place on the banks of the Hudson River at the turn of the century, and is very enjoyable if you're looking for some light reading.
I tended to avoid books that took place in America as a teen. I was too much a Europhile, but I made the occasional exception. This book takes place on the banks of the Hudson River at the turn of the century, and is very enjoyable if you're looking for some light reading.
April 13, 2016
I found it slow at the beginning, but there were a few twists along the way I didn't expect.
For example, when Ross admits to have feelings for her and then tells her he is going to leave anyway. That was a bummer for our gothic heroine, Camilla! And I also really like she admitted to being attracted to Booth, which I thought was interesting, who doesn't like a bad boy now and then?
But, in the end, she is saved by our hero Ross after Booth, who had been interesting, was suddenly reduced to a cardboard cut out of an evil villain.
All in all, I enjoyed the classic atmosphere and thought it was a fun read!
For example, when Ross admits to have feelings for her and then tells her he is going to leave anyway. That was a bummer for our gothic heroine, Camilla! And I also really like she admitted to being attracted to Booth, which I thought was interesting, who doesn't like a bad boy now and then?
But, in the end, she is saved by our hero Ross after Booth, who had been interesting, was suddenly reduced to a cardboard cut out of an evil villain.
All in all, I enjoyed the classic atmosphere and thought it was a fun read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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