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Dark Shadows #4
Dark Shadows: Heiress of Collinwood
Dark Heiress of Collinwood is the continuing the story of the classic TV show, Dark Shadows by series star, Lara Parker.“My name is Victoria Winters, and my journey continues . . . .”An orphan with no knowledge of her origins, Victoria Winters first came to the great house of Collinwood as a Governess. It didn’t take long for the Collins family’s many buried secrets, haunted history, and rivalries with evil forces to catch up to Victoria and cast the newcomer adrift in time, trapped between life and death.At last returned to the present, Victoria is called back to Collinwood by a mysterious letter. Hoping to fill in the gaps of her memories by meeting with the people who knew her best, Victoria returns to the aging mansion. However, she soon discovers that the entire Collins family is missing—except for Barnabas Collins, a vampire whose own dark curse is well known. Victoria discovers that she has been named sole heir to the estate, if only she can prove her own identity.Beset by danger and dire warnings, Victoria must discover what dread fate has befallen Collinwood, even as she finally uncovers a shocking truth long hidden in the shadows . . .At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 8, 2016
26 people are currently reading
186 people want to read
About the author
Lara Parker
41 books84 followersLara Parker was born Mary Lamar Rickey in Knoxville, Tennessee, and grew up in Memphis. She attended Central High School in Memphis, and won a scholarship to Vassar College. At Vassar, Lara began a major in philosophy, which she completed at Southwestern at Memphis (now Rhodes College), receiving her BA. She attended graduate school at the University of Iowa and completed all course work on a Masters in speech and drama. During the summer when Lara was supposed to write her thesis, she acted at the Millbrook Playhouse, in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, playing 5 leading roles in 6 weeks. Rather than returning to Iowa, she decided to try her luck in New York. During only her second week in the city, she was cast as Angelique, the witch, in the daytime horror serial, Dark Shadows (1966). It was a role she held for 5 years. It culminated with the film, Night of Dark Shadows (1971). While still in New York, Lara appeared on Broadway in "Woman is My Idea", as well as in two off-Broadway plays: "Lulu" and "A Gun Play".
In 1972, she moved to Los Angeles, and began working in film and prime-time television, performing many guest starring roles, and occasionally returning to daytime television. After retiring from acting, she changed her focus back to what her original interests were. She became a high school and college English teacher, and obtained her MFA in creative writing (from Antioch University). Parker authored four novels based on "Dark Shadows" (see book section, below).
Parker lived in California with her husband, Jim Hawkins and their daughter, Caitlin Hawkins. She died at age 84 from cancer in October 2023.
In 1972, she moved to Los Angeles, and began working in film and prime-time television, performing many guest starring roles, and occasionally returning to daytime television. After retiring from acting, she changed her focus back to what her original interests were. She became a high school and college English teacher, and obtained her MFA in creative writing (from Antioch University). Parker authored four novels based on "Dark Shadows" (see book section, below).
Parker lived in California with her husband, Jim Hawkins and their daughter, Caitlin Hawkins. She died at age 84 from cancer in October 2023.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
November 24, 2016
Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths.
My rating is 3.5 stars.
Dark Shadows was a guilty pleasure of mine when I was growing up back in the dark ages of the 1980s. Reruns of the show always seemed to be on the tv after school and kept me glued to the couch. Hell, I even loved the 1991 remake. (Wasn’t a big fan of the 2012 movie, though I loved Eva Green as Angelique Bouchard.) So when the opportunity to revisit creepy Collinwood came along, I had to take it.
Things start off with Victoria Winters having left the 18th Century and returned to the present of 1972. Her time in the past still a vivid memory, but one which is slowly fading from her mind, as she returns to her normal life as a news reporter for a television station in Bangor, Maine. Soon, however, a letter finds her and implores her to come to Collinwood due to important business, and so Victoria finds herself drawn back into the tangled web of the Collinses.
Returning to Collinwood immediately immerses Victoria in the mysterious goings-on there: ghostly sightings, the eternal Barnabas Collins, and a neighbor, who is the twin of our heroine’s lost Peter Bradford. But most troubling of all is the disappearance of the entire Collins family! Everyone going missing, and no one knowing where they went. This fact causing a will to be triggered; a will which names Victoria as the heir to the Collinwood Estate. All she has to do to inherit: prove her identity.
To do this, Victoria determines to travel to places in her past. The orphanage where she grew up, as well as several other important locales. And, naturally, what she finds out is not what she (or readers) was expecting at all!
Like most horror/mysteries, this novel is a slow burn: it starts out slow, feeding you tidbits of information, introducing (or re-introducing) characters, then picks up toward the end, as it speeds to its stunning conclusion. Nothing wrong with that at all, especially if you (like me) enjoy the creepy world of Dark Shadows. I can, however, see many readers who will long for more excitement, more action, earlier in the narrative. But that isn’t the kind of story Lara Parker has penned, which is actually very fitting since Dark Shadows: Heiress of Collinwood reads like a logical continuation of the story line from the actual series.
Overall, this novel is a wonderful return to the world of Dark Shadows. While the setting is modern 1970s (instead of the 18th Century past which I always preferred) with characters who have definitely evolved, the atmosphere and mood of the original tv series is wonderfully captured and replicated in print form, as well as the story a fitting evolution of the ongoing tale. With that in mind, this is a must read for all Dark Shadows fans!
I received an advanced reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.
My rating is 3.5 stars.
Dark Shadows was a guilty pleasure of mine when I was growing up back in the dark ages of the 1980s. Reruns of the show always seemed to be on the tv after school and kept me glued to the couch. Hell, I even loved the 1991 remake. (Wasn’t a big fan of the 2012 movie, though I loved Eva Green as Angelique Bouchard.) So when the opportunity to revisit creepy Collinwood came along, I had to take it.
Things start off with Victoria Winters having left the 18th Century and returned to the present of 1972. Her time in the past still a vivid memory, but one which is slowly fading from her mind, as she returns to her normal life as a news reporter for a television station in Bangor, Maine. Soon, however, a letter finds her and implores her to come to Collinwood due to important business, and so Victoria finds herself drawn back into the tangled web of the Collinses.
Returning to Collinwood immediately immerses Victoria in the mysterious goings-on there: ghostly sightings, the eternal Barnabas Collins, and a neighbor, who is the twin of our heroine’s lost Peter Bradford. But most troubling of all is the disappearance of the entire Collins family! Everyone going missing, and no one knowing where they went. This fact causing a will to be triggered; a will which names Victoria as the heir to the Collinwood Estate. All she has to do to inherit: prove her identity.
To do this, Victoria determines to travel to places in her past. The orphanage where she grew up, as well as several other important locales. And, naturally, what she finds out is not what she (or readers) was expecting at all!
Like most horror/mysteries, this novel is a slow burn: it starts out slow, feeding you tidbits of information, introducing (or re-introducing) characters, then picks up toward the end, as it speeds to its stunning conclusion. Nothing wrong with that at all, especially if you (like me) enjoy the creepy world of Dark Shadows. I can, however, see many readers who will long for more excitement, more action, earlier in the narrative. But that isn’t the kind of story Lara Parker has penned, which is actually very fitting since Dark Shadows: Heiress of Collinwood reads like a logical continuation of the story line from the actual series.
Overall, this novel is a wonderful return to the world of Dark Shadows. While the setting is modern 1970s (instead of the 18th Century past which I always preferred) with characters who have definitely evolved, the atmosphere and mood of the original tv series is wonderfully captured and replicated in print form, as well as the story a fitting evolution of the ongoing tale. With that in mind, this is a must read for all Dark Shadows fans!
I received an advanced reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.
December 3, 2016
It's actually a bit strange how I looked forward to reading this book when it showed up in a package the other day. I mean I have only seen the movie version which was OK (I would love to see a non-Tim-Burton DARK SHADOW movie) and I have never seen the TV series. But, I do know some about the history of the TV series (thanks to the internet) and that wonderful cover intrigued me not to mention the description of the book. I have a thing for time-slips and here we have a woman that has traveled not once, but twice back in time...
READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION
READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION
October 27, 2016
“DARK SHADOWS: Heiress of Collinwood is an unexpected and thrilling addition to the Dark Shadows canon – Victoria Winters arrives on our literary doorstep with a riveting tale told straight from her heart, revealing a long-kept secret at the core of the House of Collinwood. Parker delivers in top form – just the right blend of gothic mystery and vivid observation tinged with horror, tightly paced to maximum dramatic effect and told with fearless poetic flair.” — Michael Culhane, contributing writer for Famous Monsters of Filmland Magazine, aka Creepybopper #1 MC
February 21, 2018
Reading as part of a Litsy Group Read #DSBuddyRead
November 29, 2016
This one was disappointing.
For most of the book, Vicki is solo. It felt like an overly long prologue of her philosophies, traumas, and fears was being read while I looked at the foggy outline of Collinwood. I kept waiting for the action to begin, the other characters to appear.
All of us who have listened to Return to Collinwood are already aware that Victoria Winters is Elizabeth's daughter. The teaser about the identity of Vicki's father will surely generate another book.
The brief scene between Barnabas and Angelique was well played.
Finishing with part of The Tempest epilogue was poignant. I could almost hear Jonathan Frid's voice.
For most of the book, Vicki is solo. It felt like an overly long prologue of her philosophies, traumas, and fears was being read while I looked at the foggy outline of Collinwood. I kept waiting for the action to begin, the other characters to appear.
All of us who have listened to Return to Collinwood are already aware that Victoria Winters is Elizabeth's daughter. The teaser about the identity of Vicki's father will surely generate another book.
The brief scene between Barnabas and Angelique was well played.
Finishing with part of The Tempest epilogue was poignant. I could almost hear Jonathan Frid's voice.
June 5, 2017
Another wonderful visit to Collinwood, this time with Victoria Winters. The details were outstanding and I felt like I was right there with Vicky while she made discoveries, ran for her life, visited some new residents of Collinsport, met with old acquaintances and encountered the ghosts that freely drift the halls of that gothic mansion.
Perfect reading for a dull and dreary day to add to the menacing atmosphere of this story!
Perfect reading for a dull and dreary day to add to the menacing atmosphere of this story!
April 16, 2019
I had such high hopes for this novel, given it signified the return of Victoria Winters. But while the premise held promise, the actual plot/characters fell flat. In the original series, Victoria went back in time with Peter Bradford (AKA Jeff Clark) to live out her life with the man who traveled through the times to get to her once more. I believe she actually came to be one of the three women to die from Widows Hill during the Leviathan reign though....Anyway, Victoria comes back to the present, all the while harping that she never knew what true love meant and how boring her life is (poor Peter). She also constantly moons over becoming a gypsy (which on the surface could retain some of her old character-desperate to belong somewhere and only seeing the romantic surface of a situation-however, Victoria was always a bit too prim and proper, and became engaged to upper crust men, yes even Burke, during her time; it makes no sense). Victoria is also falling for someone who looks an awful lot like Peter, but early on she states that she thought she knew what love meant (to really love, that is) so... She's crushing on some guy who looks like the husband she's abandoned twice and has the gall to say she didn't truly love him? WTF? This isn't the only time the novel spits on the T.V. series. Details of events have been quite altered; for instance, when Victoria runs into Barnabas (another gripe I'll get to in a second), she recalls the costume party he threw when the fam dressed like their ancestors. In the show, a seance was held, and Victoria relived the death of Josette Collins, even going so far as to almost reveal her lover who scared/chased her into jumping. Here, Victoria says that during the seance, Josette "spoke" through her only to moon over Barnabas and express her love, and then it's revealed that it was Vicki expressing her love to him all along...... Burke was there! That was a major plot device! We also are to understand that when Vicki stayed in Josette's room during the thunderstorm in the show, Barnabas entered the room with her knowledge to seek comfort. Again, the scene in the show gave us the literal reluctant vampire; she slept, but he still couldn't take her blood; that gave us the different vamp we know and love!!!! Also, every fifty pages or so, Victoria remembered something in Jane Eyre, which only made me want to put this down and read that again instead. Anyone who is a fan of the show knows that many plots/characters are based off of horror lit; Vicki as Jane Eyre is stated most often. I know I'm only twenty-four, so maybe I shouldn't be as familiar with the show as those who grew up with it, but this is the only show I get nit-picky about. Victoria isn't a strong enough character to carry a novel; at the very least, she needs the Collins family, and the only person "around" is Barnabas, and even he's only thrown in over two hundred pages down the line and vanishes in a what feels like a few paragraphs. The ending felt rushed and absurd. I have to say, the best Dark Shadows novel I've read was Dreams of the Dark; all the characters and their traits remained intact, and it read like an actual DS script; this felt a bit like fan fiction (but good fan fic at least?) All in all, if you had gripes with the series, maybe give this a read (first time I've said that) But if you're a DS purist, read this if you want to support the fandom, but maybe with a grain of salt, and a crucifix on hand.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2016
3.5-4/5
Mon avis en Français
My English review
I did not know about the TV show at all, nor the books associated, but the synopsis of the story immediately intrigued me I must admit it. I was afraid of being a little lost in relation to the events … I admit that I had a little trouble at the beginning of the story to get to understand everything that was going on, as well as the lifestyle of the heroine. Indeed, we find ourselves in the 18th century and we follow our heroine who, through several actions, will be found in the present. Well I confess that I was a bit lost regarding that part and I had trouble connecting to the story but as soon as we come back to our time, by starting a new story, it was easier to follow the events.
I think I missed a lot of information about everything that happened before and I surely have questions whose answers have already been given but I still had a great time. We learn to discover Victoria Winters, a young journalist who returns to the city that welcomed her after receiving a letter. But as the young woman goes to the dwelling she inhabited so many years ago, it would seem that the entire family has disappeared and that she has inherited the house. But in order for the house to belong to her, she must be able to prove her identity but by being an orphan, she does not hold such documents. In search of her past, Victoria will face many hidden secrets that she did not suspect, but she will also have to face the ghosts present in the mansion and who seem to desire her help.
Courted by all and not knowing who to trust, our heroine will try to unravel the true from the false to save the family that she has always appreciated. It was an interesting and different reading and I confess that I was curious to discover the end of the story that I did not suspect. As I said, there are many holes that I can not fill in but it was a good discovery that made me want to know more. A mixture of travel in time, mystery and paranormal.
Mon avis en Français
My English review
I did not know about the TV show at all, nor the books associated, but the synopsis of the story immediately intrigued me I must admit it. I was afraid of being a little lost in relation to the events … I admit that I had a little trouble at the beginning of the story to get to understand everything that was going on, as well as the lifestyle of the heroine. Indeed, we find ourselves in the 18th century and we follow our heroine who, through several actions, will be found in the present. Well I confess that I was a bit lost regarding that part and I had trouble connecting to the story but as soon as we come back to our time, by starting a new story, it was easier to follow the events.
I think I missed a lot of information about everything that happened before and I surely have questions whose answers have already been given but I still had a great time. We learn to discover Victoria Winters, a young journalist who returns to the city that welcomed her after receiving a letter. But as the young woman goes to the dwelling she inhabited so many years ago, it would seem that the entire family has disappeared and that she has inherited the house. But in order for the house to belong to her, she must be able to prove her identity but by being an orphan, she does not hold such documents. In search of her past, Victoria will face many hidden secrets that she did not suspect, but she will also have to face the ghosts present in the mansion and who seem to desire her help.
Courted by all and not knowing who to trust, our heroine will try to unravel the true from the false to save the family that she has always appreciated. It was an interesting and different reading and I confess that I was curious to discover the end of the story that I did not suspect. As I said, there are many holes that I can not fill in but it was a good discovery that made me want to know more. A mixture of travel in time, mystery and paranormal.
January 18, 2017
The mysterious and macabre always follow the Collins family and all who associate with them. The smart ones stay away, but sometimes just living in Collinsport, Maine puts one in the unfortunate circumstance of crossing their path. A young woman who once lived and worked in their mansion returns after two years away and discovers the great house has been abandoned, the family is missing and events show that her life is in grave danger. She of coarse sees no reason why she shouldn't take up residence and sleep in her old bedroom of the creepy, deserted mansion, despite the fact that something sinister has happened there, and she is all alone. This story never fails to intrigue me, from the cult classic TV series of the sixties, to the movies, to the books, the Dark Shadows stories remain a favorite of mine. The author of these books and former actress of the show, Lara Parker, did a wonderful job bringing the characters to life again with more background and situations for the characters. Enjoyable read. :)
October 24, 2019
Updated
Ok so I eagerly awaited to get this book after I met the author and she announced she was writing this book. So why am I finally reading it now in 2019, well other books got in the way....or is it a foretelling of how I'd feel about this book as I'm reading it...
Can you be thrilled by a book and I bit disappointed by it....I just got this book earlier today and I'm on page 205, I'm glad it has Victoria Winters who is one of my favorite characters, and I've just got done watching the story arc of her traveling through time and being accused of being a witch, and hanged, then coming back to her own time. So I'm assuming the character left the show at some point.
Since I watched the show and read the last book, just to get caught up, I was surprised by the behavior of some of the people still left in town and since everyone at Collinwood is missing...except Barnabas and Willie which both are acting bit different....so something is going on. Was glad to see Maggie Evan's as well.
Then there is the good looking neighbor who looks alot like Peter from who Victoria met in the past....which I have a very bad feeling about.
I'm hopeing to see the family members at some point, things don't look good for them...and there is not alot of pages left, so I'm hopeing that it's not a rushed happy ending...
(Which would mean another book....I wouldn't mind but feel kind of a bit cheated, hopefully it would be better then this one)
Victoria investigates her and the Collins background and I'm wondering why Elizabeth left the house to her? Is she a family member in some way? Gave up at birth since her mum was a young age? Who are her parents?
Guess I'll find out soon enough.....
P.s.
So where is dr Julia Hoffman?
And where is quentin collins?
Ok, so who is miranda? At least in the last book it was Jackie...of course in the last book it listed characters and said in the past she was called Miranda something or other, maybe she changed her name? Or is she a different character?
So overall not a bad book, bit of a rushed ending....
Ok so I eagerly awaited to get this book after I met the author and she announced she was writing this book. So why am I finally reading it now in 2019, well other books got in the way....or is it a foretelling of how I'd feel about this book as I'm reading it...
Can you be thrilled by a book and I bit disappointed by it....I just got this book earlier today and I'm on page 205, I'm glad it has Victoria Winters who is one of my favorite characters, and I've just got done watching the story arc of her traveling through time and being accused of being a witch, and hanged, then coming back to her own time. So I'm assuming the character left the show at some point.
Since I watched the show and read the last book, just to get caught up, I was surprised by the behavior of some of the people still left in town and since everyone at Collinwood is missing...except Barnabas and Willie which both are acting bit different....so something is going on. Was glad to see Maggie Evan's as well.
Then there is the good looking neighbor who looks alot like Peter from who Victoria met in the past....which I have a very bad feeling about.
I'm hopeing to see the family members at some point, things don't look good for them...and there is not alot of pages left, so I'm hopeing that it's not a rushed happy ending...
(Which would mean another book....I wouldn't mind but feel kind of a bit cheated, hopefully it would be better then this one)
Victoria investigates her and the Collins background and I'm wondering why Elizabeth left the house to her? Is she a family member in some way? Gave up at birth since her mum was a young age? Who are her parents?
Guess I'll find out soon enough.....
P.s.
So where is dr Julia Hoffman?
And where is quentin collins?
Ok, so who is miranda? At least in the last book it was Jackie...of course in the last book it listed characters and said in the past she was called Miranda something or other, maybe she changed her name? Or is she a different character?
So overall not a bad book, bit of a rushed ending....
September 21, 2020
This was an okay book but it really was too long and dragged out. I liked the end - for the most part, as I didn't quite understand Angelique's part in this or why she chose to go about things in this manner - and I thought Victoria's trust of Stephan was a little unrealistic (but kind of par for the course with Victoria and Dark Shadows). Not Lara Parker's best work, but it was serviceable. I do like the hint about Victoria's father though... I hope Lara Parker takes on this thread in a future novel.
Some things confused me. Vicki discovered Barnabas had an ancestor named the same as him, but he told her that when they first met - also she knows he's a vampire, so she also knows that isn't true, so that is really confusing. Also, she keeps mentioning Quentin. Vicki never met Quentin Collins - which later Barnabas mentions that she never met him. Also, Lara Parker didn't quite explain the contradiction about Victoria dying in the past, leaping from Widow's Hill in 1797 because of the Leviathans, which was established in the show (episode 967). Peter Bradford also said he was hanged after that, which is not what happens in this novel. A change in Victoria's fate is fine, but give us an in-universe explanation!
Some things confused me. Vicki discovered Barnabas had an ancestor named the same as him, but he told her that when they first met - also she knows he's a vampire, so she also knows that isn't true, so that is really confusing. Also, she keeps mentioning Quentin. Vicki never met Quentin Collins - which later Barnabas mentions that she never met him. Also, Lara Parker didn't quite explain the contradiction about Victoria dying in the past, leaping from Widow's Hill in 1797 because of the Leviathans, which was established in the show (episode 967). Peter Bradford also said he was hanged after that, which is not what happens in this novel. A change in Victoria's fate is fine, but give us an in-universe explanation!
September 5, 2025
If you’re a Dark Shadows fan, like I am, you’ll enjoy reading the last in the series of books written by Lara Parker (Angelique).
With this 4th book based on the TV series: “The Heiress of Collinwood” it continues with spellbinding suspense and gripping storytelling that made the original television series a timeless hit.
Victoria Winters was an orphan with no knowledge of her origins. She first came to the house of Collinwood as a governess. It didn’t take long for the Collins family’s many buried secrets, haunted history, and rivalries with evil forces to catch up to Victoria and cast her adrift in time, trapped between life and death.
When she returns to the present, Victoria is called back to Collinwood by a mysterious letter. Victoria returns to the aging mansion and discovers that the entire Collins family is missing— except for Barnabas Collins, a vampire whose own dark curse is well known. Victoria discovers that she has been named sole heir to the estate, if only she can prove her own identity.
Beset by danger and dire warnings, she must discover what fate has befallen Collinwood, even as she finally uncovers a shocking truth long hidden in the shadows.
With this 4th book based on the TV series: “The Heiress of Collinwood” it continues with spellbinding suspense and gripping storytelling that made the original television series a timeless hit.
Victoria Winters was an orphan with no knowledge of her origins. She first came to the house of Collinwood as a governess. It didn’t take long for the Collins family’s many buried secrets, haunted history, and rivalries with evil forces to catch up to Victoria and cast her adrift in time, trapped between life and death.
When she returns to the present, Victoria is called back to Collinwood by a mysterious letter. Victoria returns to the aging mansion and discovers that the entire Collins family is missing— except for Barnabas Collins, a vampire whose own dark curse is well known. Victoria discovers that she has been named sole heir to the estate, if only she can prove her own identity.
Beset by danger and dire warnings, she must discover what fate has befallen Collinwood, even as she finally uncovers a shocking truth long hidden in the shadows.
October 3, 2020
A light read - - I wanted something to get me ready for Halloween. It was very entertaining - - many references are made to "Jane Eyre" - - which was one of the inspirations for "Dark Shadows," the TV Gothic soap opera. I thought it was cute how Lara Parker worked in the Claus and Sunny Von Bulow story into the novel. The inside joke is that the main character in this novel, Victoria Winters, was played in the original soap opera by Alexandra Von Moltke, later known as Alexandra Isles, who was the girlfriend of Von Bulow. Unlike real life, he gets his comeuppance. It makes me wonder about the real life relationship of Ms. Isles and Ms. Parker.
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March 12, 20174 stars from Jana, read the full review at FANTASY LITERATURE
Disclaimer: just so you know, some of the books we review are received free from publishers
Heiress of Collinwood (2016) is the fourth DARK SHADOWS novel written by Lara Parker, who happens to have been an original cast member on the gothic horror soap opera Dark Shadows, which ran on American television from 1966 – 1971 and has inspired a large number of tie-in novels. (Ms. Parker starred in the role of Angélique Bouchard Collins, in addition to a few other characters.) Contrary to the comedic tone of Tim Burton’s 2012 film based on the show, the original soap opera was quite serious and melodramatic, and Heiress of Collinwood follows that same vein.
Our tale begins in Collinsport, Maine, in the distant year of 1797. The Collins family’s young governess, Victoria Winters, previously became unstuck in time, shaken loose from the swinging 1970s and sent back two centuries in order to remain with the man she loves, a lawyer named Peter. Her modern sensibilities and independence are difficult to let go of, however, and Victoria finds herself drawn away from gossiping villagers in favor of the traveling Roma caravan which has set up camp near town. Something about the gypsies appeals to Victoria in a way she can’t identify, but while she is in the midst of an impromptu dance circle, an angry villager violently assaults her; the man is Edward Wicks, whose sister Phyllis mysteriously died in Victoria’s stead when she was put on trial for witchcraft (a plot point from season two of Dark Shadows). Peter and Edward duel over Victoria’s honor, and when it goes badly, Victoria takes a lethal dose of poison....4 stars from Jana, read the full review at FANTASY LITERATURE
Disclaimer: just so you know, some of the books we review are received free from publishers
Heiress of Collinwood (2016) is the fourth DARK SHADOWS novel written by Lara Parker, who happens to have been an original cast member on the gothic horror soap opera Dark Shadows, which ran on American television from 1966 – 1971 and has inspired a large number of tie-in novels. (Ms. Parker starred in the role of Angélique Bouchard Collins, in addition to a few other characters.) Contrary to the comedic tone of Tim Burton’s 2012 film based on the show, the original soap opera was quite serious and melodramatic, and Heiress of Collinwood follows that same vein.
Our tale begins in Collinsport, Maine, in the distant year of 1797. The Collins family’s young governess, Victoria Winters, previously became unstuck in time, shaken loose from the swinging 1970s and sent back two centuries in order to remain with the man she loves, a lawyer named Peter. Her modern sensibilities and independence are difficult to let go of, however, and Victoria finds herself drawn away from gossiping villagers in favor of the traveling Roma caravan which has set up camp near town. Something about the gypsies appeals to Victoria in a way she can’t identify, but while she is in the midst of an impromptu dance circle, an angry villager violently assaults her; the man is Edward Wicks, whose sister Phyllis mysteriously died in Victoria’s stead when she was put on trial for witchcraft (a plot point from season two of Dark Shadows). Peter and Edward duel over Victoria’s honor, and when it goes badly, Victoria takes a lethal dose of poison....4 stars from Jana, read the full review at FANTASY LITERATURE
September 2, 2017
I read another of Parker's DS books a long while ago, and for the life of me, can't remember the title (it ended with Dr. Hoffman becoming a vampire). I think she's getting better. This was technically sound, if a bit old fashioned. A bit too much telling vs showing and the pacing was all over the place. But what I really admired was how deftly she evoked the feeling of the series. I visualized all the actors who doubtlessly would have played the parts: Alex Isles, KLS and Karlen, of course, but also Roger Davis and Thayer David in the new roles.
Great for DS fans!
Great for DS fans!
March 15, 2024
I didn't enjoy this book nearly as much as Lara Parker's other DS novels. The plot had too much real-life, serial killer type horror for my taste rather than the Gothic horror of the original show. I can't imagine Vicki working as a TV reporter for a Dateline type show, and some of Magda's choices felt totally incongruent with how she was on the show. I also didn't like the choices Lara made with Vicki's parentage. ...But if you're a DS fan, it's still worth a read just to see where she takes the story!
March 2, 2018
More like 3 1/2 stars. I read this as part of a Litsy buddy read. I grew up watching the original Dark Shadows. It came on right when I got home from school. I loved the spookiness of the show, particularly Barnabas Collins. Lara Parker writes with such feeling that you feel like you are watching the show again. The mystery of what happened to Victoria Winters is solved. I think I will go back and read some more of Ms. Parker's series. I enjoyed!
November 23, 2019
I enjoyed reading the Heiress of Collinwood. It was interesting, but it was also a bit confusing that it might have been because I didn't realize that I started with the 4th book instead of the first. There were parts I felt need a little bit more detail or parts I felt were rushed and need more time to understand the development, especially with the characters. But I am looking forward to reading 1, 2 and 3 of the series. It had a classic feel to it, but it was easier to read which I enjoyed.
April 2, 2023
After watching all 1000 plus episodes of dark shadows I still needed more. Well, I actually just needed more Vicky. I didn't like how her story ended in the show and needed something more romantic, satisfying, or just slightly more tasteful than running off with Peter Bradford to the 1700s.
The prose in this book is beautiful. I felt as though I was once again back at Collinwood. I'm happy that Vicky got a better ending, even of it isn't the one I wanted.
The prose in this book is beautiful. I felt as though I was once again back at Collinwood. I'm happy that Vicky got a better ending, even of it isn't the one I wanted.
May 23, 2017
I usually enjoy these books written by Lara Parker, a cast member on the show. But i had a harder time getting into this one. It could be because Victoria Winters was gone from Dark Shadows when I started watching.
November 11, 2017
The ending was anti-climactic, the author gave away the resolve of the mystery in the second to last chapter! She made the character that she played in the TV show the villain, boring!!!
Much to long, and to much description, could have been less than 200 pages.
Much to long, and to much description, could have been less than 200 pages.
November 26, 2021
Not bad.
I had my doubts, but I wanted to see if this would tell how Liz was the mother of Victoria. Not quite the same as shown in the series, but the variances seem to be necessary in order to tell the story.
I had my doubts, but I wanted to see if this would tell how Liz was the mother of Victoria. Not quite the same as shown in the series, but the variances seem to be necessary in order to tell the story.
August 16, 2017
Lara Parker has such a way with words, that it almost reads like poetry. This was a great read.
February 9, 2019
After playing Angelique on Dark Shadows for 4 years, Lara knows these people so well.
October 27, 2019
Great story of how victoria becomes a collins and saves the family.
June 15, 2020
This was a really good series; I enjoyed it!
November 29, 2025
Heiress of Collinwood
You know you loved Dark Shadows and knew there was some connection between Victoria and the Collins but not what it was. Now you get the whole story.
You know you loved Dark Shadows and knew there was some connection between Victoria and the Collins but not what it was. Now you get the whole story.
March 4, 2017
I needed a break from all the serious stuff I've been reading, and I have to admit that one of the stories hinted at, but then dropped, in the original TV show, had to do with Victoria's origins. I liked what Parker did with Victoria's character - gave her a little more depth and strength, without changing anything about how she was in the TV show, in fact used some of the behaviors in the TV show and gave them a new explanation. She seems to hint at, without saying, who Victoria's father was, so that wasn't exactly wrapped up but I have an idea, and I think it's related to one of the Big Finish audio dramas I have but haven't listened to. The one thing I didn't entirely get was how in her news story at the end, Victoria whitewashed what really happened, made a hero of someone who really wasn't and whose 'work' should not by any means be continued. Why? And I know that all the prose in that speech, about life and death, is Parker's own voice coming through Vicki's mouth, despite the fact that she made entirely plausible connections between the things that happened to Vicki on the show and the interests and attitudes she has now as a character. As a whole, the book is not over-written, which I was sort of expecting - it's melodramatic, but not ridiculous. And I like how she is faithful to the original characters, not modifying them beyond recognition the way some of the audio dramas have.
November 21, 2016
I really enjoyed this most recent addition to the Dark Shadows mythos which has been developed from the 1,245 episodes of the the late 1960’s early 1970’s ABC television show and the two MGM motion pictures (House of Dark Shadows and Night of Dark Shadows) that immediately followed. Since then through the trans-medial story telling of television, movies (yes, including that one by Tim Burton), books, audio dramas, games, fan fiction and much more the Dark Shadows mythos, which this year is celebrating its 50th anniversary, has developed a unique secondary world which has its own mythology and legends suggesting the historic depth that authors like J.R.R. Tolkien created in their own world-building. The author of this latest text, Lara Parker, is uniquely qualified to write about and build this world as, in addition to being a writer and teacher, she is also the actress who created the role of the iconic wrathful witch Angelique Bouchard in the original TV series; a role she has been recently reprising for the brilliant Big Finish Dark Shadows Audio dramas. This is Parker’s fourth Dark Shadows themed novel - the others being Angelique’s Descent, The Salem Branch and Wolf Moon Rising - all of which I have very much enjoyed. In this newest text Parker outdoes herself by focusing on progressing the narrative of the character that in a sense started the entire mythos – the mysterious ‘orphan’ Victoria Winters who came to Collinwood to be governess to young David Collins and was swept up in the drama of the Collins family – including being at one point via a séance sent back in time to experience and take part in their history and greatest secret of them all – the tragic fate of the vampire Barnabas Collins. What I really enjoyed about this novel was Parker’s development of a completely new engaging, thrilling page turning story (no spoilers) from the ‘soup’ of the Dark Shadows mythos instead of just dwelling on old story lines that admirers of Dark Shadows know so well. Parker ingeniously weaves elements of the familiar with the new and also adds in an intertextual element to the main plot drawn not only from the mythos of Dark Shadows but from the real-life drama of one of the actresses who played a key role in it. Lara Parker continues to show not just her in-depth understanding of the characters and that world that she was a key part of originally creating, but also how the richness of these stories and characters can resonate with new readers and hopefully encourage them to explore the wider Dark Shadows mythos further. Also, I really enjoyed the almost Lovecraftian horror that Parker injects into this specific story (one scene especially is a shocker!) I highly recommend this book and hope there are more to come from Lara Parker as well as other Dark Shadows authors; such as Kathryn Leigh Scott who has already written some brilliant books on the world of Dark Shadows (wouldn’t it be great if they wrote something together from the Josette/Angelique perspective – one can dream!). I highly recommend Dark Shadows: Heiress of Collinwood not only to fans and admirers of the Dark Shadows mythos but also to lovers of a good cracking horror story! Lara Parker’s excellent story telling will enchant and weave a spell over both!
January 2, 2017
Before the werewolf Quentin Collins, before the witch Angelique Bouchard, before the vampire Barnabas Collins, there was the lovely, soft-spoken governess who came to Collinwood to care for the young, willful David Collins. After finding true love in the late 18th Century, she disappeared from the lives of the Collins family, seemingly forever. Now, years later, she returns to the present of 1972 and to the mysterious estate to learn the truth about her lineage, and to save the only family she’s ever known from utter destruction.
Once the main star of the DARK SHADOWS saga, Victoria Winters inevitably found her storyline overshadowed by the more supernatural aspects of the series which became enormously popular with viewers. Her exit has remained one of the more noticeable loose ends, and Lara Parker, DARK SHADOWS actress-turned-DARK SHADOWS author, boldly takes on the task of tying it off. Using a different approach from her three previous novels, Ms. Parker tells the story entirely from Victoria’s point of view. It’s a nice narrative touch that not only reveals what Vicki has been up to since we saw her last (which none of the other characters would be aware of), but also provides an insightful look into her thoughts and personality, from the memories of her lonely upbringing to her fascination with the novel Jane Eyre, to her coping with her random ability to transcend time to her perception of her own existence. She’s still ever the romanticist Vicki we all remember from the series, with some new developments added by Ms. Parker: a career in the present as a TV reporter, and a weakness for wine. Character growth, as always, is one of the author’s strong suits, and even the other characters visibly acknowledge their approval of how much Vicki has changed.
What’s even nicer about HEIRESS OF COLLINWOOD is that it provides a more satisfying sense of closure to Vicki’s story than what was presented on screen, which was due mostly to actress Alexandra Moltke deciding not to rejoin the cast. Many questions are answered definitively here, and even more can be inferred from reading Ms. Parker’s earlier DARK SHADOWS books.
The pacing, while slow in certain spots, nonetheless sustains the mystery and drama of the TV series and while Vicki is the heroine once again, eventually we do see some familiar faces.
Providing fans with a much more fitting and touching resolution to Victoria Winters’ story, HEIRESS OF COLLINWOOD contains the same level of affection for the characters and attention to detail as the previous novels. Another winner for Lara Parker.
Once the main star of the DARK SHADOWS saga, Victoria Winters inevitably found her storyline overshadowed by the more supernatural aspects of the series which became enormously popular with viewers. Her exit has remained one of the more noticeable loose ends, and Lara Parker, DARK SHADOWS actress-turned-DARK SHADOWS author, boldly takes on the task of tying it off. Using a different approach from her three previous novels, Ms. Parker tells the story entirely from Victoria’s point of view. It’s a nice narrative touch that not only reveals what Vicki has been up to since we saw her last (which none of the other characters would be aware of), but also provides an insightful look into her thoughts and personality, from the memories of her lonely upbringing to her fascination with the novel Jane Eyre, to her coping with her random ability to transcend time to her perception of her own existence. She’s still ever the romanticist Vicki we all remember from the series, with some new developments added by Ms. Parker: a career in the present as a TV reporter, and a weakness for wine. Character growth, as always, is one of the author’s strong suits, and even the other characters visibly acknowledge their approval of how much Vicki has changed.
What’s even nicer about HEIRESS OF COLLINWOOD is that it provides a more satisfying sense of closure to Vicki’s story than what was presented on screen, which was due mostly to actress Alexandra Moltke deciding not to rejoin the cast. Many questions are answered definitively here, and even more can be inferred from reading Ms. Parker’s earlier DARK SHADOWS books.
The pacing, while slow in certain spots, nonetheless sustains the mystery and drama of the TV series and while Vicki is the heroine once again, eventually we do see some familiar faces.
Providing fans with a much more fitting and touching resolution to Victoria Winters’ story, HEIRESS OF COLLINWOOD contains the same level of affection for the characters and attention to detail as the previous novels. Another winner for Lara Parker.
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