The Devereaux Legacy

by Carolyn G. Hart

INTRODUCING A NEW LINE OF CAROLYN HART CLASSICS, each with a new introduction by the author! Leah Devereaux is a dead woman. At least, that's what the folks now running the Devereaux plantation tell her: Leah has been presumed dead for nineteen years--since the day that both her parents died. Leah, very much alive, has returned to South Carolina to uncover the untold story of her parents' deaths. While some, like her cousin Merrick, welcome her, Cissy and John Edward tell her to stay away, tell her to stop meddling in secrets long kept. When a ghost known only as the Whispering Lady appears once again at the Devereaux plantation after years of absence, the locals know it's an omen of death. Merrick and Leah may be the next targets. . . . From the Trade Paperback edition.

Genres: Mystery, Gothic, Audiobook, Romance, Fiction

221 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Also writing as Carolyn Hart.

An accomplished master of mystery with 46 published books, Carolyn Hart is the creator of the highly acclaimed Henrie O,Death on Demand, and Bailey Ruth Raeburn series. Her books have won multiple Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Awards. Letter from Home (2003), her standalone mystery set in Oklahoma, was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Her latest book is Dead by Midnight (William Morrow/HarperCollins, 2007). She is one of the founders of Sisters in Crime, an organization for women who write mysteries. She lives in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma."
New Books: Dead By Midnight Carolyn Hart


DEAD BY MIDNIGHT by Carolyn Hart On Sale March 29

The police say suicide. Annie Darling suspects murder. Max is unconvinced until Annie follows a trail behind the dead woman's house.

Annie unravels the mystery of a towel hidden at midnight in a gazebo, the interesting lack of fingerprints on a crystal mug, blood on a teenager's blue shirt, and the secret of a lovers' tryst. Max plunges deep into the woods to find incriminating evidence.

Annie sets the perfect trap for a merciless killer, but her cell phone rings and Death is on the line.

www.CarolynHart.com

And for cat lovers:

DEAD BY MIDNIGHT by Carolyn Hart

I love to have fun when writing a mystery. If I laugh, I think a reader will laugh. In the Death on Demand series, I especially enjoy writing about Annie Darling's ditzy mother-in-law, Laurel Roethke. Laurel is usually excited about a new interest, something that surprises and often confounds Annie.

In Dead by Midnight, Laurel creates Cat Truth Posters, which she wants Annie to hang in the bookstore. Annie thinks books should be the store's focus, but the posters enchant her.

Each poster features a cat's photograph with a caption. Here are three of the Cat Truth posters;

. . . a silky furred, mitted, and bicolored Ragdoll stretched out on a red silk cushion, looking as comfy as Eva Longoria in a Hanes ad: Go with the Flow.

A rectangular-muzzled, green-eyed, cholocolate colored cat appeared as brooding as a Gothic hero: Always Say Yes to Adventure.

. . . a thick-furred, piebald Siberian forest cat, its white front a brilliant contrast to a charcoal back and head. Its face appeared almost angelic: Always try a Smile First.

And yes, one of the posters points to a killer.

Fun for me and fun, I hope for readers

Reviews

[Lelia Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many moons ago, more than I care to admit, I had a real hankering for gothic mysteries, the kind with dark atmospheres, troubled men, women with a need to establish themselves in the world and who endanger themselves with their naïveté, brooding surroundings including such structures as locked towers, and, frequently, a violent storm; if you’ve read them, you know that you recognize such books immediately, sometimes just by the cover. Anyway, as time went on and I got older, my reading tastes changed. I won’t say those tastes changed for the better because there is absolutely nothing wrong with gothics. Some of the best-known authors have written such books, authors like Daphne Du Maurier, Victoria Holt, Mary Stewart, Emily Bronte, and Charlotte Bronte and, eventually, this subgenre began to morph into the romantic suspense novels we see today. The big difference is that the women involved have grown a pair, so to speak, and are much more likely to get themselves out of trouble or even to avoid it in the first place.

Although I moved on to reading other things, I’ve always held a soft spot for those old gothics and was delighted to hear that The Devereaux Legacy was being re-issued. I’ve long been a fan of Carolyn Hart but never knew about this book from her earlier period before the Death on Demand series which brought her the attention she deserved. So I found two of my long-time loves, gothic mysteries and Carolyn Hart in the same book. What more could I want?

The good news is Ms. Hart hits all the hot spots of a classic gothic mystery and, surprisingly, it’s only slightly dated. Really, the only notable difference from a gothic that might be written today is the lack of cell phones and, frankly, I think that’s a good thing. The advent of cell phones has, in my opinion, taken away a lot of the suspenseful ambience we used to see. After all, the protagonist who’s out of communication with everyone who could come to her aid if necessary is much more likely to cause gasps and tingles of alarm than today’s heroine who can just whip out her cell. When Leah begins to see and hear disturbing things and comes to believe that murder is part of her heritage, I felt the same sense of growing fear that she did. When she dares to go where she shouldn’t, as the heroine almost always does in any good gothic, I heard myself (in my mind so no one nearby would think I’m crazy) yelling at her, “No! Don’t go!”

The even better news is that, although The Devereaux Legacy shows the occasional weaknesses you could expect to find in an author’s earlier work, this is still a well-written and fun read and I’m very glad to add it to the long list of Carolyn Hart books I’ve read and loved. The only thing I would quibble with is the cover—I think the publisher missed a good opportunity to play up the gothic look—but, in the end, that’s really not important, is it?

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, March 2013.

[Tuashawn bibliophile, foodie,lover of people and life · Rating 1 out of 5]

At certain points I just skipped over lines - had the elements for greatness but feel short in my opinion.

[Jan Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just stumbled across this early Carolyn Hart book at a book sale. This is the story of a woman raised by her paternal Grandmother after her parents were lost at sea during a storm . Leah never knew that it was assumed that she and her Grandmother perished in the storm as well. Leah also doesn't know that she has family on her mother's side until her Grandmother dies. Leah is drawn back to Devereaux Plantation after reading an article she found in her Grandmother's things about the return of the Whispering Lady ghost. Her "return from the dead" causes mixed reactions from her family and may just be the death of her.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story line. Not the best by Ms Hart that I enjoy. It is an okay read with some twist and turns that keep you guessing. There were several mysteries about what happened that night so long ago when Leah Devereaux, her parents, and paternal grand mother died. What did happen that night???

[Gloria · Rating 3 out of 5]

A letter written by Leah Devereaux;s grandmother begins her journey to discover what happened to her dead parents. Thinking she has no other relatives, she is surprised to discover her other maternal grandmother and some cousins living on the Devereaux plantation. The cousins hold the secret to her parents' death.

[Consta]

DNF'd. I enjoyed a couple of Hart's mysteries. I thought this was another, but it is a romance novel, apparently. Not a fan of romance.

That aside, it was slow and the writing just felt ham-handed. I threw in the towel.

I will try more of her mysteries, but this one just bored me silly.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a rather simple little mystery that is a quick read. It has a bit of everything: mysterious deaths, a possible ghost, and romance. You do have to suspend quite a bit of disbelief to make it through the story, but overall not bad for a light mystery.

[Carrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This has the flavour of a mass-market romance novel with a mystery. Love at first sight and all that. The romantic scenes made me cringe. The characters did not behave like real people. It's short so I read to the end.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leah finds a partial note from her grandmother which leads her to South Carolina. Where she finds her grave, but she is not dead and has her birth certificate to prove it. What she finds is mystifying with many secrets within the family.

[Marti · Rating 3 out of 5]

A long-ish short story more than a novel. The author's notes in the front were interesting.

[Ann Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Haven't read a Carolyn Hart mystery in years but it seemed different.

[Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't finish. It just didn't grab me. I thought it might be a good holiday read. But it didn't work for me. I just found it weird. And for the record, I usually enjoy Carolyn Hart's books.

[Diane Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ratings for this book are all over the place and I believe the reason is twofold: a desire for this book to be a light hearted mystery romance like the author's Death on Demand series and a basic misunderstanding of the conventions of both gothic mysteries and Harlequin romances of the period. As the author explains in the introduction, light hearted mysteries (or any mysteries written by females) were not selling in the 1970/1980s. The author wrote this as a Harlequin gothic romance to ensure that it would sell. Gothic mysteries have several conventions such as using the setting and its history as main characters and having the heroine do things that any reasonably person wouldn't do. There's a reason that this genre is also known as the "Had I but Known" school of writing (i,e., had I but known, I wouldn't have followed the ghost outside at night by myself). However, Harlequin Romances, that I read voraciously during middle school in the 1970s, had even stricter conventions. There always were two choices of boyfriends for the heroine to choose between. The reader had to be able to feel smart at the end of book for selecting both the correct boyfriend and the "villain" at least 50 pages before either were revealed in the book. This book follows all of these conventions but still remains an entertaining read. I would recommend it to people who want to read a good gothic romance. It is better written than most written during the period. If you like this book, you might also want to try Mary Stewart, who was arguably the most famous gothic writer at the time. Since she was published by a different publishing house, she was not forced to be as predictable as the Harlequin Gothic Romance books.

[Susan Oleksiw · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this slim novel (really, a novella), Carolyn Hart's skills as a plotter are on full view, moving the story along swiftly and smoothly. On the death of her grandmother, Leah learns she has other relatives she knew nothing about and travels to meet them, leaving behind her home in Texas. She arrives in the small town in South Carolina, and her uncanny resemblance to her dead mother immediately sets the town astir. Leah, for her part, is equally dismayed by the discovery of a huge plantation where her extended family lives, including another grandmother. It isn't long before her cousins begin to tell her the stories of her parents' deaths, the legend of the ghost who walks before a death, and the sad history of another ancestor, Marthe.

Hart's story flows through three genres--paranormal/ghost, romance, and mystery--and she weaves them together beautifully. Leah investigates her family's past while also learning about its present. A visiting archaeologist working on a site within the plantation plays a minor but important role.

The author captures the feeling of the history of South Carolina and how it impinges on the present. Originally written in 1986, the book has been reissued.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Warning: The description in the book listing is for a different book--seems to be a western. This one finds young Leah Shaw suddenly learning, upon the death of the grandmother who raised her, that she and the grandmother are both supposed to have been drowned in the same storm that killed Leah's parents when she was a toddler. Stunned, she returns to her mother's family home in South Carolina, where she meets her other grandmother for the first time, along with the adopted cousins who grew up with her mother. But somebody seems to have a sinister agenda, and the Devereaux ghost appears to warn of danger. Leah doesn't believe in ghosts, but she is naive and all too willing to believe the worst of those around her.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy to read. I liked the story but found it somewhat predictable. Usually Hart throws in a zinger somewhere near the end that confuses everything. I guessed the solution to this right away and finished reading it more to confirm my thoughts than anything else. The heroine is believable, but doesn't appeal to me as much as Annie Darling. In any case, it was interesting to see her stray away from her two usual series and dabble in something new.

[Anne - Books of My Heart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short little gem. I don't know how Carolyn Hart does it but she manages to draw me in emotionally even though there is precious little time for me to know the characters. Leah is the only one who gets any real time. Perhaps it is the trappings of the south and its manner. I enjoyed this very much. It has a historical mystery and a small bit of present day romance.

[Terri · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a Carolyn Hart "classic". What that means is that was released about 1986...and to my mind, should have stayed there. The author writes decent books, but when the publisher decides to bring back all old ones...well maybe the publisher should go for quality instead of quantity. This book should have been left on the shelf.

[Lin_P · Rating 4 out of 5]

New release on Kindle. Hart's mysteries are like a gentle massage, easing you into a pleasant respite from reality, gently soothing the brain and the body for the length of the story, leaving the reader relaxed. Her novels are consistently well done seldom, if ever, cheating her readers.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This gothic mystery has certainly help up over time. Written in the 80's I still enjoyed the characters and a story that kept me guessing. Having a ghost involved didn't hurt! It is easily read in one or two sittings for most people. Just a fun ride. Hold the housework status!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this as an audio-book and really enjoyed the southern drawl of the narrator. The plot was not overly engaging, the pace was slow moving but the characters kept me interested. I was able to solve the mystery before the book concluded.

[Verity · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light weight predictable fluff. Good for a rainy afternoon and no worries if your nieces get hold of it; they already know more than is even hinted at in this PG rated novel.
I would have rated it a 2.5 but bumped up to a 3 because Carolyn Hart has brought me so many happy days.

[Angelina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read everything Carolyn Hart has written recently, so it was really fun to get a glimpse of her as an early writer. You can see the good things to come as you read, though if you haven't read something by her before, I suggest "Scandal in Fair Haven" first.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent gothic but really, the heroine is a just a wee bit clueless about the possibilities contained in the tower that no one is allowed to enter.

[Peter S · Rating 1 out of 5]

This should have been categorized as a romance novel. And not a great one at that.

[Kimberly · Rating 1 out of 5]

beach book

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really early Carolyn Hart reissued for $$$$$

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a fan of Carolyn Hart's Death on Demand series I thought I would try some of her earlier works.

[Conni Harness · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read. I really liked this story. And, most importantly, it ended well with resolution,with which I could be satisfied!!!

[Sue Hutchins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good if you like historical romances. Not my preference.