Dark Runner

by Rosalind Ashe

Genres: Horror

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

Reviews

[Jack Tripper · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a slow, SLOW burn, reminiscent of Iris Murdoch or Daphne du Maurier's gothics, only Ashe loves to indulge in uppity-sounding dialogue that stretches for pages upon pages, where half the time there's nothing to indicate who's doing the speaking; it's all just frivolous background scenery. I suppose this was a conscious decision on Ashe's part, but man is it exhausting, especially if you're like me and have a hard time skimming.

Other than that, this tale -- about young Lucy, who's out on her own for the first time and moves into a small London flat with an unsavory reputation, when freaky occurrences slowly begin to affect her mental state-- steadily builds in dread, but that dread will totally evaporate at times due to her constant internal longing for the hot, mysterious black priest in town (the Dark Runner of the title), as well as the many superfluous conversations between Lucy and a bunch of eccentric, seance-loving old lady pals from the area.

It's very well-written, but it just wasn't for me. I need less inane banter and more spookiness. Still, anyone in the mood for a ghostly tale a bit on the "cozy" side just may enjoy this. I already own Ashe's (more well-known) Moths, so I'll most likely be giving her another shot in the future, mainly due to the amazing wraparound cover painting (of the 1977 Warner mass-market), which I can't link to for some reason.

2.5 Stars.

[Eliza Clara Hemming · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written, with quirky, likeable characters and a subtle dread that creeps beneath the surface. An enchanting, haunting read. Excellent stuff!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantabulous :)