The Secret of Devil's Cave

by Jennifer Hale

The grave was new, with a large but simple stone and an almost solid blanket of flowers on the low mound of freshly turned earth. There was no clue to the identity of the person buried there, however, for the stone was blank. And as Beth Nolan studied the photograph of the grave that had been hidden with her dead father's most important papers, she had no way of knowing that she was taking the first step along a path that led straight into horror. For nothing about her past, her family, was as Beth had always believed, and note she must unravel the secret of that grave—or face death herself !

Genres: Gothic

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

A pseudonym used by Frank E. Smith.

AKA Lee Crosby, Judith Ware and Joan Winslow

Reviews

[C. (Comment, don't blank click reviews). · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gothic mysteries have been my go-to genre since I was a teenager. You can count on puzzles instead of crimes. I always look for more like this. When I find my kind of novel, like “The Secret Of Devil’s Cave”, I feel enthralled and at home! Although this mystery is superior to many popular releases: people need to know of it. In 1973 when this was published, some men assumed lady’s aliases, like Frank E. Smith; knowing I suppose, that women readers prefer women authoresses. I seized this under the pseudonym Jennifer Hale, which I see is prolific.

I liked Beth Nolan right away: well-mannered and self-preserving, as boldly as she needed to be. Her Dad bequeathed her an unheard of house and land, with a commercial cave. How is that for original! Since I am researching my own story related to caves, this was pay dirt; educational. I had not heard of a “spelunker”: a non-professional who explores caves. I have visited designated caves and crevasses in a few countries, including México! This was the novel for me, more than I dreamed! It felt like an easy five stars but I am someone who looks back on mystery motives and wonder: did it make sense to do things that way?

Naturally, I will not fault a certain blackmail secret for not holding water today. A sexual assault threat and hearing that a dog was killed, dipped a star; ugly topics marring the tone. However, this is an excellent novel: written with feeling and urgency in a straightforward style, in consistent motion. I cared about the characters we should care about and was well-fooled about whom to dislike. I recommend seeking a copy of this! Everything about it is original, even among gothic mysteries: a strength that I praise highly.

[Bonnie Seiwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good book, but I didn't feel that it was a Gothic. The sounds in the cave were never explained and had nothing to do with the ending. The bird that she was so fearful of was never explained, except that it was "probably someone's pet" and that it was not actually trying to attack her. This bird being an omen and attacking her was never developed into anything, there didn't seem to be any point to it even being in the story at all. The only other mystery in the book turned out to just be related to a secret surrounding the girl's birth, which also didn't really have anything to do with why someone tried to kill her near the end, which was the only time the girl was ever in danger.

[iasa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ideally I would give it 2 5/8 stars. For the most part the book was enjoyable, albeit simplistic. It has a Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew vibe which I wasn't really expecting. Sometimes you want a book with no character development, a happy romance that happens by magic, and a mystery that isn't that mysterious. This is that book.

[Nattie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Secret of Devil's Cave took me a longer time to read than I would have liked, but it was pretty good. I hated almost every character at some point. I was hoping Beth wouldn't make me turn on her, but at the last moment it happened. The main character in a gothic ALWAYS has to do something stupid.

I didn't enjoy the ending, mostly because I had been expecting it since the second or third chapter. It would have been nice if it hadn't gone the obvious route. This was definitely the best Jennifer Hale book so far.

[William · Rating 2 out of 5]

After her father’s death, Beth Nolan discovers she has inherited a tourist cave and hotel in southern Missouri. She also discovers 20 year old secrets as well as a very contemporary murder. The overly long novel can’t decide whether its rural characters should be hillbillies or just corrupt; the heroine strains credulity and the putative hero is poorly developed and unconvincing. Not one of the author’s best, which is a shame, since its setting is unusual.

[Lisa Greer · Rating 2 out of 5]

The dialogue was so stilted it drove me nuts. I gave up after 40 pages. I just don't waste time reading books I don't enjoy anymore. Life is too short. :)