Moura

Moura #1

by Virginia Coffman

Anne Wicklow left her post as housekeeper at a girls school to look after the safety of one of her charges, who was suddenly taken to gloomy Chateau Moura by her strange guardian. Once there, Anne found herself fascinated by Edmond, the brooding surly master of Moura.

Genres: Gothic, Gothic Romance, Romance, Horror, Fiction, Mystery, Romantic Suspense

248 pages

First published January 1, 1959

About the author

Virginia Edith Coffman aka Jeanne Duval, Diana Saunders, Victor Cross, Ann Stanfield, Virginia C. Du Vaul, Kay Cameron.

A native of San Francisco, Coffman contributed movie reviews to the Oakland Tribune from 1933-40. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1938 and was a movie and television script writer for Columbia, RKO, and other Hollywood studios in her early writing career (1944-56). She had her first success with writing novels in 1959, when Crown Publishing decided to take a chance on Moura, and the novel was showcased by Library Journal. By the 1980s, Coffman was recognized as "the author largely responsible for setting off the Gothics craze of the 1960s, "earning her the reputation of "Queen of the Gothics."1

She quit her day job in Reno and became a full-time writer in 1965. While historical romance novels seldom find their way into the literary canon, Coffman, who was both prolific and dedicated, took her writing seriously. Her research for historical fiction was meticulous. She also drew upon personal experience as a world traveler when setting some of her novels in Hawaii, Paris, and other romantic locales. Several of her historical romances and gothic mystery novels were translated into other languages, and many have been published in large print and audio editions.

She was recognized by Who's Who of American Women and Who's Who in the West. She was a member of the Authors League of America and the Mystery Writers Guild of America. The Reno Gazette-Journal featured Virginia Coffman and her sister in a biographical story on April 4, 2002. In 2003, she donated a collection of her gothic mystery and historical romance novels to the University of Nevada, Reno Libraries.

Reviews

[Christine Honsinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is absolutely without a shadow of a doubt the most "gothic-y" styled book i have read to date, bar none...its all there, everything you have come to expect from a fabulous gothic romance...I was spooked from beginning to end, and i loved the main girl Anne Wicklow...and for these reasons I rated it as "amazing" with 5 stars. I have already started ordering all it's sequels, looking around carefully for versions with the old original art on them. I loved that I could place myself in Anne's position so easily empathizing with her completely. And the book was scary enough that when reading it late at night, I kept sneaking peaks around the room and down the hall, foolishly afraid like a little girl, lol.

[Skye]

This beautifully written Gothic tale receives a clear 4.5/5 star rating. It was a lovely reading experience. Virginia Coffman writes a novel containing wonderful Gothic elements: atmosphere, a tarnished castle in France, a brooding, devil-may-care master, both handsome and dangerous, a vulnerable English maiden in search of a student who had been swept away, woods filled with angry, hungry wolves, and an Englishman looking for a frivolous, yet missing chamber maid. I loved it.

[Cate Marsden · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was brilliant, the most Gothic thing that ever Gothicked. It sets up all the elements I love in 60s/70s Gothics.
Reading too many of these as a child is probably why I used to want to be a housekeeper.

[Terri Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rarely would I say a book is "amazing," but I have to here. Virginia Coffman, where have you been all my life? This book had everything: atmosphere; beautiful, descriptive prose; creepy characters; suspense; a huge dose of the "creepy" factor. It kept me guessing and turning the pages to see what would happen next. For a Gothic-light story, this one packed a punch! If the rest of her books are this good, and I'm planning to find out, then I'm in for a treat.

[Sarah Mac · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the story itself is an improvement over other Coffmans (one thing I can praise is the OTT overload of uber-gothic imagery), I still disliked this for the same reason(s) I've disliked the others. Anne pissed me off with her continual bitching about, y'know, everything -- rich, poor, young, old, servants, masters, standoffish, friendly, & the entire population of France for simply existing. (Seriously, girl. Could you be a bigger moo? How this guy fell in love with her is beyond my comprehension.) Meanwhile, VC's prose continues to drive me batshit insane. It's just so bogged down & slow with needless drivel. Even the more action-oriented scenes are like plodding through a muddy field in clown shoes. Despite sitting down full of determination to give this author one final chance with the Moura series, by the midway point I was skimming, scanning, & falling asleep...just like EVERY OTHER ATTEMPT.

Thank god I only have one Coffman left. Once that's finished I'll never read her stuff again. 🙄

[Robert Fontenot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super fun gothic with loads of atmosphere. The main character has plenty of pluck, the love interest is a sexy cipher, and there is menace around every corner. Coffman excels at these period gothics but I cannot fathom how this is a series.

[Joanne Renaud · Rating 4 out of 5]

The gothic romance that started the big 1960s Gothic revival, by Virginia Coffman, aka "Queen of the Gothics." Set in early 19th century England and France, this is a fun, solid read-- very entertaining.

[Keri Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moura by Virginia Coffman is one of the novels that kicked off the Gothic romance boom of the 60s and 70s. You know all those cool, old book covers of women running away in their nightgowns from decrepit, sinister castles, out onto the moors, wind blowing through their hair? That’s what this book helped set in motion! Published in 1959, Moura is like Jane Eyre cranked up all the way to the highest Gothic level, and will be best enjoyed by those who have absolutely no upper limit when it comes to Gothic atmosphere…which is me! It’s over the top and ridiculous, but that’s what makes it so fun to read. Starts off slow, but if you persevere you’ll be rewarded with horrifying imagery of all sorts. As I began to get closer to the end, it started to seriously creep me out. Also, to Virginia Coffman’s credit, I was unable to predict the ending!

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the all-time classic Gothic romances, and one of the novels--along with Victoria Holt's "Mistress of Mellyn"--that launched the 1960s and 70s craze for the late twentieth-century reinterpretation of the late eighteenth/early nineteenth-century genre. Liberally borrowing from "Jane Eyre" (in a good way), "Moura" has it all: a spirited young heroine, the sinister house, brooding hero, suspenseful doings, and of course, a final twist. It's pure pleasure all the way, with requisite chills and thrills; and resulted in a string of sequels featuring heroine Anne Wicklow--one of which, "The Devil Vicar," also known as "The Vicar of Moura," makes for a great stand-alone Gothic by the author.

[Yue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent Irish heroine. A chateau in France. A Combing Lady Ghost. Murders. Wolves. Cellar and dungeons. Good friends. A dashing Master. Mystery. Spooky scenes. Carnival.

To add more to these wonderful selection of things that I am always looking for in a Gothic Romance: the heroine's name is Anne. She is brave, sensible. Later on she becomes the housekeeper of the mansion (second best post to governess/nanny). She has likeable allies. She faces terrific moments (that made my heart beat faster). Really, the scary parts were pretty scary. Her love interest may not be too charming but he was good. Anne is only 19, though, but she is very mature.

Ah, well! That is impetuous youth for you. I felt eons older than the 30-year-old Charles Armitage.

Con: Daddy kink, the age gap. He is around 35. Literally, twice her age. Ouch. And the ending was kind of abrupt.

Obs.: I purchased the paper-book, since I've read bad reviews about the ebook format. My book, which is an old, used copy, smells divine.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Atmospheric and keeps you guessing. Excellent read. I bought the first two books in one volume. Looking forward to reading the second.

[Natasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

More Gothic tropes than you can shake a bloodstained satin ribbon at, with the most outlandish plots and improbably thin love stories. Glorious trashy fun.

[M.P. Conn · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say that hasn´t already been said about Virginia Coffman and her books. For those who love gothic fiction, she is one of the queens up there with my ever favorite Victoria Holt.

[Paige Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first started reading 'Moura', I found myself wondering how it had managed to garner such gushing reviews on Goodreads. The main character seemed to me quite lifeless - easily-charmed, overly-dramatic - and the writing almost unreadable: from a first-person perspective but written in an unusually third-person manner ('After all, my girl, this is 1815!').

Yet, somewhere between Miss Nutting's and Moura itself, a sea-change seems to take place: the writing becomes fast-paced and gripping, Anne Wicklow suddenly develops spirit and a no-nonsense attitude, and instantly I was hooked, so much so that I could not put the novel down until the final page was read. Perseverance, it seems, was the key with this novel.

The plot is gripping, the characters entrancing, and the villain adeptly masked by little hints which sidestep the reader: small clues in the story here and there. I thought I had guessed the villain from around the middle of the novel and it was refreshing to discover I'd been wrong all along! There is a delightful gothic horror to the tale, too, almost more so than 'The Woman in Black': dark corridors, scratching at doors, ghostly apparitions, sinister characters, wolves in the moonlight...

All in all, a fantastic, gripping read which I would have given 5 stars but for the slow start. Persevere, however - 'Moura' is a deliciously spooky story which will keep you guessing to the end!

[Sofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing, so well written, loved the main character, loved the gothicness of it all, loved the mystery, and loved edmond

[Nancy Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

This classic Gothic tale had it all--strong heroine, alpha male, insanity, gruesome goings-on--and all long before such stuff was common fare (it was first published in 1959).

[Angelosdaughter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Gothic Mystery and a Restrained Romance

A re-read from my college days. I loved Gothic romances with spirited heroines and handsome mysterious heroes that ended with a kiss. That is what the reader gets with the 19-year-old Irish governess Anne Wicklow sent by her employer, Miss Nutting to a gloomy eponymous castle Moura,owned by the enigmatic uncle, Edmund Moura who is the guardian of Anne's former charge, spoiled young Palla Florin, whose letters since she has been returned to the care of her guardian, speak of imprisonment and neglect. Anne finds herself attracted almost against her will to the handsome Edmund whom Palla accuses of imprisoning her. A death occurs soon after Anne's arrival, after which a fabled ghost makes appearances.
A handsome Englishman on a walking tour turns up asking Anne's help looking for a young governess named Carolyn who was hired to instruct Palla, and who has disappeared. Who is Edmund Moura? Can he be the monster whom Palla accused of imprisoning and neglecting her? How will Anne reconcile her attraction to Edmund with that possibility? Will the Englishman, Charles Armitage find his Carolyn? Who is the ghost?

[فاطمة غانم الابراهيم · Rating 3 out of 5]

قرأتها في فترات متباعدة ناهيك عن الترجمه لم تكن من تلك التى تستمع في السرد والوصف بيد أنها رواية خفيفة وغير دسمه ، لن أقول أنها من الروايات المفضلة إلا أنها ليست بسيئة .. كما أحببت عنصر الخاتمة المفتوحه

الحكاية بإختصار عن فتاة فرنسية تسكن في دار أيتام إحدى الدول الأوروبية .. يقرر خالها أن يرجع بها إلى قصر العائلة .. رسالة منها إلى صديقتها المعلمه زرع فيها الشك فقررت الذهاب للإطمئنان عليها .. هنا تحدث أموراً غير طبيعية في القصر خاصة وأن والدة اليتيمة توفت في ظروف غامضة أرجح القول أنها كانت جريمة قتل في القصر على يد الوصي على الفتاة الصغيرة !

يعيب على الرواية وجود فجوة مابين الأحداث وربما لم يكن كذلك في لغتها الأم لأن بعض أدوار النشر تتقصد الإيجاز .

[Misti · Rating 4 out of 5]

My teenage years were filled with reading almost every gothic my library had. I still have a fondness for them, with the crazy covers of dark houses and women in gowns running away from whatever danger they happened into. Evidently this book, first published in 1959, helped with the gothic revival of the 60s and 70s. I think it’s pretty good and I can definitely see the influence on the genre. Anne isn’t TSTL and Edmond is appropriately dark and brooding, as is the house itself. And if any of the men would have bothered to let Anne in on the plot, she could have solved it a lot sooner with less ghosts. Ha ha, but then I guess we’d have no story.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been meaning to dive into the Gothic romance genre and this was the best place to do so. Cliche after cliche after cliche in the best way possible. Will need to reread soon.

[Molly]

DNF 36% (started 7 July 2021)
May return to it later

[Joe___2541 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Shitty writing

[İdil K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gothic Horror x Jane Eyre

[Lauren Varley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great spooky read, kindle edition is unfortunately riddled with errors and missing sections 😢

[Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining and a good ghost story, but the romance felt flat to me.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moura by Virginia Coffman
Originally published in 1959
This review is for the epub edition published in 2012 by Candlewood Books

Originally published in 1959, Moura is considered a classic of the modern Gothic Romance genre, and its author, Virginia Coffman, is said to have been “largely responsible for setting off the Gothics craze of the 1960s,” earning her the reputation of “Queen of the Gothics.” It was during the late 60s and into the 70s that I, too, was bitten by the Gothic Romance bug and I devoured them. Authors like Coffman, Victoria Holt, Marilyn Ross (who, I later learned, was actually DAN Ross), Phyllis Whitney and others filled my imagination with dark and gloomy mansions, broodingly handsome men, and housekeepers and governesses who stumbled upon mysteries and ended up with the man of their dreams.

However, that was decades ago, and when I came across a large selection of Virginia Coffman’s books now available in ebook format, I wasn’t sure how these stories of my younger years would hold up. I am happy to report that when it comes to Ms. Coffman’s Moura, the story was as much fun to read now as it was nearly 40 years ago. If you go for romance with all the Gothic trimmings, Moura should definitely be on your reading list.

Young Anne Wicklow, housekeeper at Miss Nutting’s girls school, gives up her position to respond to a former student’s plea to come to Chateau Moura in France. The chateau fills all the prerequisites of a Gothic locale—dark and gloomy building, surly servants, a master who obviously has a lot of baggage attached to him, and a ghost (the Combing Lady). The writing was well paced, and the descriptions really helped with creating that spooky ambiance you want with a Gothic Romance.

My only complaint is about the transfer of the text to ebook format. To put it bluntly, it’s awful! There’s hardly a page that does not contain either a formatting error or a misspelled word. Quotation marks separated from words so that they appear floating alone, and line breaks in the middle of paragraphs are the most common of the formatting issues. There are also numerous spelling errors caused by whatever software was used. With all these errors, I could not help but wonder if anyone bothered to proof read the text! Thank goodness the book was not costly.

Another thing I found unusual is that the copyright is not in the name of Virginia Coffman, who died in 2005, but is by Candlewood Books, “a division of Harding House Publishing Service.” I tried to look up this Candlewood Books, but all I could find is that it is an independent publisher that uses Smashwords. Makes me wonder how this publisher got the okay to reprint Ms. Coffman’s books, since her works would hardly be considered in the public domain.

[Mary Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars are for fun...this is an example of the right book at the right time. I just thoroughly enjoyed reading this, even though I suspended my disbelief. I would be interested in reading more books by this author.

[Gail Gibbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Virginia Coffman may not have invented the New Gothic Romance of the seventies, but she seized the genre with both hands and ran with it. The Ann Wicklow series full of spooky castles, brooding heroes, eccentric domestics, mysterious deaths, and the classic spunky-but-not-always-bright heroine. A quick and fun read, and a good example of this style of novel.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Allegedly the original of the "modern Gothic," which I suppose is possible since the publication date in this copy is 1959. Wildly improbable in places, but enjoyable enough, and there are definitely a lot of nods to Jane Eyre, as well as a reference to Montoni from The Mysteries of Udolpho, so she appears to have some familiarity with her predecessors.