Seven Tears for Apollo

by Phyllis A. Whitney

Ever since Dorcas Brandt’s husband, Gino Nikkaris, died in a plane crash, she’s been beset by troubling suspicions that his shady intrigues in the art world may have been the cause of his death. Desperate for both a new future and answers to the questions about Gino’s past, Dorcas whisks her daughter away to the Greek island of Rhodes. Among Gino’s family, friends, and former colleagues—and a kindhearted American named Johnny—Dorcas hopes to find a semblance of peace as she traverses the magnificent ruins and ancient fortresses.

But her dreams are soon dashed: There’s something accusatory and unforgiving in her late husband’s elderly female patron; the peculiar woman enlisted as her daughter’s nanny is a black hole of hostility; a new love is under threat; and as scrawled warnings appear and disappear before her eyes, she fears for her own sanity. Now, as her husband’s mysterious past casts a shadow over Dorcas’s every move, the young mother must confront not only a terrible truth but also the terrifying fate that awaits her on the white cliffs of the Aegean.

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

310 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1963

About the author

Phyllis Ayame Whitney (1903 – 2008) was an American mystery writer. Rare for her genre, she wrote mysteries for both the juvenile and the adult markets, many of which feature exotic locations. A review in The New York Times once dubbed her "The Queen of the American Gothics".

She was born in Japan to American parents and spent her early years in Asia. Whitney wrote more than seventy novels. In 1961, her book The Mystery of the Haunted Pool won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Juvenile novel, and she duplicated the honor in 1964, for The Mystery of the Hidden Hand. In 1988, the MWA gave her a Grand Master Award for lifetime achievement. Whitney died of pneumonia on February 8, 2008, aged 104.

Reviews

[Quirkyreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fast and a twisty read set on the island of Rhodes.

[Arismeire Fiedoruk · Rating 1 out of 5]

Em Sete Lágrimas para Apolo, a protagonista, Dorcas Brandt, na esperança de fugir dos estranhos incidentes que a atormentam desde a morte de seu misterioso e violento marido Gino (ela crê estar sendo perseguida pelos homens com quem o marido mantinha negócios ilícitos envolvendo objetos de arte) viaja para a ilha de Rhodes com sua pequena filha, a "madrasta" de Gino e um conhecido desta. Para pavor de Dorcas a perseguição continua em Rhodes e de repente ela se vê envolvida em algo muito mais complicado do que esperava.
Bem, este é um dos romances menos conhecidos de Whitney e um dos raros em que a história se passa fora das Américas. Foi difícil para mim não compará-lo com os muitos livros de Mary Stewart que também se passam na Grécia e que são fantásticos, tanto no desenvolvimento da trama quanto na ambientação. Whitney não consegue se sair bem em nenhum destes quesitos.
O enredo de Sete Lágrimas é fraco e a personagem principal é tão depressiva e insegura que se torna irritante. Eu entendo que ela é uma mulher frágil tentando se recuperar de um casamento abusivo, mas não consegui sentir muita empatia por ela, além disso, até o fim do livro não compreendi porque uma mulher como ela se casou com alguém como Gino.
Meu maior problema com a história, no entanto, diz respeito a relação de Dorcas com Fernanda Ferrar, a pessoa que ocupara o lugar de mãe na vida de Gino. Fernanda me deixou muito irritada com a sua convicção de que Gino era um anjo perfeito, marido amoroso e que Dorcas era uma pessoa desequilibrada emocionalmente e psicologicamente.
Fernanda supervisionava a vida da filha de Dorcas com Gino como se fosse sua avó, passando por cima das decisões de Dorcas, que na maioria das vezes agradecia por este cuidado e não revelava a Fernanda o terror que fora seu casamento. O que acaba por acontecer é uma constante batalha de vontades geralmente ganhas por Fernanda. Dorcas sempre acaba por voltar atrás acatando as decisões alheias, alegando para si mesma que a pessoa em questão tinha bons motivos para dizer ou fazer o que fazia, que ela é quem estava errada, que ela deveria repensar tudo... minha nossa, isso me deixou muito irritada. Páginas e páginas com esta mulher realmente incapaz de fazer algo por si mesma sem mudar de ideia porque os outros assim desejavam, especialmente Fernanda. Dorcas não é uma mulher, é uma ratazana!
Difícil de entender também é porque Dorcas acreditou que Rhodes seria um lugar seguro, uma vez que era a terra de origem de seu falecido marido e onde ela suspeitava que ele mantinha negócios. Nem se quer ela tenta descobrir em que o marido estava envolvido, na esperança de resolver seus problemas, obcecada apenas com a ideia de encontrar a esposa do melhor amigo de seu pai, que tentara ajudá-la a fugir de Gino mas que fora atropelado e morrera (que dúvida que Gino fora quem atropelara o pobre homem). Depois da morte do marido a mulher se fora para Rhodes.
Sobre o mocinho, ele aparece pouco e não é realmente importante para o desenvolvimento da trama. Repetidas vezes desconfia das palavras de Dorcas e não acredita que ela esteja sendo perseguida ou que corra perigo. Não é possível simpatizar muito com alguém que não apoia a mulher por quem diz estar apaixonado. Bem, talvez se ele tivesse tido mais cenas no livro teria sido mais fácil simpatizar com ele ou até mesmo sentir algo por ele que não indiferença.
Sete Lágrimas para Apolo tem uma trama lenta, detendo-se em descrever o estado psicológico da protagonista e sem envolver na parte descritiva (você não sente que está no lugar, infelizmente) e o romance é mais do que morno; o casal de protagonistas carece de charme e interesse.
Sou uma fã de Whitney, embora confesse que alguns de seus livros me frustraram; este Sete Lágrimas para Apolo é um deles, mas mesmo assim recomendo. É uma literatura mais do que interessante se comparada com o que temos visto a venda por aí.

[Lynn Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

B- at AAR, so 3.5 stars here This month’s TBR challenge, reading one of the classics, had me scratching my head for a little bit. Did I want to reach for one of those books that could be considered part of the romance canon(to the degree we have one), or did I want to pick a classic trope or author? In the end, I decided on Seven Tears for Apollo. When we start talking about old school romantic suspense or gothics online, certain names tend to pop up. Mary Stewart, Victoria Holt, Barbara Michaels – all have their fans. However, Phyllis Whitney is one of those names that seems to be mentioned almost as an afterthought.

I’ve read a few Phyllis Whitney novels, all historicals, and I did enjoy them. However, I had yet to read one of her contemporaries and so I gave this one a whirl. Written in 1962, it captures a world that for 21st century readers feels like a curious blend of old and new.

The spineless heroine drove me completely nuts at times, but otherwise I enjoyed this meander through 1960s Greece and I’d probably give it a B-.

This is a partial review. You can find the complete text at AAR: http://www.likesbooks.com/blog/?p=125...

[William · Rating 1 out of 5]

Recovering from sudden widowhood and a recent breakdown, Dorcas Brandt and her young daughter accompany her late husband's godmother to the island of Rhodes. Before her husband's death, Dorcas suspected he was up to no good; fear and danger follow her to the Greek Isles. The only trouble is that of course no one believes her. This is an eminently predictable novel with little suspense and instant romance, made tiresome by an extremely irritating heroine who elicits zero sympathy from the reader. The supporting characters are also thin as well, although the reader shares their irritation with Dorcas, who wears the equivalent of a "KICK ME" sign for 90% of the novel. Although known for her settings, Whitney wastes any of the magic of Rhodes and its Classical and Medieval settings. The denouement veers through three set-ups before settling on a perfunctory seaside climax. Escapist novels like this are meant to be a pleasure; this reader cried more than seven tears before it was finished.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

AUTHOR Whitney, Phyllis
TITLE: Seven Tears for Apollo
DATE READ 02/13/2018
RATING 4.5/B+
GENRE/ PUB DATE/PUBLISHER / # OF Suspense/1963/Kindle/224 pages
SERIES/STAND-ALONE SA
FIRST LINES: The museum's statue of Apollo was a copy.

CHARACTERS Dorcas Brandt, young widow; Gino Nikkaris/fine art dealer
TIME/PLACE: 1963, Greece
COMMENTS It has been many years since I read Phyllis Whitney … and I was not at all disappointed. In fact, this exceeded my expectations … a solid story, well-developed characters, plot twists and written well. Definitely holds up over time. Dorcas is a young widow and mother of a 6-yr-old daughter. She travels with a friend to Greece and learns more about her husband's nefarious dealings in the art world.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

See Quicksilver Pool.

[dolly · Rating 2 out of 5]

dnf page 95. the writing was good but it was too frustrating of a read, with everyone believing the main character was unstable and threatening to take her kid away whenever she showed any emotion. the mystery wasn't grabbing me either. might try another phyllis whitney in the future, but this one was a no go.

[Sheri South · Rating 3 out of 5]

This must have been a rather risky book for its time (1963), as there was much more of a stigma attached to mental illness than there is today. Falsely committed to a "nursing home" before the book starts, Dorcas has learned to cope by tamping down her emotions and appearing to go along with the wishes of her husband and his foster mother; the alternative is to be separated from her 3-year-old daughter as an unfit mother. Unfortunately, this comes across on the page as a too-passive heroine who doesn't stand up for herself or her child until far too late in the book. I thought, too, that hubby's foster mother, Fernanda, got off far too lightly in the end. One can argue that she was forced to take off the rose-colored glasses and see him as he really was, but given that she had made excuses for him throughout the entire book, I was left with the impression that it wouldn't be long before she mentally re-scripted events to cast him in a more favorable light. Although the ending is somewhat ambiguous, I found myself hoping Dorcas and new love interest Johnny would cut all ties with her.

[Katerina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot is taking place in Rhodos and I enjoyed really a lot the descriptions of the surroundings and the small towns. The book has the aura of the 60s and I am pretty sure that Rhodos is not like this anymore unfortunately. The plot itself is a bit strange. It becomes maybe a bit tiring with the constant psychological fight between Dorkas and Fernanda or her husband. I am not sure if I liked it or not. I had a strange taste in the end. I enjoyed the presence of Johnny Orion, as he was the most stable one and without shadows. The fight of evil and good. throughout the whole book. Some characters are clearly from one sie or the other and some of them are stepping in the middle. A tiny detail I liked was the name of the main character: Dorkas or in greek Δoρκάς.

[Everydayreader1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dorcas Brandt is attempting to recover from tragedy she has experienced, part of which landed her in a nursing home, for a time, because her husband convinced everyone of her mental instability. All she wants is to get her life back on track and take care of her four-year-old daughter. After some unnerving events, following her husband's death, she travels to Greece, but these occurrences also follow her, and it is up to her to decide whether to give in to self-doubt or solve the mystery of these events and move forward with her life.

I read this book as a young girl, and wanted to revisit it. Very much worth the reread. Phyllis A. Whitney will always remain a favorite of mine.

[Heather Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and felt much of the heroine’s terror. I feel it was brave of Phyllis A Whitney to deal with the issue of an abusive relationship during this era. That said I found myself disliking Fernanda almost as much as Gino by the end of the book. What an overbearing obnoxious person!

[Deborah Gebhardt · Rating 3 out of 5]

What do you do when you think you're finally free from an abusive relationship, but there is someone watching you? And what do you do when you can't trust the people who are supposed to be helping you?

[Ranell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Phyllis Whitney is a reliable "fluff" author.

[Lauren · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not really like this story very much, it just did not capture my interest like many of her other ones.

[Janette · Rating 2 out of 5]

needs a stronger heroine!

[Bev · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dorcas Brandt flees to the Greek island of Rhodes in order to escape the menacing incidents that have occurred in months following her husband's death in an airplane crash. Twice her belongings are searched and a mysterious chalk drawing of two white circles are left behind. Before his death, Dorcas had learned of Gino Nikkaris's illicit art dealings...and his cruelty. She thought she was free when he died, but it seems that those who worked with him believe that she has something they want...and must acquire at any cost.

In Rhodes, the beauty and serenity of the ancient Greek ruins begins to calm her and she thinks she may have found safety, as well as a friend in the young American Johnny Orion, who works for Gino's foster mother (of sorts), Fernanda. Fernanda had taken Dorcas and her daughter Beth in when Gino died and now Fernanda, a famous author, had traveled to Greece in search of material for another book. But when the searches and symbols occur again in Greece and a strange woman with hostile eyes is hired to care for Beth it seems that danger has followed her across the ocean. It's especially difficult for Dorcas because no one--not Fernanda nor Johnny--seems to believe her. Is it all her imagination as they tell her (unstable nerves after her tragic loss) or is there an evil hand at work?

Well...this is a gothic romance/mystery, so of course there is evil going on. But who's behind it? What do they want? And when on earth will Dorcas grow a spine and stand up to Fernanda who seems to think she can run the woman's life for her? Just a few questions that occurred to me. Honestly, this is a decent example of its type and the mystery of who was doing what and why was a pretty good one, but I did get very tired of the whole "don't pay attention to Dorcas, she's been a little loopy since her husband died" routine--and Dorcas letting them get away with it. I also would have appreciated a more definite ending...things are just a tad ambiguous as far as certain characters getting their just desserts.

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting portions of review. Thanks.

[A.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dorcas’ abusive husband Gino Nikkaris died in a recent plane crash, but her room is searched, and chalk marks like eyes are left everywhere to remind her people are watching her. Not that she is sure what they even want. Gino always had various schemes of dubious legality and she thinks it has something to do with a garbled letter she received. She couldn’t even understand it and then it disappeared.
She comes across as a bit of a fraidy cat like a lot of Whitney heroines. But she has her reasons. She spends a lot of time circling around in her own head and given her husband had her committed, she’s treading on shaky ground.
She fears for her child Beth, and she can’t seem to get Fernanda Farrar ,the woman who treated Gino as a kind of stepson, to take her fears seriously. Fernanda always sided with Gino and she could still take Beth away from her. Then she employs a local woman to look after Beth without consulting Dorcas.
But she really starts to doubt her sanity when she sees a man following them, and thinks it might be Gino, himself.
888
This is a 1963 romance - dear god, that’s older than ME.
Fernanda is a truly awful person, in a careless selfish way. The romance with the author’s assistant Johnny Orion, feels rushed. [but that was kind of the genre thing back then and itmakes some sense that Dorcas would cling to the first guy who treats her even halfway nicely] but I have a lot of nostalgia tied up in these old gothic / suspense romances.
Dorcas stands up for herself eventually and proves a dangerous adversary.
Sigh happily
4 stars.

[Linda Lassman · Rating 4 out of 5]

If reading about physical and mental abuse of women that happened in a character's past (as opposed to in the present of the story) is a trigger for you, I would not recommend this book.

I first read this when I was in high school, many, many years ago, and I was a little surprised at how much the knowledge and experience I have gained and how I perceive attitudes toward women have changed since the early-mid 1960s changed my experience reading this book. While I have been very fortunate never to have experienced it myself, I do know women who have suffered both physical and psychological abuse by their partners and I am certainly much more aware of how common it was for women at that time to be committed to mental institutions for "instability" and what they experienced. Because of this, I felt what Dorcas was experiencing on a much more visceral level than I did when I read first this, when I was horrified, certainly, but it was so outside my experience that I couldn't really relate to it in the same way I can now. It also very strongly affected my opinion of Fernanda--I really, really found her behaviour toward Dorcas terrible (and her personality in general unamusingly selfish, where as before, I thought she was in many ways an almost comic character. I also found the ending quite abrupt, though, which was a bit of a disappointment.

It was still an excellent book and Whitney is still a gifted writer, but I can't say that I enjoyed it as much as I had before.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been wanting to read this Whitney novel for a while, and when the kindle version went on sale for $1.99, I snatched it up. It didn't disappoint. To me, Whitney was not as polished a novelist as her contemporary, Mary Stewart, but in this book she rises to the occasion. There's a great mystery, fully realized characters, a stunning backdrop on the Greek island of Rhodes, and I was easily swept away into this world of Whitney's making.

Written in 1963, Whitney combines Stewart's skilled descriptions of landscapes with an almost Hitchcockian tension. Indeed, I imagined this through the lens of Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much, envisioning in my eyes a Technicolor film shot in VistaVision, even Hitchcock's signature close ups in many instances.

The heroine of the book, Dorcas, brings to mind Doris Day's character, who sees sinister happenings behind every corner, only to be sedated by her husband, played by Jimmy Stewart. In Seven Tears for Apollo, there's the character of Fernanda, who is cluelessly being manipulated into downplaying Dorcas's fears and raising the specter of insanity. Whitney handles all of this with aplomb, and these scenes are never maudlin or over reaching.

This book isn't without faults, but nothing to spoil the intrigue and fun. If you find yourself frequently visiting Wikipedia to look up the various locales and history in the book, you won't be alone. I'm hoping to find more gems like this in the Whitney oeuvre.

[Coleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those who have been to Greece, this book may encourage them to return for a visit. And for those who have never been to Greece, they will want to go!

This 1963 mystery / thriller by Phyllis Whitney takes place in several scenic spots in Greece and the author provides breathtaking descriptions of the views with some background and history. The main character, Dorcas Brandt, has admittedly had some mental problems, described as a 'breakdown' by those to whose advantage that portrayal of Dorcas would be.

I had previously read this book many years ago soon after it had been published and really enjoyed it, so then I discovered it again. Before passing the book on to others, I wanted to read it again, and I am glad I did - despite the years, and a very different sense of the events, once again I enjoyed it.

[Robert Fontenot · Rating 2 out of 5]

While not exactly Whitney's worst book, it is pretty far down the line.

The main character is a drip who allows herself to be routinely manipulated by her "dead" husband's substitute mother. I kept wanting her to just take her daughter back to America and move to a new city. Her love interest spends much of the novel not believing her until he himself is attacked. The action is frequently stopped because no one wants to answer any of the MCs questions and all the while she continues to hang out with toxic people that she knows that she cannot trust.

There is a bitterness in the first couple of chapters that casts a pall over the rest of the novel. This one is unpleasant to read in a way that her even the worst of her other novels is not. It's also very clear from the beginning what is happening and watching it play out is mostly tedious.

Just bad vibes all around.

[Maura · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is another one of those really old romance/suspense novels. This one actually has the heroine affected by many issues that are at the forefront of our society today - mental health, domestic abuse and PTSD (although it was never known as that back then). And another character in it is a writer who travels the world gathering material for her non-fiction adventure books - perhaps Whitney injected a little of herself into this one, as she was known for visiting the locations around the world where she set her novels. Made me wonder how much of the behavior of this fictional diva resembled Whitney herself.

[Mary Kendall · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a blast from the past reading Whitney novels for me as I read them years and years ago as a teen. Reading this one I realized again what drew me to them so much...learning about new places and wanting to visit them myself after her depictions. The setting for this novel is Rhodes and yeah now I want to go there too!

[Britt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intense

This was a subtle, slowly intense book that really did a fantastic job of showing how gaslighting works. Dorcas has a really rough time with everything she goes through. The story is interesting and the description is absolutely stunning as it shows off Greece (Rhodes in particular) and evokes a huge atmosphere of history and the places involved.

[Cathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing happened for a very long time, and even when it did, it was a stretch. The romance between Johnny and Dorcas was unbelievable, as was Fernanda's failure to see what was in front of her for so long. I also struggled with a protagonist named Dorcas, which I think really dates the book.

[Diane Tosney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these old mysteries with no computers or cell phones. I was so tempted to go to the back of the book about halfway through to see how it ends. I felt so bad for Dorcus, it seemed she was being gaslighted and there was no one she could trust.

[Regan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whitney never disappoints. This one was a white knuckle page turner. She's just one of the all time best.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

What pleased me in high school, annoys me now. The lead character is weak willed, namby pamby, and needs rescuing from a man by a man. I just want to scream at her.

[LoriW · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love Phyllis Whitney books, but this one wasn't as much of a mystery. Figured most of it out by the 3rd chapter. Interesting history of Greece tho.

[Mary G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written

Typically well written by Ms. Whitney. It will keep you reading when you should be sleeping! Will keep you guessing what's next.