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Wait for What Will Come
She was the last of an ancient Cornish clan, and Carla Tregellas had inherited the pride of her family name—a huge mansion that loomed high above the jagged cliffs of Cornwall. She felt at home there right from the start, for everyone seemed so kind and welcoming. Everyone except Mrs. Pendennis, the eccentric housekeeper who advised Carla to leave at once to deter a tragic and inevitable fate. But Carla could not leave—for the invisible bonds of an ancestral curse were just beginning to take hold...
280 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1978
94 people are currently reading
587 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Michaels
95 books692 followersBarbara Michaels was a pen name of Barbara Mertz. She also wrote as Elizabeth Peters, as well as under her own name.
She was born in Canton, Illinois and has written over fifty books including some in Egyptology. Dr. Mertz also holds a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in Egyptology.
She was born in Canton, Illinois and has written over fifty books including some in Egyptology. Dr. Mertz also holds a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in Egyptology.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
January 22, 2015
Okay, so yeah, this book is terrible. Just look at the cover! Basically this woman inherits a mysterious house in Cornwall from a mysterious relative she's never heard of, and when she goes there OMG! Everyone thinks she looks just like this dead woman from 200 years ago! And the anniversary of her disappearance is coming up! And there might be an evil merman involved! Also, there are not two, not three, but FOUR possible love interests. LOVE PENTAGON!
And yet, I still love this book. I don't know why. Maybe it's the setting. Maybe it's all the mentions of clotted cream. In any case, it's a total comfort book and I have read it (and will continue to read it) an embarrassing number of times.
Whatever, you guys. WHATEVER.
And yet, I still love this book. I don't know why. Maybe it's the setting. Maybe it's all the mentions of clotted cream. In any case, it's a total comfort book and I have read it (and will continue to read it) an embarrassing number of times.
Whatever, you guys. WHATEVER.
July 9, 2017
‘Wait for what will come’ is one of Barbara Michael’s most fascinating stories, set in a crumbling house by the cliffs of the sea.
Deliciously gothic blended with a modern feel. The writing is – as usual – spot on for this genre type. There are some brushes of paranormal touching the lives of skeptics, and I wish the author had done a wee bit more with it, but I like the surprise ending when you’re left wondering if it’s all logic and science, or if there is something else out there after all. Guess which one I’m going with?
I didn’t dig the main character Clara all that much because she was mainly bitchy and unapproachable, but I enjoyed the cast of characters overall when they mixed together. Throwing in the cautioning housekeeping with her strange grandson, the local doctor with his unstable sister, and you can’t get much better with enriching the atmosphere through character types.
The small town feel fit it well too since the legend was such a large part of the storyline. As usual romance is only on the back burner and I wasn’t even sure which one she’d end up until the end, which is kind of typical for Michaels. The relationship isn’t fully realistic, but oh well.
I would have liked stronger supernatural oomph into the story, but overall it’s an interesting gothic tale that kept me glued and waiting.
Deliciously gothic blended with a modern feel. The writing is – as usual – spot on for this genre type. There are some brushes of paranormal touching the lives of skeptics, and I wish the author had done a wee bit more with it, but I like the surprise ending when you’re left wondering if it’s all logic and science, or if there is something else out there after all. Guess which one I’m going with?
I didn’t dig the main character Clara all that much because she was mainly bitchy and unapproachable, but I enjoyed the cast of characters overall when they mixed together. Throwing in the cautioning housekeeping with her strange grandson, the local doctor with his unstable sister, and you can’t get much better with enriching the atmosphere through character types.
The small town feel fit it well too since the legend was such a large part of the storyline. As usual romance is only on the back burner and I wasn’t even sure which one she’d end up until the end, which is kind of typical for Michaels. The relationship isn’t fully realistic, but oh well.
I would have liked stronger supernatural oomph into the story, but overall it’s an interesting gothic tale that kept me glued and waiting.
January 1, 2025
This is my third Barbara Michaels - I participated in an Ammie Come Home buddy read last year for Halloween bingo, which was so much fun, and I read Be Buried in the Rain, which has a terrifying southern gothic vibe going on, as it is set in Virginia.
Wait for What Will Come was set in Cornwall, which is well-trod ground for the gothic romance indeed. And while I will say that this book was FAR SUPERIOR to Cousin Kate insofar as its gothic bonafides are concerned, it was rather humdrum in comparison to Ammie and Rain.
However, I picked the book, and I knew about the Cornwall setting, so I can't really complain that I got fog and cliffs and smugglers and coves and legends related to the sea. And parts of this book were really quite chilling, even though in my jaded old age none of the old gothics are nearly so scary as they used to be!
But that doesn't mean that I don't love them.
This one also had a fabulous orange tabby tom named King Carter who is instrumental in saving the heroine from certain doooooom.
Like this guy.
Quite enjoyable. I think that Michaels is one of the best at plotting stories that are genuinely scary.
Wait for What Will Come was set in Cornwall, which is well-trod ground for the gothic romance indeed. And while I will say that this book was FAR SUPERIOR to Cousin Kate insofar as its gothic bonafides are concerned, it was rather humdrum in comparison to Ammie and Rain.
However, I picked the book, and I knew about the Cornwall setting, so I can't really complain that I got fog and cliffs and smugglers and coves and legends related to the sea. And parts of this book were really quite chilling, even though in my jaded old age none of the old gothics are nearly so scary as they used to be!
But that doesn't mean that I don't love them.
This one also had a fabulous orange tabby tom named King Carter who is instrumental in saving the heroine from certain doooooom.
Like this guy.
Quite enjoyable. I think that Michaels is one of the best at plotting stories that are genuinely scary.
December 14, 2025
When Carla Tregallas inherits a manor house on the stark cliffs of Cornwall, she also inherits a disturbing prophecy: on Midsummer's Eve she will become the bride-in-death of a demon lover from the sea.
Carla Tregellas is an American math teacher who travels to Cornwall, England to inherit an estate left for the last member with her family name. The moorland landscape surrounding the mansion adds charm and mystique to the ragged coastline taking both Carla and the reader back in time. With Celtic blood in her veins Carla feels close to her roots in this new surrounding and starts to wonder whether she really wants to sell the grand old house or not.
It's been occupied by few servants, a cook and local gardener and she is quickly met by locals who want to show her the area. She is impressed by the warm welcome and she makes a few friends, most of them are men and things start to get complicated.
An old legend surrounds a Lady Caroline who used to live in the house and who's portrait looks very familiar to Carla and Pendennis, a housekeeper stuck on the past, quickly begins trying to warn Carla about the upcoming midsummer eve anniversary of "madness and death" that had doomed the lady of the house, a tradition that is not going to stop and will continue this year. It seems the legend says that a demon from the sea is waiting for his new bride that night and Carla doesn't know whether to run or laugh. Things start to happen and near accidents change her mind but there is more than meets the eye.
The reader is quickly introduced to all the characters and that's when the real charade begins, I was wondering myself whether the tale of the man from the sea who seeks out his bride on the fatal night was real or whether Carla's new friends weren't so friendly after all. Were they after something in the house or really trying to warn her?
This is a fairly fast read and I guessed pretty much what was going to happen. It's Barbabra Michaels so there were many twists and surprises. I wouldn't have expected anything less from this author.
Overall, it's good fun and lots of intrigue especially from Carla's male suitors, that made for a exceptionally entertaining read.
Carla Tregellas is an American math teacher who travels to Cornwall, England to inherit an estate left for the last member with her family name. The moorland landscape surrounding the mansion adds charm and mystique to the ragged coastline taking both Carla and the reader back in time. With Celtic blood in her veins Carla feels close to her roots in this new surrounding and starts to wonder whether she really wants to sell the grand old house or not.
It's been occupied by few servants, a cook and local gardener and she is quickly met by locals who want to show her the area. She is impressed by the warm welcome and she makes a few friends, most of them are men and things start to get complicated.
An old legend surrounds a Lady Caroline who used to live in the house and who's portrait looks very familiar to Carla and Pendennis, a housekeeper stuck on the past, quickly begins trying to warn Carla about the upcoming midsummer eve anniversary of "madness and death" that had doomed the lady of the house, a tradition that is not going to stop and will continue this year. It seems the legend says that a demon from the sea is waiting for his new bride that night and Carla doesn't know whether to run or laugh. Things start to happen and near accidents change her mind but there is more than meets the eye.
The reader is quickly introduced to all the characters and that's when the real charade begins, I was wondering myself whether the tale of the man from the sea who seeks out his bride on the fatal night was real or whether Carla's new friends weren't so friendly after all. Were they after something in the house or really trying to warn her?
This is a fairly fast read and I guessed pretty much what was going to happen. It's Barbabra Michaels so there were many twists and surprises. I wouldn't have expected anything less from this author.
Overall, it's good fun and lots of intrigue especially from Carla's male suitors, that made for a exceptionally entertaining read.
November 11, 2019
Leaving this at 4 stars for sentiment. I used to devour Barbara Michaels' books when I was in high school/college. I loved her gothic atmospheres, wise-cracking heroes, and hints of supernatural happenings. I'm not sure how well the books have aged, though--there's a touch of sexism here, and elements of the plot (a maybe-fake abortion?! a drug-smuggling lawyer?! a merman costume?!) seemed pretty ridiculous. The ending was really rushed.
Still, I devoured this book, and it was a non-taxing, comforting read. I'll likely read another one or two of Michaels' books in the coming months. (I like a familiar, cozy story when life is busy.)
Still, I devoured this book, and it was a non-taxing, comforting read. I'll likely read another one or two of Michaels' books in the coming months. (I like a familiar, cozy story when life is busy.)
January 25, 2019
Not my favorite by Michaels, but this tale of creeptastic goings-on in 1970s Cornwall is an entertaining read.
When Carla, last of an eccentric family, inherits the family pile in Cornwall and travels to investigate it, her first meeting with housekeeper Mrs. Pendennis ends with her being told to go at once. I wondered if I might be in for a Rebecca - style story, but this one took me down another path all together. The mixture of old Roman history, local lore, selkies and romance feels like a bit of a mishmash at times, but I did enjoy the characters and the mood of the story.
When Carla, last of an eccentric family, inherits the family pile in Cornwall and travels to investigate it, her first meeting with housekeeper Mrs. Pendennis ends with her being told to go at once. I wondered if I might be in for a Rebecca - style story, but this one took me down another path all together. The mixture of old Roman history, local lore, selkies and romance feels like a bit of a mishmash at times, but I did enjoy the characters and the mood of the story.
March 11, 2021
This was fun. Cornwall in the late 70s, a sensible, unromantic young woman inheriting the old family mansion out of the blue (she didn't even know it existed) and falling in love with it, a family mystery and some romance.
I loved the creepiness and how the paranormal (or is it?) element was pretty original, not your usual ghost story. I'm still not sure if it could be defined as a gothic. At times it feels like it's making fun of the genre, but in the end, it's all quite serious. It does, however, have more of a sense of humour than the classic gothics.
Carla, our protagonist, seemed to be a bit too cynical and rigid at the beginning, but I soon warmed up to her when she started showing some romantic, impractical streaks. Oh, she was sensible and smart till the end, but her decision to stay longer at the house and her fascination with her roots made her a bit more human.
Her relationship with... I shouldn't say who, since Carla has quite a sample of men from which to choose. Anyone who's read a couple of BMs or EPs will guess who Carla will fall for as soon as he's introduced, but still... Anyway, their relationship could have stood to be better developed. Even a couple more pages at the end would probably do it. Still, it was the right ending, and I enjoyed that Carla got to sample the sample of men to her satisfaction :)
The paranormal aspect of the plot was good. It ended up being quite well explained (though a bit over-complicated), but there was enough left unexplained by men's actions for it to be a satisfying paranormal.
I loved the creepiness and how the paranormal (or is it?) element was pretty original, not your usual ghost story. I'm still not sure if it could be defined as a gothic. At times it feels like it's making fun of the genre, but in the end, it's all quite serious. It does, however, have more of a sense of humour than the classic gothics.
Carla, our protagonist, seemed to be a bit too cynical and rigid at the beginning, but I soon warmed up to her when she started showing some romantic, impractical streaks. Oh, she was sensible and smart till the end, but her decision to stay longer at the house and her fascination with her roots made her a bit more human.
Her relationship with... I shouldn't say who, since Carla has quite a sample of men from which to choose. Anyone who's read a couple of BMs or EPs will guess who Carla will fall for as soon as he's introduced, but still... Anyway, their relationship could have stood to be better developed. Even a couple more pages at the end would probably do it. Still, it was the right ending, and I enjoyed that Carla got to sample the sample of men to her satisfaction :)
The paranormal aspect of the plot was good. It ended up being quite well explained (though a bit over-complicated), but there was enough left unexplained by men's actions for it to be a satisfying paranormal.
September 27, 2025
Walter Tregellas deixou tudo o que tinha incluindo uma mansão para o parente mais próximo que tivesse o nome Tregellas e não tivesse descendentes. Essa parente era Carla que quando chega a Cornwall depara-se com uma mansão degradada e pronta para venda.
Mas aos poucos ela sente uma conexão com esta mansão e todo o místico que a envolve com lendas dos antepassados.
Um livro que enterte mas achei muitas partes desinteressantes .
Mas aos poucos ela sente uma conexão com esta mansão e todo o místico que a envolve com lendas dos antepassados.
Um livro que enterte mas achei muitas partes desinteressantes .
July 26, 2016
Barbara Michaels Gothic thrillers seem to involve some sort of a haunted house/castle, a man with a secret shady pasty, time setting around 1950's and witty damsel in distress with spunk and a bit of an attitude. This suits me just fine when I am in deed in the mood for mystery, thriller and romance all mixed into one and a relaxing evening of some fun, light reading. This kept me glued to the pages enough to finish quickly and I am looking forward to more of her books in the future. This is not serious literature but when in the mood this suits me fine.
The story begins with Carla Tregellas, an American math teacher who travels to Cornwall, England to inherit an estate left for the last bearer of her family name. It's appropriate that the moorland landscape surrounding the mansion adds charm and mystique to the ragged coastline and crisp weather, taking the heroine and the reader back in time. With Celtic blood in her veins Carla feels close to her roots in this new surrounding and starts to wonder whether she really wants to sell the grand house or not. Occupied by few servants, a cook and local gardener she is quickly surrounded by locals who want to take her around and show off the area. Impressed by the warm welcome she makes a few quick friends, most of them men as things start to get complicated. An old legend surrounding Lady Caroline who used to live in the house and who's portrait looks very familiar to Carla is on the lips of Mrs. Pendennis, a housekeeper stuck on the past, trying to warn Carla about the upcoming midsummer eve anniversary of madness and death that doomed the lady of the house, a tradition that is not going to stop this year. A demon from the sea is said to be waiting for a new bride that night and Carla doesn't know whether to run and pack or laugh. Things start to happen and near accidents change her mind but there is more that meets the eye.
The reader is quickly introduced to all the characters and that's when the real charade begins, I was wondering myself whether the tale of the man from the see who seeks out his bride on the fatal night was real or whether Carla's friends weren't so friendly after all and were after something in the house instead. This was a fast read and I almost guessed the chain of events, with many twists and surprises from the author.
Good fun and lot's of intrigue from Carla's male suitors made for an entertaining read.
- Kasia S.
The story begins with Carla Tregellas, an American math teacher who travels to Cornwall, England to inherit an estate left for the last bearer of her family name. It's appropriate that the moorland landscape surrounding the mansion adds charm and mystique to the ragged coastline and crisp weather, taking the heroine and the reader back in time. With Celtic blood in her veins Carla feels close to her roots in this new surrounding and starts to wonder whether she really wants to sell the grand house or not. Occupied by few servants, a cook and local gardener she is quickly surrounded by locals who want to take her around and show off the area. Impressed by the warm welcome she makes a few quick friends, most of them men as things start to get complicated. An old legend surrounding Lady Caroline who used to live in the house and who's portrait looks very familiar to Carla is on the lips of Mrs. Pendennis, a housekeeper stuck on the past, trying to warn Carla about the upcoming midsummer eve anniversary of madness and death that doomed the lady of the house, a tradition that is not going to stop this year. A demon from the sea is said to be waiting for a new bride that night and Carla doesn't know whether to run and pack or laugh. Things start to happen and near accidents change her mind but there is more that meets the eye.
The reader is quickly introduced to all the characters and that's when the real charade begins, I was wondering myself whether the tale of the man from the see who seeks out his bride on the fatal night was real or whether Carla's friends weren't so friendly after all and were after something in the house instead. This was a fast read and I almost guessed the chain of events, with many twists and surprises from the author.
Good fun and lot's of intrigue from Carla's male suitors made for an entertaining read.
- Kasia S.
July 5, 2017
Absolutely loved it! Interesting characters, great story...perfect!
July 29, 2016
Wait for What Will Come
by Barbara Michaels
Barbara Mertz (Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters) has long been one of my favorite authors. However, she was so prolific, that I haven't read many of her books. This was one of her Michaels books that was moldering away in my "to-read" stash -- an old old paperback that I probably picked up at my local library annual book sale. I've decided to try and read one of her books (either pen name) a week for the rest of the year (so a trip to the library will undoubtedly be part of my weekly schedule for the next few months!).
In this wonderful, old style Gothic, Carla Tregellis, an young American, has been contacted by a UK attorney and informed that she has been named the heir to a Cornish estate. Unfortunately, the estate is almost bankrupt, but it's hers, so she decides to take a trip and check it out. Once there she is greeted rather oddly, as the old housekeeper opens the door and exclaims "It's Lady Caroline--come back from the dead!"
As the mystery unfolds, Carla discovers that she bears a strong resemblance to the European family she never knew existed, and especially to one ancestor, Lady Caroline, who disappeared mysteriously on Midsummer's Eve 200 years previously. A legend has arisen surrounding a supposed curse on the family that requires one of the family's women to be sacrificed to some sea creature every two hundred years.
The story is populated by many characters. There is, of course, the main character, Carla. There are also the housekeeper, Mrs. Pendennis, the cook, Mrs. P***, the maid, Mary, Michael, the grandson of Mrs. Pendennis, his American friend, Tim, the local doctor, Simon, the attorney, Alan and his sister, the local vicar, John and, of course, the non-present, but still affecting the living, ancestors, Thomas and Caroline Tregellis. Someone, probably one of those I listed, is conspiring to convince Carla that she is the next female Tregellis to be sacrificed. Odd happenings and accidents occur. Could the legend be true? Is there some sort of sea demon that demands Tregellis sacrifices on Midsummer's Night eve every 200 years? Or does someone just want Carla to go back to the states and let them have her property?
This book was a delicious read. It is a full blown gothic, complete with windblown estate on a Cornish cliffside, a sea demon-lover legend, lots of gorgeous men and, of course, our single damsel in distress. The writing style is evocative, the plotting perfection, the pacing excellent and the editing and proofing top notch. I was very surprised to find one proofing error (you almost never find those in the older books published in the days when publishing houses actually offered their authors proofreading and editing), but on page 162 (market paperback) is this: I play to stay here until I'm asked to leave." Obviously, that should be ...plan to stay..., but it's the only problem I found in the entire book.
Yes, a delicious read. Yum. Can't wait to read another. Just have to decide WHICH one!
by Barbara Michaels
Barbara Mertz (Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters) has long been one of my favorite authors. However, she was so prolific, that I haven't read many of her books. This was one of her Michaels books that was moldering away in my "to-read" stash -- an old old paperback that I probably picked up at my local library annual book sale. I've decided to try and read one of her books (either pen name) a week for the rest of the year (so a trip to the library will undoubtedly be part of my weekly schedule for the next few months!).
In this wonderful, old style Gothic, Carla Tregellis, an young American, has been contacted by a UK attorney and informed that she has been named the heir to a Cornish estate. Unfortunately, the estate is almost bankrupt, but it's hers, so she decides to take a trip and check it out. Once there she is greeted rather oddly, as the old housekeeper opens the door and exclaims "It's Lady Caroline--come back from the dead!"
As the mystery unfolds, Carla discovers that she bears a strong resemblance to the European family she never knew existed, and especially to one ancestor, Lady Caroline, who disappeared mysteriously on Midsummer's Eve 200 years previously. A legend has arisen surrounding a supposed curse on the family that requires one of the family's women to be sacrificed to some sea creature every two hundred years.
The story is populated by many characters. There is, of course, the main character, Carla. There are also the housekeeper, Mrs. Pendennis, the cook, Mrs. P***, the maid, Mary, Michael, the grandson of Mrs. Pendennis, his American friend, Tim, the local doctor, Simon, the attorney, Alan and his sister, the local vicar, John and, of course, the non-present, but still affecting the living, ancestors, Thomas and Caroline Tregellis. Someone, probably one of those I listed, is conspiring to convince Carla that she is the next female Tregellis to be sacrificed. Odd happenings and accidents occur. Could the legend be true? Is there some sort of sea demon that demands Tregellis sacrifices on Midsummer's Night eve every 200 years? Or does someone just want Carla to go back to the states and let them have her property?
This book was a delicious read. It is a full blown gothic, complete with windblown estate on a Cornish cliffside, a sea demon-lover legend, lots of gorgeous men and, of course, our single damsel in distress. The writing style is evocative, the plotting perfection, the pacing excellent and the editing and proofing top notch. I was very surprised to find one proofing error (you almost never find those in the older books published in the days when publishing houses actually offered their authors proofreading and editing), but on page 162 (market paperback) is this: I play to stay here until I'm asked to leave." Obviously, that should be ...plan to stay..., but it's the only problem I found in the entire book.
Yes, a delicious read. Yum. Can't wait to read another. Just have to decide WHICH one!
April 30, 2017
Read this as a young teenager, and it made me want to go to Cornwall some day. A few years later, I found I have ancestors from Cornwall, and I actually got to go and visit my distant relatives, although they lived in a nice, comfortable cottage, not a big mansion. I thought of this book the whole time I was there, and it added to the experience. Barbara Michaels does such a great job of creating atmosphere and history in her stories. And they are always fun to read, the ones I always go back to because I know I'll enjoy them over and over.
March 26, 2019
A damsel in distress threatened by a...merman?
A gothic from the 70s, total popcorn book. I didn't care for the Elizabeth Peters book I read (same author, different pseudonym), but maybe I should give that name another chance. Here, we have all the gothic tropes you could want, but with a decent puzzle mystery. Easy, light read, but never insults your intelligence.
Read if you're stressed and looking for some gothic-flavored soap opera. A heart's ease, anti-chaos book.
A gothic from the 70s, total popcorn book. I didn't care for the Elizabeth Peters book I read (same author, different pseudonym), but maybe I should give that name another chance. Here, we have all the gothic tropes you could want, but with a decent puzzle mystery. Easy, light read, but never insults your intelligence.
Read if you're stressed and looking for some gothic-flavored soap opera. A heart's ease, anti-chaos book.
April 26, 2025
2.5⭐️
This was a nice and short read, though it had many flaws in my eyes. First of all, Carla was way too unfriendly and nasty, especially to the other female characters in this book. But overall she had so many horrible things to say about everyone, even before she had the chance to actually talk to and get to know someone. Also, maybe it's just the writing style and it's not my favourite or it was just the case with the characters in this book, but it felt like everyone was so agitated all the freaking time, no one was able to say something coherent for more than 2 pages without getting angry and making no sense, and it made things very confusing for me, both in the personalities of the characters and the course of the plot on how to discover the history of the family curse.
Speaking of which, I did enjoy that aspect of the book. I was a bit dissapointed with the reveal of the curse history and who was behind the 'pranks', but i believe the last chapter made up for it when Carla put on the wedding dress and experienced (as explained in the book) a somewhat re-living of the emotions of her past ancestors in that exact moment. I liked this a lot. I also really enjoyed the overall atmosphere of the house and the surrounding nature, it added to the gothic genre (although it could have been more gothic imo).
Another thing that annoyed me was the love interest of Michael.... Of course they were going to end up together because....enemies to lovers, but where was the gradual character development of both of them?? Where were the scenes where they started to warm up to one another?? It went from hating Michael for literally 95% of the book, to Carla suddenly explaining she loved Michael and he loved her???? THE VERY LAST PAGE DIDN'T EVEN FEEL LIKE I WAS READING ABOUT THE SAME CHARACTERS, like wdym he called her "my darling"? He's never done that before and now suddenly he did?
Last page:
*Michael’s arms went around her.*
*“Shall we try it, then? It’s a crazy scheme, Carla; almost as crazy as you are, my poor superstitious darling.”*
*Carla thought about it. They would have to work their fingers to the bone, all of them, and the scheme might not work. They were young and inexperienced. All the odds were against them.*
*Practical considerations on one side of the scale. On the other….*
*“Oh, yes,” she said. “Yes, please. Let’s try it.”*
Also, wtf are they even saying....why is Carla speaking like a 5 year old in that last sentence.....
Anyways, the mystery was entertaining, the gothic atmosphere too, the characters not so much.
This was a nice and short read, though it had many flaws in my eyes. First of all, Carla was way too unfriendly and nasty, especially to the other female characters in this book. But overall she had so many horrible things to say about everyone, even before she had the chance to actually talk to and get to know someone. Also, maybe it's just the writing style and it's not my favourite or it was just the case with the characters in this book, but it felt like everyone was so agitated all the freaking time, no one was able to say something coherent for more than 2 pages without getting angry and making no sense, and it made things very confusing for me, both in the personalities of the characters and the course of the plot on how to discover the history of the family curse.
Speaking of which, I did enjoy that aspect of the book. I was a bit dissapointed with the reveal of the curse history and who was behind the 'pranks', but i believe the last chapter made up for it when Carla put on the wedding dress and experienced (as explained in the book) a somewhat re-living of the emotions of her past ancestors in that exact moment. I liked this a lot. I also really enjoyed the overall atmosphere of the house and the surrounding nature, it added to the gothic genre (although it could have been more gothic imo).
Another thing that annoyed me was the love interest of Michael.... Of course they were going to end up together because....enemies to lovers, but where was the gradual character development of both of them?? Where were the scenes where they started to warm up to one another?? It went from hating Michael for literally 95% of the book, to Carla suddenly explaining she loved Michael and he loved her???? THE VERY LAST PAGE DIDN'T EVEN FEEL LIKE I WAS READING ABOUT THE SAME CHARACTERS, like wdym he called her "my darling"? He's never done that before and now suddenly he did?
Last page:
*Michael’s arms went around her.*
*“Shall we try it, then? It’s a crazy scheme, Carla; almost as crazy as you are, my poor superstitious darling.”*
*Carla thought about it. They would have to work their fingers to the bone, all of them, and the scheme might not work. They were young and inexperienced. All the odds were against them.*
*Practical considerations on one side of the scale. On the other….*
*“Oh, yes,” she said. “Yes, please. Let’s try it.”*
Also, wtf are they even saying....why is Carla speaking like a 5 year old in that last sentence.....
Anyways, the mystery was entertaining, the gothic atmosphere too, the characters not so much.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2020
I loved the spookiness spelled out in the lines of this story. It was all so perfect... The young woman inheriting the ancestral mansion after she was found to be the last living heir. Carla decided to go see the place before it was sold for whatever she could get for the old place, if it sold at all. It wasn't until she arrived the first night and the startled house keeper was letting her in that she learned how much she looked like her ancestor and about the legend. She was told that the young bride to be disappeared on midsummer's night and was never seen again and that Carla was just in time to be the next maiden to fall prey to the legend.
This book made me want to go there myself and wander the halls of this old place. I'd love to look through the attic and explore through things that belonged to my ancestors. I could do without all the men though. Four men is really way too much for one book. The story could have been better but I was happy enough with the atmosphere and my own imagination.
This book made me want to go there myself and wander the halls of this old place. I'd love to look through the attic and explore through things that belonged to my ancestors. I could do without all the men though. Four men is really way too much for one book. The story could have been better but I was happy enough with the atmosphere and my own imagination.
August 25, 2021
I found this book fascinating as a Gothic mystery set in near-present day. I was expecting there to be a logical explanation of everything at the end like similar books I've read, but I wasn't expecting the zero-to-60 jump in action from slow plot to ending that made my mind reel and wonder what exactly just happened. I actually found it kind of funny, and the whole thing reminded me of a Nancy Drew + Scooby Doo style unmasking of the villain (which I guessed correctly; he was much too slick) along with some ambiguity as to whether supernatural events were actually involved.
April 13, 2014
The best part of this book is the merry rapport between sarcastic Carla, moody Michael, and cheerful Tim. The trio comes together halfway through the novel, and immediately the story perks up under the influence of their amusing interactions.
However, once you've heard one story about a women slowly being maneuvered into believing herself mad, you've heard them all. Wait for What Will Come doesn't add anything new to this traditional plot. Additionally, the book is inexplicably burdened with a dozen overt references to Jane Eyre. There's no real point of comparison between the two novels, beyond the generic idea of a young woman coming home to a creepy manor. Which makes it so very strange to keep coming across the characters talking about Jane Eyre; you keep expecting a governess to show up or a madwoman to drop out of the attic or something. But, no. Unless there's a plot twist concerning lusty sea-demons in Eyre that I've forgotten, the two books are entirely different.
However, once you've heard one story about a women slowly being maneuvered into believing herself mad, you've heard them all. Wait for What Will Come doesn't add anything new to this traditional plot. Additionally, the book is inexplicably burdened with a dozen overt references to Jane Eyre. There's no real point of comparison between the two novels, beyond the generic idea of a young woman coming home to a creepy manor. Which makes it so very strange to keep coming across the characters talking about Jane Eyre; you keep expecting a governess to show up or a madwoman to drop out of the attic or something. But, no. Unless there's a plot twist concerning lusty sea-demons in Eyre that I've forgotten, the two books are entirely different.
August 30, 2017
A great Gothic! This was my first Barbara Michaels book and it did not disappoint. I was carried along with the mystical and mysterious alike. The characters were varied and well fleshed out. Wait for What Will Come captured Cornwall, too. The Cornish coast, the capricious weather, the quirky characters; it was all there. The mystery was satisfying and the dynamic of the main character, Carla, felt very real and true to how a young woman of her ilk could change her opinions. Her decisions seemed genuine and organic rather than forced and contrived. Overall, I recommend this novel, especially if you ever nursed a secret dream of finding out that you're a long lost relative of a personage who has bequeathed you a mansion on the coast of Cornwall (that may or may not be me...).
February 5, 2023
It suffers a bit from being a product of it's time, and the climax is kind of out of left field. (Spoiler:) But, hey, it's a "modern" gothic romance, with an ancient curse, an old house, the possibility of a merman, and a grand total of four guys (not counting the possible merman) expressing interest in the heroine. Sensible plotting isn't really what it's all about.
April 16, 2009
An interesting suspense-filled with an old decaying castle as a back-drop. I do tire of the frequently used theme where boy meets girl and they have an instant verbally abusive repulsion to each other. Of course they end up as lovers. The book then becomes so predictable that I can usually guess how the mystery ends. A 2.5 would be a better rating for this book.
September 16, 2021
3 Stars
Solid mystery.
Solid mystery.
August 11, 2015
I hate it when the love interest spends the whole book telling the heroine she's stupid and helpless.
June 6, 2021
I read a lot of cozy Gothics and loved the two other Barbara Michaels mysteries I’ve read (Witch and House of Many Shadows). I grabbed Wait for What Will Come because of its a great vintage pulpy cover (not the terrible updated one shown here) and it does have a lot of the same elements that I liked in Witch and HoMS (a house with a mysterious history, sassy 1970s protagonist in distress, ancient mystery, portents and visions, supernatural happenings, spooky atmosphere, and twisty romance). But Wait for What Will Come didn’t capture my imagination the same way those did. I liked that the other two were set in the United States, because most of what I read is set in England. Wait for What Will Come takes place in Cornwall and just wasn’t as relatable. Also there were a LOT of men in this story and I had a hard time keeping them straight (also didn’t care). Michaels’ books are not particularly literary, but this one seemed especially superficial. What I did enjoy was indulging the “American woman inherits ancestral castle” fantasy.
October 27, 2018
The setting and plot were well worth the read, but I was disappointed (yet again) in the hero and heroine. I really couldn't feel any particular attachment to them, so I wasn't terribly invested in their fate. I felt like the supernatural element was too watered down (no pun intended), but the final climax was fairly satisfying, even if it did turn out that the person I liked most was the bad person. At this point I'm getting used to picking the wrong person to like in a Barbara Michaels story. I guess that's why I want a more solid supernatural element, like in Ammie, Come Home, or The Walker in Shadow. I can revel in the villain without having to give up one of the characters I've come to love. I would recommend this book for anyone who already likes Michaels but it was just okay imho. The fact that it took me nearly a week to get through it is a big hint considering how fast I usually plow through her books.
November 14, 2020
“There was a hole in the knee of his faded jeans, which fit his hips like plastic wrap; his shirt was open to the waist, and the long, predatory hands still showed the stains of the garden earth.” (p 77) You make the call- description of hero or villain?
Not sure why I picked this up. Cornwall gothic might have been enough reason.
A bit dated (1979) but at least discussion of an abortion was not shocking. The men who court the heroine seem to see kissing her unexpectedly and upon short acquaintance as a way to tell her they like her- the only way, really.
It was fine. Nothing much really happened outside of Mysterious Happenings until some rather out-of-left field events with 30 pages until the end. Pretty standard 70’s gothic.
I think I liked the part where she rummages in the attic for china to sell best.
Not sure why I picked this up. Cornwall gothic might have been enough reason.
A bit dated (1979) but at least discussion of an abortion was not shocking. The men who court the heroine seem to see kissing her unexpectedly and upon short acquaintance as a way to tell her they like her- the only way, really.
It was fine. Nothing much really happened outside of Mysterious Happenings until some rather out-of-left field events with 30 pages until the end. Pretty standard 70’s gothic.
I think I liked the part where she rummages in the attic for china to sell best.
April 9, 2022
I enjoyed the book, which got off to a slow start. The story revolves around Carla who goes to Cornwall, England to view a house bequeathed to her. She initially did not have plans to stay more than a few weeks, but as people urged her to leave before Midsummer's eve, she digs in her heels and proposes to stay longer. Why do people want her to go? In the end she finds out, but the ending for me was less than satisfying. Especially since Michael apparently knew more than he let on in the book. But a good easy read, because I generally like Barbara Michael's style of writing.
December 18, 2018
This is the first book that I read by Barbara Michaels and since then i fell in love with her.
One of the books that i was able to read the shortest period of time. You can easily imagine how old the mansion and i like the people who she met.
I was actually waiting for what will come. A great read!
One of the books that i was able to read the shortest period of time. You can easily imagine how old the mansion and i like the people who she met.
I was actually waiting for what will come. A great read!
June 28, 2020
Enjoyable Gothic romance/suspense/ghost story. Four potential suitors! Lots of atmosphere and descriptions of sites in Cornwall. Almost a travelogue of Cornwall with its hidden harbors, small villages, stone circles and other prehistoric sites. Funny, the main character didn’t have any female friends other than the servants.
September 14, 2018
A mildly entertaining "ghost" story. I enjoyed the change from what I have been reading/listening to. I thought it was a bit on the predictable side and didn't feel the characters had any real depth.
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