The Peril of Barnabas Collins (Volume 12)

Dark Shadows #12

by Marilyn Ross, W.E.D. Ross (AKA), Kathryn Leigh Scott (Narrator)

The Peril of Barnabas Collins (November 1969)

After falling in love with beautiful heiress Diana Hastings, Barnabas Collins makes a desperate attempt to find a cure for his vampire curse. He summons to Collinwood Dr. Rudolf Padrel, a strange scientist who claims he can develop a serum that will make Barnabas a normal man again.

But as time passes, Barnabas wonders if the mysterious scientist isn’t merely using him for his own evil ends. Graves in the family cemetery are desecrated and a young girl is found murdered. Barnabas is denounced by the villagers, who try to storm Collinwood.

Though he knows Dr. Padrel is responsible, Barnabas hesitates to expose him. Can he risk destroying the one man who can cure him?
 

Genres: Horror, Gothic, Vampires, Fiction, Paranormal, Fantasy, Mystery

Audio CD

First published November 1, 1969

About the author

William Edward Daniel Ross, W. E. Daniel "Dan" Ross (born 1912) is a bestselling Canadian novelist from Saint John, New Brunswick who wrote over 300 books in a variety of genres and under a variety of mostly female pseudonyms such as Laura Frances Brooks, Lydia Colby, Rose Dana, Jan Daniels, Olin Ross, Diane Randall, Clarissa Ross, Leslie Ames, Ruth Dorset, Ann Gilmer, Jane Rossiter, Dan Ross, Dana Ross, Marilyn Ross, Dan Roberts, and W.E.D. Ross. As Marilyn Ross he wrote popular Gothic fiction including a series of novels about the vampire Barnabas Collins based on the American TV series Dark Shadows (1966-71).

Reviews

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This may be the wildest of the Dark Shadows novels so far, although not as wild as I thought it was up until the end. (There's a twist, but then again, there usually is.)

Overall this was another entertaining volume, but they are very formulaic, which is good and bad I suppose. The writer does tend to overuse adjectives, as we have to be told someone is attractive over and over, but still, these are fun reads.

[WhatShouldIRead · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think if you've read one of these books, you've read them all. Same old, same old. Interesting enough story but nothing earth shattering. I will mention, however, that Marilyn Ross certainly knows how to create that gothic atmosphere. The descriptions are perfect.

While these are interesting enough, I've decided that I really want to read more stories about the original DS citizens - some stories between the TV stories - not adventures about these newly introduced characters (and Barnabas). And that is what these books are about. I guess there are only so many places the author can take the original characters, though, hence the the new blood.

But, these will stay on my keeper shelf as they are slowly becoming harder and harder to come by, good story or not.

[Stephen Osborne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh dear oh dear. I know these were written quickly, but didn't Dan Ross (he wrote these under his wife's name) have an editor, or at least a thesaurus? Example: page 52--"She allowed the powerful Barnabas to lead her out of the room." And just one page later: "Barnabas grabbed him with his powerful hands" and "the Count was no match for the powerful Barnabas." Hmm. I'm thinking Ross is trying to convey that Barnabas (and his hands) are powerful. I could be wrong.
And you do start to wish that the exclamation point on Ross' typewriter would break.
These things aside, the story, while too rushed and lacking in some detail, is enjoyable if you don't give it much thought. A nice time-waster.

[Mark Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another nutty Dark Shadows novel. Females are always imagining things. Being attacked at night is no reason not to go out in the fog. Barnabas would make a great husband despite being one of the living dead. Good times in Collinwood.

[Richard Tolleson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is actually one of the better entries in the series--either that, or I'm becoming immune to "Marilyn" Ross's ham-handed prose. The framing device is this: Maggie Evans, who is governess to the children at Collinwood, discovers an old diary. She begins reading it. (Cue wavy video and eerie sound effect.) In the late 19th century, Diana Hastings is a young woman living in London, in love with Barnabas Collins. There's an apparently pointless trip to Italy forced upon Diana by her mother, where a new character is introduced, and just as suddenly dispatched for no apparent reason. After another development that some might feel is a spoiler, Diana finds her way to Collinwood with Barnabas, where he is seeking a cure for his vampirism from an increasingly mad doctor. The doctor happens to have a young adult daughter from whom Barnabas has been feeding. As usual, there are mysterious attacks and deaths, and Barnabas is suspected. The final two chapters, in which the plot is wrapped up, and Maggie wakes up back in modern-day Collinwood are disappointing, but I'm pretty sure no one bought this thinking they were getting great literature. Aside from Barnabas, no one on the cover is actually in the book, and don't try to line up the events of the book with any particular episodes of the series. It's a completely different DS universe. I prefer to think of it as more DS parallel time. You do not have to be a fan of the show to like this book, the middle chapters of which provide some genuine chills and thrills.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

#12 in the book series based on the Soap Opera Dark Shadows.
While cleaning the library in Collinwood, Maggie finds a hidden diary, by a Diana Hastings.
Soon we are following Diana in her adventures, almost 100 years prior.
As many reviewers have said, these books fall into a pattern(especially since Barnabas arrived on the scene):
A young woman falls in love with Barnabas. Often with not knowing he is a vampire. But even after she finds out, she still loves him and wants to be with him. A crisis happens, with Barnabas being blamed....the crisis is solved....Barnabas leaves secretly in the night, unwilling to have the young woman carry his burden.
This story follows that blue print.
It does add a few different elements. For once, Barnabas has a servant who can speak and is not a huge scary guy.
Some secondary characters pop up but are not used they way you might expect.
Ross can set a mood. You feel the damp, the fog, the rain....
Great fun if you are a Barnabas Collins fan.

[B.J. Burgess · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Peril of Barnabas Collins has all the ingredients for a wonderful Gothic romance, yet it falls short because of several tired clichés. The fact that it is so badly written suggests that the author probably wrote these stories very fast. However, although I believe Ross was a fantastic Gothic author with an eye for specificity, he repeatedly utilizes the same descriptions throughout this story, as if he were going through the motions or running out of things to say.

There are only so many times you can read about Barnabas falling in love with a vulnerable young woman and having to break her heart before it becomes old. Although I enjoyed the first few chapters, I became bored around halfway through and only finished the book to write this review. How should I put it? Those who are devoted Dark Shadows fans may be able to forgive the book's flaws. You will be disappointed if you are a novice. -- ★★½✰✰

[Barbara A. Welsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another mesmerizing tale of Barnabas Collins as written by Marilyn Ross!

Finding Maggie Evans and Carolyn Collins working in the library, a secret compartment is discovered containing the diaries of Diana Hastings. Maggie, intrigued by this discovery, takes them to her room to read them and is mesmerized and drawn into the life of Diana Hastings, a young heiress and love interest of Barnabas Collins in England. This tale follows her disastrous trip to Italy meeting the grotesque Count Braga, her escape from his clutches with Barnabas to Collinsport, Maine to begin treatments by the mysterious Dr. Padrel accompanied by his frail daughter, Maria. But all is not as it seems. Coming back to Collinsport proves dangerous for Barnabas and Diana.
This is a hard-to-put-down story. 5 stars!

[Laura Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the more interesting and better written books in this series. I got the feeling that the author was really hitting their stride with these books. Instead of playing into cliches like some of the earlier pieces it has its own take on the gothic horror genre.

[Jay Kulpa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A camp gothic mix of evil aristocrats, a mad scientist, another wooden wonder from the Dark Shadows craze. They’re entertaining, just don’t expect continuity.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Peril of Bananas Collins

I liked the book very much. It was full of mystery and suspense. I highly recommend it. I can't wait to read the next book.

[Gregory Bastianelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun to revisit the world of Barnabas Collins, but contains little else of the characters of the Dark Shadows universe.

[Colton]

Elements from Mysteries of Udolpho and Donovan’s Brain with a startling shift of scenery partway through. Diana Hastings is definitely a favorite heroine from the series so far.

[Egghead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barnabas's new love
Everyone knows he's a vamp
That cure just won't work!

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Dark Shadows book is #12 in a series of 32. By this time, author Dan ("Marilyn") Ross has established his own tried-and-true formula. All of the stories follow pretty much the same pattern:

(1) The heroine arrives at, or already resides at, Collinwood.
(2) The heroine meets Barnabas, either prior to or just after her arrival at the great house. Not realizing that he's a vampire, she falls in love with him.
(3) The heroine finds her life endangered by some natural or supernatural threat.
(4) Barnabas saves the day.
(5) The heroine realizes that he's a vampire but still wants him anyway. But Barnabas deserts her rather than enmesh her in his own cursed existence. The heroine is sad.

THE PERIL OF BARNABAS COLLINS follows this formula exactly. Diana Hastings is the heroine, a perky English girl of the Victorian period. She meets Barnabas in London and predictably, falls in love with him. Her disapproving mother, however, whisks her off to Italy to marry an Italian count. The Count of Baraga turns out to be a grotesque horror and totally mad. He murders Diana's mother and tries to molest Diana! Barnabas arrives in the nick of time to rescue her. He then brings her overseas to Collinwood, where the sinister Dr.Padrel is at work (supposedly) on a cure for Barnabas's vampirism. But Padrel seems more interested in playing Dr. Frankenstein to his own dying daughter, with rather gruesome results...

A good read. In many ways it reminds me more of a Hammer film than the Dark Shadows TV show. And I mean that as a compliment, since the Hammer movies were always great fun. I especially like Ross's framing device in this novel. In the opening chapter, we are in the present day with Maggie Evans, who finds and reads Diana's now-antique diaries. The book ends next morning with a sleepy-eyed Maggie vaguely remembering that she had "bad dreams" about the long-dead Diana Hastings the night before. Not much wonder!

[James Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maggie and Caroline are doing some cleaning and find an old diary. The story in the diary is from about 80 years earlier and concerns Barnabas finding a young woman named Diana and how a love relationship developed between the two of them

That part takes up the first part of the book, maybe 1/3 of it. Then the rest of the book deals with a nutso count and a nutso 'doctor' who chase after Diana and claim to have a cure for Barnabas, in that order.

In effect, it's almost like this was supposed to be two separate books but neither was long enough so the author basically stuck them together with the nutso 'doctor' as the glue.

There is no doubt at all that Barnabas and Diana are in love, and that she accepts him as he is. The ending of that affair, of course, is quite predictable. The crazy 'doctor' is somewhat like another character in an earlier book, claiming to want to help Barnabas but really pursuing his own wants.
Why do I call him nutso? He acts like Frankenstein. Read the book and find out how!

[Larry Yonce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Barnabas still seeks a cure.
Entertaining enough, but probably the weakest of the Dark Shadows series thus far. Yet another spirited London beauty, Diana Hastings, falls head over heels for dear Barnabas. She reminded me quite a bit of the lovely Claire Duncan from book 7. The story moves rapidly from Spring 1862 London, to Italy, and on to Collinsport. Quite a bit of rehashing of plot points and repetitive dialogue, but the final chapter was rousing and raised it from 2.5 stars to 3.

[Vincent Darlage · Rating 2 out of 5]

It got better by the end, but still not exactly what you would call great literature. Spent more time telling than showing. The formula in this series is wearing thin... which is a shame, as the show itself was fantastic. But the books insist on not using characters from the show except in the framing elements... and Barnabas, of course.

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think he may have already told that story. A slightly repetitive theme that seems to overlook the fact that Barnabas was actually locked in his coffin for 175 years

[Dale Rosso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book.