The Mistress of Ravenswood

by Marilyn Ross, W.E.D. Ross (AKA), Romy Nordlinger (Narrator)

Pamela Wales, the young governess at Ravenswood, can hardly believe her luck.  The man she adores - the brooding master of the palatial estate - wants her for his wife.

For a little while she is so happy that she ignores the servants' gossip of old scandals and her fiance's involvement in a recent murder.  Suddenly she is almost killed.  Then a ghost pursues her through the mansion's sinister corridors.

But the man she loves refuses to believe her.  Pamela wonders if she is going mad until she discovers a tombstone with her name on it.

Genres: Gothic, Horror, Fiction

Audio CD

First published January 1, 1966

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

[Rabbit {Paint me like one of your 19th century gothic heroines!} · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was ok(?).

It was a gothic pulp that would have been better if it was longer, because everything felt rushed. Things were wrapped up way too quickly for my liking. I was expecting more.

[Sarah Mac · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than the lackluster inanity that was Shorecliff, but still not particularly good. This one had a better story -- I liked the unexpected, if hamfisted, switch between love interests -- but it needed more. More writing skill, more characterization, more page count; take your pick (though, to be fair, pulp length restrictions were usually dictated by the publisher).

2.5 stars, rounded up for the lolzy Scooby Doo entertainment factor.

[WhatShouldIRead]

Audio was due and went back to library. Book was meh so I probably won't get it again. Just another typical gothic story from what I heard.

[Nattie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mistress of Ravenswood was one of the better books I have read by Marilyn Ross, even so, I have had it with stupid female characters who fall into a faint at any given moment. Men never pass out unless they have been shot or beaten over the head, while a woman might see a shadow on the wall and hit the floor.

I would say about 99% of the mystery was easy to figure out, even the part I'm sure you weren't supposed to guess. Pamela didn't have the same issue I had because she never seemed able to figure much of anything out, if she did stumble onto something she would go about her way like maybe she was mistaken.

The insta-love in this book was one of the most laughable cases yet. One character falls in love with another after a three minute conversation about murder, and as usual, Ross takes a phrase or a word and runs it into the ground so badly it'll be all you can do not to rip the book to shreds.

[Lisa of LaCreeperie · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 actually. Phew. If I had to read "a troubled look came over her pretty face" one more time... For an author of over 300 books, you'd think the content would be a little bit more varied. Not giving up on Marilyn Ross (Dan Ross) just yet, as I want to read some of the Dark Shadows series. But the best thing I can say about this book is that it's short.

[Randal · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had never read an old-school gothic romance before. Now I have. I don't particularly recommend it.
Cliches all around, from the madwoman in the attic to the young governess, the handsome cad, the lookalike. The only thing that keeps it from one star is my ludicrously low expectations going in, which it met.

[William · Rating 1 out of 5]

Spoiler.........
This book was ok for an older gothic but the author knows nothing about head wounds.if someone hits someone in the head with a hammer how does no one see all the blood when she drags him to a horse stall? The way they treat mentally ill family members is awful and the description of a character as a dark woman is very cringe.

[Iman Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intriguing gothic mystery story. I enjoyed the vibes and the mystery although I wish the story was a bit more gripping either in terms of the uneasiness or the pace. The relationship at the end was a huge surprise and felt random. I will continue reading from Marilyn Ross for sure.


3.4/5

[Ilse Irais · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a good story that needed more. It was far too rushed - I hadn’t even passed on one situation before the next one was happening and then it all wraps up too neatly at the end with random situations and characters.

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even as gothic romance go, it's a mess - but it's a fun mess.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast-paced and fun.