The House of Teufelvelt

by Berthold Gambrel

Rachel Pounsett takes a job at Leviathan State University, where her daughter Alice is an undergraduate. While at first happy to have the job, she soon becomes ensnared in office politics, a mystery surrounding the fate of her predecessor, and a relationship with her handsome boss, Professor Roderick Teufelvelt.

154 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 10, 2019

Reviews

[Kevin Brennan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cleverly executed novel that morphs as it goes along from a campus tale to something totally unexpected. Our narrator, Rachel, is a new addition to the history department at a Midwestern university, working for the enigmatic and often-absent Prof. Teufelvelt, who takes her under his wing in more ways than one. Ultimately a visit to his country estate leads to revelations that I wouldn’t want to spoil here but that explain his eccentricities and his vulnerabilities.

Rachel has an affable voice that makes the journey feel pleasant and light most of the way. The university office where she works could actually make a great setting for a decent sitcom.

Gambrel’s a good writer too, with plenty of humor, command of language, and thought-provoking ideas. I’m looking forward to reading more of his work.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun book. This may be my favorite of Gambrel's because, although I've really enjoyed his sci fi novels, I'm not normally a reader of that genre. "The House of Teufelvelt" aligns more with my usual genres, and it was a real treat to read.

The pace is both a leisurely and a page-turning one, because while the mystery is being built-up, we get to thoroughly know the main character, Rachel--a real strength of this book. She's wonderfully three-dimensional (who says a man can't write female characters?), with real-life problems many people face (single mother living paycheck to paycheck). Yet she had a terrific sense of humor which comes through in her observations of the people around her, an eclectic bunch working in an academic college setting. Furthermore, Gambrel has a knack for writing pieces of historical text, using language that fits the time period.

Great characters, nice description, wonderful setting. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is a fun dip into the Gothic pool, a well-written period piece set in the 21st century.
Don’t expect a typical blood and guts horror novel, but read this for the quality of the writing. A perfect Halloween read, especially for those who don’t typically enjoy this genre.

If you’ve been following Mr. Gambrel’s writing career, THE HOUSE OF TEUFELVELT is a welcome, if atypical, addition to his oeuvre.

[Audrey Driscoll · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short novel combines a variety of elements to produce something new -- a Gothic novel set in present-day North America, but with roots in the Old World. Unlike the standard swooning Gothic heroine, single mom Rachel is a practical woman dealing with practical problems -- earning enough money to support herself and pay for her daughter's education while negotiating with fractious colleagues, office politics, and a budding romance with a mysterious professor. Gradually, hints of the supernatural gather like mists on Halloween. The second half of the book becomes frankly Lovecraftian as Rachel discovers... No, wait -- that would be spoiling a really fun read. I suggest readers don't skip the author's afterword, since it adds interesting details about the origins of the story. And pause to admire the gorgeous cover too. Recommended to fans of Lovecraft and the supernatural, and Gothic romance. Note: it looks like I took more than two weeks to read this book. Not so; I made myself stop at the halfway point to finish reading a rather long book from my public library with a due date, after which I hastened back to the House of Teufelvelt.

[Eileen Iciek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not want to put this short novel down! Written in the style of an H.P. Lovecraft novel, we have a lovely and lonely heroine; a handsome, mysterious hero; a terrible unsolved murder; a beautiful mansion in a remote setting; an assortment of oddball characters who are coworkers of the hero and heroine; all located at that fine educational institution, Leviathan U.

This book was a really fun introduction to the holiday season. Highly recommended.