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The Devil's Dance
The Melungeons were strange people, a race of outcasts whose origin was unknown. People believed they worshiped the devil, drinking blood in wild rituals.
When Christine arrived at the ancient mansion where her sister was staying, she heard horrid stories about them. Christine couldn't believe what she heard...until she discovered she bore a Melungeon name -- her ticket to a dance of death.
When Christine arrived at the ancient mansion where her sister was staying, she heard horrid stories about them. Christine couldn't believe what she heard...until she discovered she bore a Melungeon name -- her ticket to a dance of death.
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1972
72 people want to read
About the author
Jan Alexander
29 books5 followersPseudonym for Victor J. Banis Also wrote under the name Lynn Benedict.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 2, 2019
DEVIL'S DANCE is one of my much-cherished pulp paperback collection by Jan Alexander/Lynn Benedict, aka Victor Banis. Mr Banis now devotes his energy to gay mysteries & other M/M stuff, so like many other males using chick pseudos in the 70s, these gothics were a CV stuffer. Even so, Banis is one of my most favorite pulp writers; there's an easy flow to his prose that's often lacking in the genre.
Anyway...DD is part of the Satanic Gothic miniseries. (See that little goat's head? :D) That said, it's different from other Satanics in that there's no supernatural per se. Instead we have a slow-burn gothic set in Tennessee, complete with requisite crumbling mansion & fading matron. There's an emphasis on the Appalachian forest surrounding Home Acres, complete with snakes, wild dogs, poisonous mushrooms, & sinkholes.
The basic story: Heroine Christine is a city girl on her way to Florida for vacation. She stops at Home Acres mansion to visit her sister Pam, who's engaged to the heir of this crumbling southern sprawl. Suddenly Christine finds herself stuck between a multi-generational feud of Hatfield/McCoy proportions -- the aging mistress of Home Acres is terrified of the Melungeons, a collective of families who were shoveled off their Tennessee land in favor of pushy settlers. The elders have passed the hatred onto their descendants -- & now Mrs Andrews is convinced one particular Melungeon family, the Goins, is trying to kill both her & Pam.
Of course our heroine scoffs. But when a local girl is murdered with the old Melungeon mark of blood-kill left on her forehead, she can't help but take the threats more seriously. There's also her feelings for Gabriel, the eldest son of the Goin family. I loved Gabe; he's a drawling smart-ass with some deeply buried prejudices toward the Andrews family, but his heart's in the right place. The MCs only share one kiss during the entire novel (like all gothics, the romance is thin), but I'd have melted just like she did. Yum.
Though it's not as good as other Banis pulps, I enjoyed this little gothic. The resolution is a bit rushed (especially Mrs Andrews' reaction to Gabe's heroism), but who cares? There are wild dogs & sinkholes & snarky southern boys & a lovable hound named Zeke.
NB: The title refers to a ring of grass where nothing will grow, supposedly where devils & ghosts dance under the moon & beckon mortals to join them.
Anyway...DD is part of the Satanic Gothic miniseries. (See that little goat's head? :D) That said, it's different from other Satanics in that there's no supernatural per se. Instead we have a slow-burn gothic set in Tennessee, complete with requisite crumbling mansion & fading matron. There's an emphasis on the Appalachian forest surrounding Home Acres, complete with snakes, wild dogs, poisonous mushrooms, & sinkholes.
The basic story: Heroine Christine is a city girl on her way to Florida for vacation. She stops at Home Acres mansion to visit her sister Pam, who's engaged to the heir of this crumbling southern sprawl. Suddenly Christine finds herself stuck between a multi-generational feud of Hatfield/McCoy proportions -- the aging mistress of Home Acres is terrified of the Melungeons, a collective of families who were shoveled off their Tennessee land in favor of pushy settlers. The elders have passed the hatred onto their descendants -- & now Mrs Andrews is convinced one particular Melungeon family, the Goins, is trying to kill both her & Pam.
Of course our heroine scoffs. But when a local girl is murdered with the old Melungeon mark of blood-kill left on her forehead, she can't help but take the threats more seriously. There's also her feelings for Gabriel, the eldest son of the Goin family. I loved Gabe; he's a drawling smart-ass with some deeply buried prejudices toward the Andrews family, but his heart's in the right place. The MCs only share one kiss during the entire novel (like all gothics, the romance is thin), but I'd have melted just like she did. Yum.
Though it's not as good as other Banis pulps, I enjoyed this little gothic. The resolution is a bit rushed (especially Mrs Andrews' reaction to Gabe's heroism), but who cares? There are wild dogs & sinkholes & snarky southern boys & a lovable hound named Zeke.
NB: The title refers to a ring of grass where nothing will grow, supposedly where devils & ghosts dance under the moon & beckon mortals to join them.
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July 12, 2019Blownup artwork:
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September 19, 2019
3.5 Stars comments coming...
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews