Friday, October 25, 2019

13 Reads of Horror! - Ravensridge by Jennifer Hale



Gothic horror-romances are my favorite books to collect. The genre is pretty much defunct but these types of books were very popular in the 1960s and 1970s. I started collecting Gothic horror-romances because of their creepy covers, which always features a young woman wearing a dress or nightgown and running away from a mansion or castle. The cover arts reminds me of the "Hammer" horror movie posters.

I found Ravensridge by Jennifer Hale at a thrift store several years ago and today marks the very first time I have read it. Before writing this review I attempted to do a bit of research on the author and I learned Jennifer Hale one of the pseudonyms used by Frank E. Smith. All of his Gothic were published under that name.

The 189-page novella centers around a twenty-something photographer named Melissa Manion, who had left her life in Washington, D.C. to travel to the Virginia mountains for a photo gig at the Ravensridge mansion. The previous day, she had called her good friend Charles Courtney and he gave her a weird warning about Ravensridge, which is his ancestral home. The phone had gone dead before he could explain to her what was wrong.

Melissa's arrival at Ravensridge isn't a welcoming one by the Courtney family due to the fact Charles never mentioned she was going to take photos of the estate. She's shocked to learn that Charles has gone missing. There's something very strange occurring at Ravensridge.

Once upon a time, Ravensridge was dubbed "Hangman's Hill" because the mansion was owned by Jason Courtney, a powerful judge who sent many men to the gallows.

Melissa is determined to find the whereabouts of her friend and to do so she must deal with Ravensridge's haunted past. Many young woman have gong missing over the years and she might be its next victim.

Final Thoughts

The '70s Gothic horror novels tend to have the exact same plot. There would be a young female protagonist who somehow finds herself at an isolated mansion that's either haunted or the owned by a crazed killer. Ravensridge (pub. 1971) falls into that cliched scenario.

The novella is told from Melissa's point-of-view and she's the only interesting character in this tale. Right from the first few pages, you get to experience what's going through her mind as she drives to Ravensridge as she's pondering what horror awaits her there. The plot has mystery, murder, mayhem, and a slight supernatural vibe.

Overall, Ravensridge is an enjoyable horror read. It's not perfect by any means but I still enjoyed reading it.

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