I skipped The Mystery of Collinswood, the fourth novel in the Dark Shadows series because it's not available on Kindle. Instead, I'm reviewing the fifth installment - The Curse of Collinwood.
Despite Barnabas Collins appearing on the cover, the cursed vampire doesn't make an appearance. The character's name is never even mentioned.
Once again, the governess Victoria Winters is the protagonist. After receiving word of Ernest Collin's death, Victoria fears "phantoms" are stalking her. It seems everything supernatural is attracted to Miss Winters, and this time it's zombies. Yes, you read that correct - zombies!
The "phantoms" or zombies are Derek and Esther Collins, who died nearly a century ago. They escaped their coffins via the moonlight and are now walking around as the living dead throughout Collinwood.
Fun Fact - The first printing was in May 1968, four months before the release of George Romero's Night of the Living Dead, which kicked off the original zombie craze.
Final Thoughts
If you lived in a mansion that attracts murders, thieves, con artists, ghosts, and zombies, wouldn't you pack your bags and move far away? I can't answer the question for you - but my answer is "Yes!" Sadly, Victoria Winters's answer would be the opposite because she believes the answer to her parentage lies within Collinwood. Unfortunately, Victoria will mysteriously disappear from the Dark Shadows lit-verse after a few more books, and we never learn of her parents' identities. The Curse of Collinwood is the last Victoria Winters solo outing, as the next book would mark the first Dark Shadows lit-verse appearance of Barnabas Collins.
The Curse of Collinwood is a creepy and campy story involving zombies. In a way, it's a departure from the previous books, but in another way, it's more gothic. The more Daniel Ross (writing under the pen name Marilyn Ross) furthered from the soap opera storylines, the better his writing became, especially with the gothic descriptions and frightening atmospheres. It's a fast-paced, fun-filled spine-chilling read.
Oh Collins isn't in this. I forget he wasn't around at first, right? That's a shame we never get an answer to the Victoria mystery. These reviews, though- man, you're making me want to read these!
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