The Quilty Reader

Linda Hilton recommended this as a good Barbara Michaels for me to start with - I know I have read her before, but it has been so many years that I can't remember which books I've read. I'm mildly obsessed with gothic romance in the vein of Victoria Holt/Mary Stewart, and I noticed that Barbara Michael's backlist has been published on kindle, so I thought it would be fun to read a few!

Notice the cover on this one - if only the bingo game had already begun, this would qualify as a ghost story, for the grave/graveyard square, supernatural, and scary women (authors)! Too bad . . . 

Anyway, long story short, this one was originally published in 1985. It is contemporary, which is different since I am more accustomed to this style of book being written as historical fiction. It is set on a decaying southern plantation, and the main character, Julie, is a medical student has has returned home to Maidenwood, to care for her dying grandmother, Martha.

Martha might be the scariest effing part of this entire book. She was no cheerful, cookie-baking, bustling grandma. She's basically Miss Havisham, if Miss Havishman was a nasty, vicious, malice-filled, bed-ridden child-abuser. And there is danger afoot at Maidenwood, of the supernatural as well as human type.

It was good. The entire book oozes malevolence, and the ending is frankly scary. 

Great suggestion, Linda! Now, to go browse on amazon for a few more to while away these late summer days until the Ammie, Come Home buddy read begins!