Carolyn Hart's The Devereaux Legacy, published in 1986, is very much in the vein of stories by Mary Stewart or Elizabeth Peters. It is a story of romantic suspense, but comparing the authors, I would call this story: romantic suspense-'lite'. It's a slender novel, a quick and entertaining read, but it is also a little thin story-wise. It has a beautiful and atmospheric setting, but there is not much in the way of history or description other than the house where the action takes place and not a whole lot of depth to the characters or the development of their romance.
Elizabeth Peters is known for her detailed research with a heavy dose of history, and Mary Stewart's exotic locales whisk the reader away to foreign and inviting lands with a rich characterization and tension between characters. Both authors have pacy, quick-moving and suspenseful plotting. There is a bit of all that in the Hart story as well, but I think the reason for its 'being' is less the unraveling of a mystery or edge-of-your-seat nail-biting action, rather, this is a story that is mostly about the romance between characters and any ghosts or danger is incidental--a way simply to bring the hero and heroine together.
A number of Carolyn Hart's novels have been reissued as "Carolyn Hart Classics" and this one has a brief but interesting introduction by the author. During the late 70s Hart wrote seven novels that were all turned down by publishers. When it came to mysteries from this period readers (or maybe publishers who brought out all the books at the time) wanted either hard-boiled detective novels or traditional cozies written by English ladies a la Agatha Christie. Hart's mysteries were simply not selling. At least not in the guise in which she was writing them. So, she began tailoring her stories to the reading public, and the reading public wanted romance. Romance sold.
"I took an idea for a mystery, added what I hoped would be an appealing romance, a ghost who may presage evil, and a beautiful old South Carolina plantation."
The result was the story I just read, which was originally sold to Harlequin as a gothic romance. I like the rejacketed editions. I guess tastes have changed once again--no heroine on the cover swooning over a hunky hero. This has a much more appealing cover which only hints at a family drama perhaps, or a story with some mystery to unravel. Actually in thinking of the story and how I would describe it here, what comes to mind is a Lifetime movie. You know the sort--heroine gets involved in shady business, or is being harassed or stalked but is in the sort of iffy circumstances that require a little help from a friend, usually of the male persuasion. Love at first sight, romance and happiness on the horizon if only she can get herself out of a dangerous situation.
That's pretty much what happens in The Devereaux Legacy. From the very start, when Leah meets her cousins for the first time, particularly Merrick, you know she is smitten and romance is on her mind. It is as much a tale of suspense for the ghost, and the omen of death as for the blossoming romance between Leah and Merrick. There is some tension, both romantic and dramatic. Leah is the true blood relative of the Devereaux's--the cousins were siblings adopted into the family. They may still be Devereauxs but blood is blood it would seem.
Leah's parents died when she was only a baby, and she was raised by her grandmother. Something happened on that fateful night in South Carolina--something bad that resulted in her being whisked off and all ties severed. She and her grandmother lived in Texas where she fully plans to return, but she has to find answers--she had discovered that the plantation in South Carolina was the last place her parents were known to have been. Why was she never told the truth. The article she finds by chance tells of the Devereaux family, their elegant home, and the ghost that haunts the property. When the Whispering Woman is seen, she foretells the death of a family member.
There is a locked tower that everyone says is closed due to age and instability that just screams come and explore me. Strange accidents begin to occur that the family tries to explain away and then the death of a family caretaker all create a build up to the uncovering of the mystery. There is love at first sight and then misunderstandings and misgivings about the true intentions of both lovers. Will they get together or is one behind the mysterious occurrences and the appearance of the ghost?
Being a romance, you know pretty much how things are going to turn out, but it is still fun getting there. The Devereaux Legacy is a nice, quick, entertaining read, but decidedly lighter fare--a nice way to while away an afternoon anyway. It is the first of my RIP reads and I have now moved on to John Wyndham's wonderful novel Chocky--not scary especially--but much edgier and not a romance. Maybe if I can squeeze in one more read I will ratchet up the tension just a little bit more? Have you been reading along with RIP? And if so, anything good?