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Gothic Historical Romances #1
The Secret of Lighthouse Pointe
From the moment she stepped foot in the ominous and towering Gerard House, Constance Beechum sensed an evil chill that was far more deadly than the frigid blasts that had buffeted her on her way to Castine, Maine. She couldn’t turn back. She had left nothing behind, not even a life-line. Her uncle had found her a job caring for the old and dying Lady Elizabeth Gerard.
Although she hadn’t an ounce of experience in nursing or caring for the ill, Constance had no choice but to accept the offer. She was penniless. Once she meets Lady Gerard’s two sons, Edward and Roger, and Edward’s wife, Catherine, she becomes more certain that there was danger in Gerard House.
The Gerard’s had left no doubt that she was unwelcome. Constance could not know then that she had become a stumbling block to their evil intentions. They had no desire to wait for Lady Gerard to die.
And now Constance, and her discovery of a long hidden secret, presented a new threat. But she had found the woman of her dreams, a true love in the face of evil, and she was determined to fight any obstacle to keep that love.
Although she hadn’t an ounce of experience in nursing or caring for the ill, Constance had no choice but to accept the offer. She was penniless. Once she meets Lady Gerard’s two sons, Edward and Roger, and Edward’s wife, Catherine, she becomes more certain that there was danger in Gerard House.
The Gerard’s had left no doubt that she was unwelcome. Constance could not know then that she had become a stumbling block to their evil intentions. They had no desire to wait for Lady Gerard to die.
And now Constance, and her discovery of a long hidden secret, presented a new threat. But she had found the woman of her dreams, a true love in the face of evil, and she was determined to fight any obstacle to keep that love.
201 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2011
57 people want to read
About the author
Patty G. Henderson
19 books14 followersFrom the author's website: I’m a Tampa, Florida native and still live in beautiful, Palm tree-lined South Tampa. I got hooked on mystery and supernatural literature after I read Edgar Allan Poe in junior high and soon after, discovered H. P. Lovecraft. The dark side still fascinates me and I lament the loss of some of the old style literature of the greats in the genre.
I’m a firm believer in the romantic gothic element in horror and try to flavor all my books with a modern twist of the gothic. My vampire novel, SO DEAD, MY LOVE is a very strong modern day gothic written with all the trappings of the old greats. And if you are a fan of my Brenda Strange supernatural mystery series, then you’ll see a hint of the gothic in those books as well. The first book in the series is THE BURNING OF HER SIN, followed by TANGLED AND DARK and THE MISSING PAGE. The fourth book in the series, XIMORA, was published in 2009 by Black Car Publishing.
And on the opposite end of the spectrum, I also dearly love a good "cozy" mystery. No ghosts or ghoulies, just a good old-fashioned mystery with nary a drop of blood, violence or sex. I have many favorite cozy mystery books and authors I enjoy tremendously, like Juliet Blackwell, Ellery Adams, Lorna Barrett and a host of others!
I've also written a book in a favorite genre of mine.....Gothic Historical Romances. My brand new lesbian Gothic Historical Romance, THE SECRET OF LIGHTHOUSE POINTE, is a total homage to the old, campy paperback Gothics available at drugstores, department stores, grocery stores and every place paperback books were sold in the 1960s and 1970s. In my Gothic books, though, the girl gets the girl!
When I’m not writing or thinking of plot lines in my head, I love spending time with my family, coffee shops, fine wine and enjoying being out in the weekend evenings under the soothing power of the moon. I love thunderstorms with rolling thunder and the quiet beauty of cemetery. There is also lots more room for cats in my home. One can never have enough felines. I’ve had cats since I can remember and fondly recall each one with love for all the joy they brought me. I also create book covers and still enjoy collecting and detailing model cars which is something I began doing since I was child. I have a nice collection of little cars made of “white metal” which are highly collectible. During the year, you might find me at a local car show, snapping pics of my favorite cars of the 40s, 50s and 60s.
I’m a firm believer in the romantic gothic element in horror and try to flavor all my books with a modern twist of the gothic. My vampire novel, SO DEAD, MY LOVE is a very strong modern day gothic written with all the trappings of the old greats. And if you are a fan of my Brenda Strange supernatural mystery series, then you’ll see a hint of the gothic in those books as well. The first book in the series is THE BURNING OF HER SIN, followed by TANGLED AND DARK and THE MISSING PAGE. The fourth book in the series, XIMORA, was published in 2009 by Black Car Publishing.
And on the opposite end of the spectrum, I also dearly love a good "cozy" mystery. No ghosts or ghoulies, just a good old-fashioned mystery with nary a drop of blood, violence or sex. I have many favorite cozy mystery books and authors I enjoy tremendously, like Juliet Blackwell, Ellery Adams, Lorna Barrett and a host of others!
I've also written a book in a favorite genre of mine.....Gothic Historical Romances. My brand new lesbian Gothic Historical Romance, THE SECRET OF LIGHTHOUSE POINTE, is a total homage to the old, campy paperback Gothics available at drugstores, department stores, grocery stores and every place paperback books were sold in the 1960s and 1970s. In my Gothic books, though, the girl gets the girl!
When I’m not writing or thinking of plot lines in my head, I love spending time with my family, coffee shops, fine wine and enjoying being out in the weekend evenings under the soothing power of the moon. I love thunderstorms with rolling thunder and the quiet beauty of cemetery. There is also lots more room for cats in my home. One can never have enough felines. I’ve had cats since I can remember and fondly recall each one with love for all the joy they brought me. I also create book covers and still enjoy collecting and detailing model cars which is something I began doing since I was child. I have a nice collection of little cars made of “white metal” which are highly collectible. During the year, you might find me at a local car show, snapping pics of my favorite cars of the 40s, 50s and 60s.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 11, 2019
Two big problems with this gothic mystery. First of all, there really is no mystery. Henderson puts us into the heads of both the protagonists and the antagonists. This means that we are always two steps ahead of everyone and nothing is mysterious or surprising.
The bigger problem, however, is that Henderson seems to have taken a bunch of gothic and mystery elements and chucked them all at the wall to see what would stick, and it ends up being a mess. We have mysterious dreams, covered-up murders, strange lights, Satanists, inheritance plots, government spies, and probably a few other things that I am forgetting. Henderson really needed to pick just one of these things to base her book around. Mashed together like they are, they all end up seeming really silly and serve no real purpose than to bloat the story.
The bigger problem, however, is that Henderson seems to have taken a bunch of gothic and mystery elements and chucked them all at the wall to see what would stick, and it ends up being a mess. We have mysterious dreams, covered-up murders, strange lights, Satanists, inheritance plots, government spies, and probably a few other things that I am forgetting. Henderson really needed to pick just one of these things to base her book around. Mashed together like they are, they all end up seeming really silly and serve no real purpose than to bloat the story.
January 16, 2012
Nancy Drew for Lesbians
Who doesn’t know Nancy Drew, right? She’s that blond detective so many girls (me, at least) loved to read about when we were kids. My inner little-girl lesbian kept wanting Nancy and George to get together, and from what I gather, I was not the only one.
I am an adult now (though always a kid inside), and I don’t read Nancy Drew any longer. Side note: I do have an ex who still reads Nancy Drew. She gets the books in lots really cheap on eBay. No, that wasn’t why we broke up. Anyway, I digress ;-)
I was happy to read a book the past couple of days that is basically Nancy Drew for lesbian adults. The adults part comes in because of the language (cursing characters) and because of lust and sexual desire. Letting teenagers read this book is probably OK, though.
Thankfully, some of the annoying staples of the Nancy Drew series are gone, such as ending every chapter with an exclamation point! Like this! Annoying! Yes!
Even better, there is a gender-bender character named George. And by George, George gets the girl!
The book is “The Secret of Lighthouse Pointe” by Patty G. Henderson. It’s set in the early 1800s as the U.S. heads into the Revolutionary War. Henderson labels it as a Gothic romantic suspense, so it fits a particular framework. Like with the Nancy Drew books, the bad guys are baddies. Period. They collude a certain way, they use secret passageways, they cackle.
Constance Beechum is the lead character, and she’s sent to care for a dying woman whose family is less than loving. Constance fends off advances from the women’s two sons while trying to solve a mystery. The solution to the mystery is pretty obvious, but the point is the journey. It’s like in a romance book; we know the couple will end up together. But how do they get there? How does Constance fend off these slimy men, does the dying woman live, and does Constance get her love? The journey here is worthwhile.
It seems Henderson used an editor for this book (one is listed, in any case). However, the book could have used another go-over by a different editor. “Gerard’s” is used both as a plural possessive (should be “Gerards’ “) and as a plural (should be “Gerards” with no apostrophes anywhere). Other basic editing errors, such as adverb overuse, are especially apparent in the first quarter or third of the book but go down as the book progresses. (These adverbs may be part of the particular framework for the book, though.) The editing probably won’t bother other people to the extent it did me (I am a professional editor).
The ending leaves room for a sequel, or sequels. This would be awesome. Constance and George have lots of potential for sleuthing together. Who needs Bess, right? :-D
Who doesn’t know Nancy Drew, right? She’s that blond detective so many girls (me, at least) loved to read about when we were kids. My inner little-girl lesbian kept wanting Nancy and George to get together, and from what I gather, I was not the only one.
I am an adult now (though always a kid inside), and I don’t read Nancy Drew any longer. Side note: I do have an ex who still reads Nancy Drew. She gets the books in lots really cheap on eBay. No, that wasn’t why we broke up. Anyway, I digress ;-)
I was happy to read a book the past couple of days that is basically Nancy Drew for lesbian adults. The adults part comes in because of the language (cursing characters) and because of lust and sexual desire. Letting teenagers read this book is probably OK, though.
Thankfully, some of the annoying staples of the Nancy Drew series are gone, such as ending every chapter with an exclamation point! Like this! Annoying! Yes!
Even better, there is a gender-bender character named George. And by George, George gets the girl!
The book is “The Secret of Lighthouse Pointe” by Patty G. Henderson. It’s set in the early 1800s as the U.S. heads into the Revolutionary War. Henderson labels it as a Gothic romantic suspense, so it fits a particular framework. Like with the Nancy Drew books, the bad guys are baddies. Period. They collude a certain way, they use secret passageways, they cackle.
Constance Beechum is the lead character, and she’s sent to care for a dying woman whose family is less than loving. Constance fends off advances from the women’s two sons while trying to solve a mystery. The solution to the mystery is pretty obvious, but the point is the journey. It’s like in a romance book; we know the couple will end up together. But how do they get there? How does Constance fend off these slimy men, does the dying woman live, and does Constance get her love? The journey here is worthwhile.
It seems Henderson used an editor for this book (one is listed, in any case). However, the book could have used another go-over by a different editor. “Gerard’s” is used both as a plural possessive (should be “Gerards’ “) and as a plural (should be “Gerards” with no apostrophes anywhere). Other basic editing errors, such as adverb overuse, are especially apparent in the first quarter or third of the book but go down as the book progresses. (These adverbs may be part of the particular framework for the book, though.) The editing probably won’t bother other people to the extent it did me (I am a professional editor).
The ending leaves room for a sequel, or sequels. This would be awesome. Constance and George have lots of potential for sleuthing together. Who needs Bess, right? :-D
March 15, 2012
I had a cold, the rain was turning into sleet outside and I could no longer resist the temptation to pour myself a glass of Laphroaig and curl up under a blanket with Patty G. Henderson's The Secret of Lighthouse Pointe.
I've always loved gothic elements in novels, but I haven't been tempted by a full-blown gothic romance complete with fainting heroine. So sprinkle in some lesbians and the promise of a heroine with a bit of backbone, I was looking forward to indulging in one.
I loved the setting - a good gothic decaying mansion by the sea with snow constantly swirling around. I found the heroine captivating, only fainting once and that only as a ruse, and the love interest was also most pleasantly revealed. The other characters are suitably threatening and the story unfolds at a great pace.
It is written with a sure hand, so that you can relax and enjoy the deliberate style and melodrama, and become immersed in the atmosphere of the novel. There are some great lines ("It is imperative that no semblance of feminine mounds appear at my chest") and some heaving bosoms in there too.
Some of the story is apparent early on, but I don't think it mattered. It didn't detract from my enjoyment. The heroine may need to be naive in a gothic romance but I don't think the reader need be.
Whether or not nursing a cold, and whatever the weather, I can thoroughly recommend curling up with Patty G. Henderson. A wonderful indulgence.
I've always loved gothic elements in novels, but I haven't been tempted by a full-blown gothic romance complete with fainting heroine. So sprinkle in some lesbians and the promise of a heroine with a bit of backbone, I was looking forward to indulging in one.
I loved the setting - a good gothic decaying mansion by the sea with snow constantly swirling around. I found the heroine captivating, only fainting once and that only as a ruse, and the love interest was also most pleasantly revealed. The other characters are suitably threatening and the story unfolds at a great pace.
It is written with a sure hand, so that you can relax and enjoy the deliberate style and melodrama, and become immersed in the atmosphere of the novel. There are some great lines ("It is imperative that no semblance of feminine mounds appear at my chest") and some heaving bosoms in there too.
Some of the story is apparent early on, but I don't think it mattered. It didn't detract from my enjoyment. The heroine may need to be naive in a gothic romance but I don't think the reader need be.
Whether or not nursing a cold, and whatever the weather, I can thoroughly recommend curling up with Patty G. Henderson. A wonderful indulgence.
January 16, 2012
Nancy Drew for Lesbians
Who doesn’t know Nancy Drew, right? She’s that blond detective so many girls (me, at least) loved to read about when we were kids. My inner little-girl lesbian kept wanting Nancy and George to get together, and from what I gather, I was not the only one.
I am an adult now (though always a kid inside), and I don’t read Nancy Drew any longer. Side note: I do have an ex who still reads Nancy Drew. She gets the books in lots really cheap on eBay. No, that wasn’t why we broke up. Anyway, I digress ;-)
I was happy to read a book the past couple of days that is basically Nancy Drew for lesbian adults. The adults part comes in because of the language (cursing characters) and because of lust and sexual desire. Letting teenagers read this book is probably OK, though.
Thankfully, some of the annoying staples of the Nancy Drew series are gone, such as ending every chapter with an exclamation point! Like this! Annoying! Yes!
Even better, there is a gender-bender character named George. And by George, George gets the girl!
The book is “The Secret of Lighthouse Pointe” by Patty G. Henderson. It’s set in the early 1800s as the U.S. heads into the Revolutionary War. Henderson labels it as a Gothic romantic suspense, so it fits a particular framework. Like with the Nancy Drew books, the bad guys are baddies. Period. They collude a certain way, they use secret passageways, they cackle.
Constance Beechum is the lead character, and she’s sent to care for a dying woman whose family is less than loving. Constance fends off advances from the women’s two sons while trying to solve a mystery. The solution to the mystery is pretty obvious, but the point is the journey. It’s like in a romance book; we know the couple will end up together. But how do they get there? How does Constance fend off these slimy men, does the dying woman live, and does Constance get her love? The journey here is worthwhile.
It seems Henderson used an editor for this book (one is listed, in any case). However, the book could have used another go-over by a different editor. “Gerard’s” is used both as a plural possessive (should be “Gerards’ “) and as a plural (should be “Gerards” with no apostrophes anywhere). Other basic editing errors, such as adverb overuse, are especially apparent in the first quarter or third of the book but go down as the book progresses. (These adverbs may be part of the particular framework for the book, though.) The editing probably won’t bother other people to the extent it did me (I am a professional editor).
The ending leaves room for a sequel, or sequels. This would be awesome. Constance and George have lots of potential for sleuthing together. Who needs Bess, right? :-D
Who doesn’t know Nancy Drew, right? She’s that blond detective so many girls (me, at least) loved to read about when we were kids. My inner little-girl lesbian kept wanting Nancy and George to get together, and from what I gather, I was not the only one.
I am an adult now (though always a kid inside), and I don’t read Nancy Drew any longer. Side note: I do have an ex who still reads Nancy Drew. She gets the books in lots really cheap on eBay. No, that wasn’t why we broke up. Anyway, I digress ;-)
I was happy to read a book the past couple of days that is basically Nancy Drew for lesbian adults. The adults part comes in because of the language (cursing characters) and because of lust and sexual desire. Letting teenagers read this book is probably OK, though.
Thankfully, some of the annoying staples of the Nancy Drew series are gone, such as ending every chapter with an exclamation point! Like this! Annoying! Yes!
Even better, there is a gender-bender character named George. And by George, George gets the girl!
The book is “The Secret of Lighthouse Pointe” by Patty G. Henderson. It’s set in the early 1800s as the U.S. heads into the Revolutionary War. Henderson labels it as a Gothic romantic suspense, so it fits a particular framework. Like with the Nancy Drew books, the bad guys are baddies. Period. They collude a certain way, they use secret passageways, they cackle.
Constance Beechum is the lead character, and she’s sent to care for a dying woman whose family is less than loving. Constance fends off advances from the women’s two sons while trying to solve a mystery. The solution to the mystery is pretty obvious, but the point is the journey. It’s like in a romance book; we know the couple will end up together. But how do they get there? How does Constance fend off these slimy men, does the dying woman live, and does Constance get her love? The journey here is worthwhile.
It seems Henderson used an editor for this book (one is listed, in any case). However, the book could have used another go-over by a different editor. “Gerard’s” is used both as a plural possessive (should be “Gerards’ “) and as a plural (should be “Gerards” with no apostrophes anywhere). Other basic editing errors, such as adverb overuse, are especially apparent in the first quarter or third of the book but go down as the book progresses. (These adverbs may be part of the particular framework for the book, though.) The editing probably won’t bother other people to the extent it did me (I am a professional editor).
The ending leaves room for a sequel, or sequels. This would be awesome. Constance and George have lots of potential for sleuthing together. Who needs Bess, right? :-D
July 14, 2011
Since other reviewers have captured the essence of the story line in The Secret of Lighthouse Pointe by Patty G. Henderson, I'd like to talk about the writing. Henderson is a seasoned pro when it comes to her multi-dimensional character development, and each of the characters were perfectly who one would expect (and hope) them to be. In perfect Gothic Romance tradition, we begin with a beleaguered heroine of reduced circumstances and transport her to a large and foreboding estate that might offer opportunity, but not so as one would recognize it as such. But what I really liked about this book was how Henderson combined the classic elements of the Gothic texture (the estate, the sinister family members, even the wintry weather, etc) with the attributes of modernity that will keep today's reader turning pages. In this regard, Henderson gives us today's sensibilities with yesterday's social structures and then throws in a deliciously devious gender-bender exchange that amps up the tension and payoff in a way nothing else can. If what Henderson does with G. Gerard doesn't give you a smile and causes you to offer the author a hat tip, you're probably dead.
The suspense and surprise of the pace and movement of this story was so convincingly structured that the book kept me up late. No way to go to sleep when finding out what happens next becomes THAT important! As a reader, I was enthralled; as a writer, I appreciated the subtle colorations of mood, the economy and precision of dialog and the hauntingly sensitive interactions between our heroine and the woman she is charged to nurse as that woman faces an inevitability against a backdrop of personal disappointment. If the relationship between Constance and Lady Elizabeth is a tour de force of mesmerizing believability, the relationship between Constance and G. Gerard is the perfect romantic counterpoint to the mysterious and sinister activities taking place in and around the Gerard estate. Indeed, there's a heat level in this book that is at once understated and yet...not, in a good way!
Ok so Henderson can write and write damn well! What's next? Tell me we're going to see more of Miss Constance and her Beloved finding bodies in the basement or stowaways in the barn or...whatever. I'm in!
The suspense and surprise of the pace and movement of this story was so convincingly structured that the book kept me up late. No way to go to sleep when finding out what happens next becomes THAT important! As a reader, I was enthralled; as a writer, I appreciated the subtle colorations of mood, the economy and precision of dialog and the hauntingly sensitive interactions between our heroine and the woman she is charged to nurse as that woman faces an inevitability against a backdrop of personal disappointment. If the relationship between Constance and Lady Elizabeth is a tour de force of mesmerizing believability, the relationship between Constance and G. Gerard is the perfect romantic counterpoint to the mysterious and sinister activities taking place in and around the Gerard estate. Indeed, there's a heat level in this book that is at once understated and yet...not, in a good way!
Ok so Henderson can write and write damn well! What's next? Tell me we're going to see more of Miss Constance and her Beloved finding bodies in the basement or stowaways in the barn or...whatever. I'm in!
February 17, 2015
The secret of lighthouse point is very intriguing historical story. I was totally transferred to 19th century and was hooked from the first pages. I loved the well written plot and the characters. I will certainly read more of Ms. Henderson’s historical novels.
February 23, 2013
I loved the gothic romance! You won't go wrong with this one!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews