Barnabas Collins and the Gypsy Witch

Dark Shadows #15

by Marilyn Ross, W.E.D. Ross (AKA)

Warned by a gypsy witch that violent death will surround her, Roxanna Collins turns to her distant cousin, Barnabas, for help.

But Barnabas is also in trouble. For when Roxanna's father and brother are murdered, suspicion centers on Barnabas. Even Roxanna, who feels she is under some strange spell, soon begins to doubt the man she has come to love.

To save his life, Barnabas must prove to the police -- and to Roxanna -- that he is innocent. And he must find the key to the madness and mystery surrounding Collinwood before Roxanna becomes the next victim in a nightmare of evil.

Genres: Horror, Gothic, Audiobook, Tv, Fiction, Vampires, Mystery

144 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1970

About the author

William Edward Daniel Ross, W. E. Daniel "Dan" Ross (born 1912) is a bestselling Canadian novelist from Saint John, New Brunswick who wrote over 300 books in a variety of genres and under a variety of mostly female pseudonyms such as Laura Frances Brooks, Lydia Colby, Rose Dana, Jan Daniels, Olin Ross, Diane Randall, Clarissa Ross, Leslie Ames, Ruth Dorset, Ann Gilmer, Jane Rossiter, Dan Ross, Dana Ross, Marilyn Ross, Dan Roberts, and W.E.D. Ross. As Marilyn Ross he wrote popular Gothic fiction including a series of novels about the vampire Barnabas Collins based on the American TV series Dark Shadows (1966-71).

Reviews

[WhatShouldIRead · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was really just an OK one but I bumped up the rating one star because I really enjoyed the ending. In this outing the story does not take place immediately at Collinwood, rather in New York. Barnabas actually does a night on the town - theatre and dinner - but of course not eating.

What I really enjoyed about this was the fact that the restaurant that he went to really existed. It was Rector's. At least this time around the author took time to reference something that was real.

However, the thing about this book that really struck me was that upon opening the cover, I discovered one of my friend's name penciled in. I have been buying this collection on ebay for awhile now and thought this was one I got. I was pretty surprised to see that I borrow it from a friend - back in 1970!

So, bottom line, don't lend me books to read!!

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are starting to run together a little due to the similar plots, but it was still an interesting read. Starting with the next volume, Quentin will be in each novel along with Barnabas, so maybe that will give the series a boost. This is the usual woman falling in love with Barnabas, and then there's a big mystery to be solved. These all fall under the Gothic Romance/Mystery genre, which isn't bad, but I would like to see a little difference in the plots.

[James Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a different approach in this book in the series. It starts and ends with Maggie talking to Elizabeth about something that happened in the past of Collinwood.

In the past there was a woman, Roxanne Collins, who was sent to New York on advice of the family attorney. This proved to be a disaster as she encountered some very nasty people there and was even kidnapped.

She's able to escape and makes her way to Collinwood, meeting Barnabas along the way. As happens in some many of this series the leading lady ends up falling in love with him.

This is a time when Hare is Barnabas' servant. He also knows a woman in New York, Molly, who also has strong feelings for him.

At Collinwood shemeets a half-sister, Ariel. A guy named Reid is in love with her but his feelings aren't reciprocated at the time. There's a group of gypsy wagons and people nearby and she's told about death in Collinwood and, sure enough, there's death. Barnabas (again) is suspected by the townspeople of being the murderer (especially since some young women have been attacked with marks left on their throats). It turns out things go much deeper than she suspected and it's a question of whether or not she will be next on the killer's list.

There's something that occurred to me while reading this book. It relates to the other books and to the television series, too. Barnabas' excuse for not being out in the daytime is that he's working on a history of the family (and maybe other things) so he's involved in that during the day.

Yet he never makes a trip to the Collinsport library (I'm assuming they have one), he never goes shopping at a used book store (again, I'm assuming they have one) and he never seems to order any books through the mail. If he did some of that the word would get out and the townspeople who at least somewhat believe he was actually working during the day.

One other thing and an excuse for his never being seen during the day. There is an actual disease called Xeroderma pigmentosum which means some people can't go out into the daylight without really major protection. So that could be used as an excuse by saying Barnabas suffers from that. Now, I'll admit, I don't know if the disease was actually known about ni the 1960's but if it were it'd make a perfect excuse for him to say inside and avoid all sunlight (apparently even some lightbulbs are a danger to people with this problem.)

Anyhow, I enjoyed the book quite a bit.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must admit to liking this book, formulaic though it is. It follows the usual pattern: endangered heroine falls for Barnabas, is rescued by him, then loses him because of the curse. Here the heroine is Roxanna Collins who lives in a red-brick house near---but not AT---Collinwood in the 1890's. Presumably Roxanna represents another, more remote branch of the family. Yet the current master of the great house is identified as an elderly man named Theodore Collins. So is Theodore meant to be the father of Quentin and Conrad? Maybe so. In the previous book (set in 1895) we're told that Quentin's father died very suddenly and unexpectedly in the not-too-distant past. That would suggest that BARNABAS COLLINS AND THE GYPSY WITCH takes place just PRIOR to 1895, at a time when the werewolf's Dad is still alive. It's also possible, though, that author Dan ("Marilyn") Ross simply forgot what he'd written previously and wasn't bothering with the details of a consistent timeline. Who can say?

At any rate, Roxanna lives in the red brick house---not at Collinwood---with her father, brother and sister. She falls in love with Barnabas Collins who predictably saves her life. And then suspicion centers on Barnabas when, one by one, members of Roxanna's immediate family are murdered! It isn't hard to guess that gypsies may be involved, considering the book's title. And it's fun watching this Victorian whodunit play out to its dramatic conclusion. Poor Roxanna is seen more than once, sitting somberly by the coffins of deceased loved ones! Hapless girl. And though she loses Barnabas in the last chapter, luckily there's another nice young man waiting for her in the wings...

[Steve Wiggins · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the books in this series are predictable, overwritten, and pulpy, they are also unfailing Gothic and a guilty pleasure for fall reading. I remember the television series from my childhood, so these books tend to mean more than they might based on their literary merits alone.

This one is set in the past universe of Dark Shadows, an 1800's visit of Barnabas Collins to New York. He decides to accompany his distant cousin Roxanna to Collinwood and the two, as expected, fall in love. As in most books in the series there are a set of mysterious murders to resolve, all of which point to Barnabas. I won't spoil this one by saying who the guilty party is, but if you've read many books in the series you'll probably guess it pretty early. Still, an appropriate little offering for the lengthening nights of autumn.

[Richard Tolleson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is one of the better entries in the series so far (I'm reading them in order). Maggie Evans and Carolyn Stoddard are helping Elizabeth Collins Stoddard clean out a long-unused room at Collinwood. The girls find a piece of jewelry that prompts Elizabeth to tell a story of Collinwood in the late 1800's. As usual, there's a young girl who is smitten with Barnabas. Even when she learns he's a vampire, she refuses to break up with him. Meanwhile, there's a series of murders, and of course, everyone blames the vampire. By the time this book was published, Scooby Doo was already a thing, and it appears the ending came from there. It's still good fun. You don't have to be a fan of the series to enjoy this, but nearly 50 years after this book was published, why on earth would you own this book if you weren't a fan?

[Mark Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not nearly as good as the last several. Only one laugh out loud moment. More plot than usual but no supernatural menace. Kept wondering when the Gypsy Witch would show up. (Not until half way through.)

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good entry in the series.
Maggie, Carolyn and Elizabeth make cameos before the story moves to the past....
Roxanna Collins is in New York and in danger. She is saved by her distant cousin Barnabas Collins, who accompanies her back to Collinwood.
Though distant cousins, she soon falls in love with him....despite his odd habits of never appearing in the day, and his kisses leaving bite marks on her neck.
This story follows the same pattern as most of the ones featuring Barnabas. But this one stays fresh and interesting.
The mystery (who is killing members of her family and why) is well done....and the suspicion cast on Barnabas is done in such a way that we have to wonder.....
The mood is fantastic here. We feel the rain, see the fog....
Great fun.

[B.J. Burgess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the whole drinking blood thing is gross, a part of me envies the fictitious character Barnabas Collins, an immortal who can make any young, attractive lady fall passionately in love with him. In this novel, he has two ladies in love with him: Roxanna and a New Yorker named Molly. Molly is deeply in love with Barnabas, but he doesn't want to pursue a relationship with her any further, especially since Roxanna has suddenly entered the scene.

The Dark Shadows books seemed a little repetitious, and while somewhat campy and formulaic, I ended up liking Barnabas Collins and the Gypsy Witch.╌★★★★✰

[Dominique Lamssies · Rating 3 out of 5]

My best advice is to approach this book as a parallel time line story because the entire plot of this book is based on throwing out 90% of continuity from the series.

Besides that, it's a pretty basic romance novel that isn't terribly well written. You have to get half way through the novel before you actually get to the eponymous gypsy witch. It's after that that we get to the murders that are supposed to be the plot of the novel.

I would really only recommend this for DS completists. Everyone else should just stick to the show.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark Shadows and the Gypsy Witch

I liked the book very much. I look forward to the next book. I love Kathryn Leigh Scott. She tells the story and makes you feel like you are there.

[William A George · Rating 4 out of 5]

nice pleasant story

Barnabas, accused of murdering two people, has help in a young girl who knows his secret. Together they solve the crime. This one is better than most of these books.

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dan Ross really worked this formula for writing these stories!!!

[Alan Ellias · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook delightfully read by Kathryn Leigh Scott!

[Larry Yonce · Rating 3 out of 5]

the discovery of a cameo leads into a flashback to 1895 Collinwood

Entertaining gothic mystery set in 1895 with an heroic Barnabas Collins saving the day. Plenty of people around with both motive and opportunity for the murders. Some of the final revelations caught me completely by surprise! Lots of fun.

[Dale Rosso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story.