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Dark Shadows #32
Barnabas, Quentin and the Vampire Beauty
Barnabas, Quentin and the Vampire Beauty is the last book in the series about Collinwood and the fate of Barnabas Collins.
160 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1972
167 people want to read
About the author
Marilyn Ross
126 books61 followersWilliam 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).
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 30, 2025
Well I finally finished the entire series. It's a shame too because the last few novels were really good. This one had Barnabas and Quentin in pretty cool heroic roles, and even though a girl once again fell in love with Barnabas, the story was good enough it didn't annoy me as much as usual.
This was a really good series overall, and I would recommend any fans of Dark Shadows to track these novels down.
This was a really good series overall, and I would recommend any fans of Dark Shadows to track these novels down.
December 22, 2023
This is the last book of Dan Ross in the DS series, which had started in December 1966, barely six months after the series premiered. The book marked the last breath of Dan Curtis' original creation, hitting the bookstores in March 1972, nearly a year after the series ended it original run. The book does not disappoint.
It may be one of the most unique in the 32 volume series, as our heroine Adele Marriott eventually teams up with Barnabas and Quentin, and Quentin gets a lot more time and depth than usual. It reminds the reader of a similar partnership in the series with Barnabas, Julia and Professor Stokes. Adele is no shrinking violet. She uses her smarts in a laser-focused mission of self-preservation.
I was glad to see that the setting was present day Collinwood, with Elizabeth in charge and Roger doing the day-to-day running of the fish packing plant in Collinsport. Although they don't make an appearance, both Carolyn and David are mentioned, so we can at least say a good-bye to the characters of Collinwood at mid-century.
Julia Hoffman and Elliot Stokes do make an appearance, but again Stokes appears as a doctor working with Julia, but at least he's not bumbling like he was in an earlier novel.
This volume is fast paced and really TIGHT! After bit of a malaise in the middle of the (novel) series, Ross's last 5-6 books really shine. It's a shame the series ended, both on TV and in print. It would have been a wonder to see where it would have gone, but Ross goes out with a BANG with this book that was released almost 52 years ago!
It may be one of the most unique in the 32 volume series, as our heroine Adele Marriott eventually teams up with Barnabas and Quentin, and Quentin gets a lot more time and depth than usual. It reminds the reader of a similar partnership in the series with Barnabas, Julia and Professor Stokes. Adele is no shrinking violet. She uses her smarts in a laser-focused mission of self-preservation.
I was glad to see that the setting was present day Collinwood, with Elizabeth in charge and Roger doing the day-to-day running of the fish packing plant in Collinsport. Although they don't make an appearance, both Carolyn and David are mentioned, so we can at least say a good-bye to the characters of Collinwood at mid-century.
Julia Hoffman and Elliot Stokes do make an appearance, but again Stokes appears as a doctor working with Julia, but at least he's not bumbling like he was in an earlier novel.
This volume is fast paced and really TIGHT! After bit of a malaise in the middle of the (novel) series, Ross's last 5-6 books really shine. It's a shame the series ended, both on TV and in print. It would have been a wonder to see where it would have gone, but Ross goes out with a BANG with this book that was released almost 52 years ago!
February 25, 2022
How much would you pay to be thin? "Marilyn" Ross gives his misogynistic take on the topic in this, the 32nd and last volume in the Dark Shadows series. The series had already been off for more than a year by the time this book was released, but the books were still apparently selling well enough to justify the release (not THAT well, though--the last 3 books are hard to find at a reasonable price). At any rate, this one is one of the better entries in the series. Barnabas doesn't show up until chapter 5 (out of 12), and Quentin finally makes his appearance in chapter 8. The running gag that Ross uses is that Quentin is a master of disguises, and this time, he's disguised himself by shaving his head and using a truck-load of Man-Tan, which gives Ross the opportunity to describe Quentin as "swarthy" at every opportunity. While we're on the topic of word choice, let's discuss Ross's habit of NEVER simply saying "Barnabas said", instead it's "said the handsome Britisher" or "said the morbidly obese woman". If you're sensitive to comments about weight, best to skip this one, because Ross never misses an opportunity to mention how disgusting the overweight characters look. One more thing as I write my final review for a "Marilyn" Ross book--because I surely won't explore his catalog outside the Dark Shadows realm--it has driven me nuts for 34 books now that Ross constantly uses pronouns without making it abundantly clear to whom he's referring. OK, now that I have that off my chest, I feel better. This one is great for Dark Shadows fans, and it's not half bad for everyone else.
January 17, 2012
BARNABAS, QUENTIN AND THE VAMPIRE BEAUTY is the last title (#32) in the Dark Shadows series. It's also one of the best. Dan ("Marilyn") Ross treats us to a plethera of supernatural thrills and chills, all crammed into one book. Even our heroine, Adele Marriot, is a vampire! Poor girl, she was tricked into undergoing surgery that made her this way. It was a corrupt doctor, Stefan Spivak, who did this to Adele, transferring the affliction from a wealthy vampire patient to herself. A dirty trick indeed! And she now seeks sanctuary with Barnabas and Quentin, who gladly invite her to live at the Old House. Both men adore Adele, and she has reciprocal feelings for them. But then, Adele has more to worry about than mere mundane romance. She must find enough blood every night to survive and yet somehow hide her dread secret from the world...
In an amusing sidebar, Roger Collins falls for her too. He has no idea she's one of the living dead.
In due course the corrupt Dr. Spivak arrives in Maine to set up a clinic, which Elizabeth and Roger unknowingly support. Spivak, of course, brings with him a whole group of well-heeled vampires, all just waiting in line to be cured. Barnabas, Quentin and Adele join forces to battle this multiple menace. Despite all their sufferings a nice friendship and camaderie develops between the three of them. And in the end, many monsters will bite the dust...but not the trio of monsters we're rooting for!
In an amusing sidebar, Roger Collins falls for her too. He has no idea she's one of the living dead.
In due course the corrupt Dr. Spivak arrives in Maine to set up a clinic, which Elizabeth and Roger unknowingly support. Spivak, of course, brings with him a whole group of well-heeled vampires, all just waiting in line to be cured. Barnabas, Quentin and Adele join forces to battle this multiple menace. Despite all their sufferings a nice friendship and camaderie develops between the three of them. And in the end, many monsters will bite the dust...but not the trio of monsters we're rooting for!
January 17, 2016
Adele is a model who wants to be able to stay slim no matter what she eats. She finds a doctor who claims he can perform an operation that will accomplish just that
His facilities resemble a cross between an insane asylum from many years ago with a dungeon. It turns out, of course, that he is a mad scientist who changes some people into vampires so some other people who were vampires can be human again, at least for a while
She manages to escape to meet Barnabas and, an an unfortunately high number of the books, she becomes yet another woman who falls in love with him. The evil doctor and his cohorts are after her, though, as they want her for another operation. Both Barnabas and Quentin work together to protect Adele and to end the threat from the mad crew of doctor and friends
It's a good story, although it looks like it's a theme that is modified slightly and repeated to many times in the paperback series.
His facilities resemble a cross between an insane asylum from many years ago with a dungeon. It turns out, of course, that he is a mad scientist who changes some people into vampires so some other people who were vampires can be human again, at least for a while
She manages to escape to meet Barnabas and, an an unfortunately high number of the books, she becomes yet another woman who falls in love with him. The evil doctor and his cohorts are after her, though, as they want her for another operation. Both Barnabas and Quentin work together to protect Adele and to end the threat from the mad crew of doctor and friends
It's a good story, although it looks like it's a theme that is modified slightly and repeated to many times in the paperback series.
October 7, 2023
"I'm like a drug addict. I'm willing to do anything! I'd commit any crime to get blood!"
Dr. Stefan Spivak has developed a weird surgical procedure to cure someone of vampirism; but it requires some tissue of the pituitary gland of an "opposite", or donor. Unfortunately there are dire side effects for the donor! Fun peripatetic romp with Barnabas, Quentin, and beautiful model Adele Marriot forming a strong alliance. Quentin shines brighter here than in most previous appearances in the series. Also includes appearances by Elizabeth, Roger, Dr. Julia Hoffman, and Professor Stokes.
Dr. Stefan Spivak has developed a weird surgical procedure to cure someone of vampirism; but it requires some tissue of the pituitary gland of an "opposite", or donor. Unfortunately there are dire side effects for the donor! Fun peripatetic romp with Barnabas, Quentin, and beautiful model Adele Marriot forming a strong alliance. Quentin shines brighter here than in most previous appearances in the series. Also includes appearances by Elizabeth, Roger, Dr. Julia Hoffman, and Professor Stokes.
January 4, 2021
Final installment in the series. I have quite enjoyed listening to the entire series this past year and my hats off to Kathryn Leigh Scott for pounding these out so quickly!! Am going to miss them until such a time as I give them a re-listen. You can't go wrong with these if you are a DS fan, they're the BOMB!!!
September 30, 2023
This is the final volume in the original series of Dark Shadows novels written by Marilyn (W. E. D.) Ross. As I generally take pains to mention here, these are guilty pleasure reads for an adult, but they were quite compelling when I was a teen. Overall, it seems to me that Ross was starting, at this point, to branch out from his usually formulaic approach to short novel writing. Yes, the female lead (Adele Marriot) falls in love with Barnabas Collins. And yes, there’s a creepy villain who’s plotting some unspoken evil, but there seems to be a little more something going on this time around.
Adele Marriot visits a clinic in Switzerland for weight control surgery. Instead she’s made into a vampire (the beauty of the title). Distraught, she seeks out Barnabas Collins whose name was given to her by a corrupt but not completely lost nurse. She doesn’t realize Barnabas is a vampire until later on, but Barnabas takes her to Dr. Julia for treatment and Quentin shows up in a rather ridiculous disguise, but is fully good by this point. He actually saves the day this time.
The evil clinician moves to Collinsport to set up shop there, and, of course, Adele falls into their trap. Barnabas is uncharacteristically captured and about to be destroyed when, well, Quentin arrives. All of this is pretty much what you expect for a Dark Shadows novel, and it is a perfectly serviceable end to the series. I wrote more about that final point in my blog post on the book: Sects and Violence in the Ancient World.
Adele Marriot visits a clinic in Switzerland for weight control surgery. Instead she’s made into a vampire (the beauty of the title). Distraught, she seeks out Barnabas Collins whose name was given to her by a corrupt but not completely lost nurse. She doesn’t realize Barnabas is a vampire until later on, but Barnabas takes her to Dr. Julia for treatment and Quentin shows up in a rather ridiculous disguise, but is fully good by this point. He actually saves the day this time.
The evil clinician moves to Collinsport to set up shop there, and, of course, Adele falls into their trap. Barnabas is uncharacteristically captured and about to be destroyed when, well, Quentin arrives. All of this is pretty much what you expect for a Dark Shadows novel, and it is a perfectly serviceable end to the series. I wrote more about that final point in my blog post on the book: Sects and Violence in the Ancient World.
March 15, 2022
I've been reading this series in order, and I'm currently at #20.
So in reading this one, I've jumped ahead to the last book in the series.
It was nice to see Willie, Julia Hoffman and Professor Stokes!!!
A pretty good book.
Barnabas doesn't appear for 50 pages, and Quentin for about 90.
We see Barnabas drive!
And we also see how being a vampire affects him, in a scene that was new and refreshing for me.
Elizabeth and Roger also pop up as well.
A good entry in the series.
So in reading this one, I've jumped ahead to the last book in the series.
It was nice to see Willie, Julia Hoffman and Professor Stokes!!!
A pretty good book.
Barnabas doesn't appear for 50 pages, and Quentin for about 90.
We see Barnabas drive!
And we also see how being a vampire affects him, in a scene that was new and refreshing for me.
Elizabeth and Roger also pop up as well.
A good entry in the series.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews