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Night of the Candles
Book by Blake, Jennifer
188 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1978
About the author
Patricia Maxwell
22 books6 followersSee also: Jennifer Blake
Patricia Ann Maxwell was born on March 9, 1942 in a one hundred-twenty year old house constructed by her grandparents near Goldonna, Louisiana, where her family resided during seventh generation. She grew up in her parent's farm in Northern Louisiana.
At 15, Patricia married with Mr. Maxwell and they formed a happy family. At 21, she needed to be something more than a housewife and she began writing, she sold her first book at 27. She start writing gothic novels with her real name, Patricia Maxwell; she wrote one book in collaboration as Elizabeth Trehearne and she singed a murder mystery and a romantic suspense story as her maiden name, Patricia Ponder. When the gothic genre began to decay, she began to publish only romance genre, contemporany romances as Maxine Patrick and historical romances as Jennifer Blake, the only pseudonym that she uses now.
This legend of the romance genre is called the "Steel Magnolia of women's fiction" and gained New York Times Best Seller status since 1977, with *Love's wild desire*. An international best seller as well, she has been published in 18 languages with worldwide sales approaching 30 million. She was honored with the position as Writer-in-Residence for the University of Northeastern Louisiana, and is a charter, and honorary, member of Romance Writers of America.
Since 1998, Patricia and her husband have resided in a lakeside Caribbean-styled retreat in North Louisiana where they often entertain friends and family.
Patricia Ann Maxwell was born on March 9, 1942 in a one hundred-twenty year old house constructed by her grandparents near Goldonna, Louisiana, where her family resided during seventh generation. She grew up in her parent's farm in Northern Louisiana.
At 15, Patricia married with Mr. Maxwell and they formed a happy family. At 21, she needed to be something more than a housewife and she began writing, she sold her first book at 27. She start writing gothic novels with her real name, Patricia Maxwell; she wrote one book in collaboration as Elizabeth Trehearne and she singed a murder mystery and a romantic suspense story as her maiden name, Patricia Ponder. When the gothic genre began to decay, she began to publish only romance genre, contemporany romances as Maxine Patrick and historical romances as Jennifer Blake, the only pseudonym that she uses now.
This legend of the romance genre is called the "Steel Magnolia of women's fiction" and gained New York Times Best Seller status since 1977, with *Love's wild desire*. An international best seller as well, she has been published in 18 languages with worldwide sales approaching 30 million. She was honored with the position as Writer-in-Residence for the University of Northeastern Louisiana, and is a charter, and honorary, member of Romance Writers of America.
Since 1998, Patricia and her husband have resided in a lakeside Caribbean-styled retreat in North Louisiana where they often entertain friends and family.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 26, 2024
Strange deeds after dark
The master of the house is sullen and withdrawn. His guests are bossy and overbearing, almost like they own the manor. The nurse is quiet but competent, staying under the radar as much as possible. And a madman roams freely, a wild dog at his side, thinking Amelia walks among them again. How did Amanda get herself embroiled with such a bunch? A visit to her cousin becomes an experience unlike any she's ever had before. She endures not only the machinations of a jealous suitor, but out-of-body sojourns as her cousin takes her over. Strange people doing strange things, all because of a slip of a girl who is no more. A hauntingly good story from the queen of historical romance.
The master of the house is sullen and withdrawn. His guests are bossy and overbearing, almost like they own the manor. The nurse is quiet but competent, staying under the radar as much as possible. And a madman roams freely, a wild dog at his side, thinking Amelia walks among them again. How did Amanda get herself embroiled with such a bunch? A visit to her cousin becomes an experience unlike any she's ever had before. She endures not only the machinations of a jealous suitor, but out-of-body sojourns as her cousin takes her over. Strange people doing strange things, all because of a slip of a girl who is no more. A hauntingly good story from the queen of historical romance.
November 29, 2016
Amanda Trent travels to see her cousin, Amelia, and to tell her their grandfather is dead and has left Amelia a valuable necklace (the collar of Harmonia). It is a longish day trip from where she lives but she hasn’t seen her cousin in three years and is astonished to learn she is dead.
Her husband Jason Monteigne is clearly still mourning and when he tells Amanda it was suicide, she refuses to believe it.
But she has a fall. She has a head injury and cannot travel home. Amelia suffered from pain caused by headaches from a growth in her head. She died from an overdose of laudanum; self inflicted or not?
On All Hallows Eve they hold a ceremony of the candles. They ask her to stay until then.
But the longer Amanda stays, the more things go wrong.
***
Oooh *rubs hands* gothic.
It’s all here: the cousins look the same but Amanda has grey eyes when Amelia’s were violet; the dark widower Jason; a woman Sophia who seems to have designs on Jason; a german nurse Marta who is kept on even though her patient is dead; Sophia’s brother Theodore Abercrombie who seems to have been in love with Amelia; a slave cook Proserpine who sews paper inside her skirts so they sound like taffeta when she walks; a crazy tramp called Carl who also adored Amelia, and a mastiff Cerberus who has gone wild after his mistress died.
Everybody has a motive and everyone behaves oddly.
Theo is friendly, Jason dismissive, Sophia calculating and Marta kind of lost. It is Carl who knocks her down, overcome by her similarity to her cousin. Everybody comments on it but Amanda knows they were very different people.
She is given some laudanum for her concussion and sees a vision of her cousin. She, at least, is pleased to see Amanda. But after this, there are moments when her body is taken over by her cousin and she has no memory of what happens. Of course she is staying in Amelia’s room and it is all too resonant for everyone. In these times she dresses, acts and looks different. Even the dog knows her when she is possessed by Amelia.
But the valuable necklace is missing. Amanda had it in her hand when she fell.
Then her haughty fiance Nathaniel comes out to mostly reprimand her for going off alone. He easily falls under Sophia’s influence.
Jason is dark with green eyes and plays Spanish guitar. Sophia and Theo are white blond. I can’t even work out how Sophia and Theo are related or why they are hanging around - other than the obvious. Oh wait… they were neighbours, lost everything from carpetbaggers and Jason took them in.
The beginnings of the KKK are here, too. They come out to harass Nathaniel who is too cowardly to face them. They must have a contact inside the house, but who is it?
Marta is an alcoholic and is easily destroyed by whoever places a bottle of spirits in her room where she can’t avoid it.
It all comes to a head on the All Hallows Eve - as promised.
***
This is a re-release from 1978. It is a ‘sweet’ romance - no sex. It was just what I needed to read at the time.
3 stars
Her husband Jason Monteigne is clearly still mourning and when he tells Amanda it was suicide, she refuses to believe it.
But she has a fall. She has a head injury and cannot travel home. Amelia suffered from pain caused by headaches from a growth in her head. She died from an overdose of laudanum; self inflicted or not?
On All Hallows Eve they hold a ceremony of the candles. They ask her to stay until then.
But the longer Amanda stays, the more things go wrong.
***
Oooh *rubs hands* gothic.
It’s all here: the cousins look the same but Amanda has grey eyes when Amelia’s were violet; the dark widower Jason; a woman Sophia who seems to have designs on Jason; a german nurse Marta who is kept on even though her patient is dead; Sophia’s brother Theodore Abercrombie who seems to have been in love with Amelia; a slave cook Proserpine who sews paper inside her skirts so they sound like taffeta when she walks; a crazy tramp called Carl who also adored Amelia, and a mastiff Cerberus who has gone wild after his mistress died.
Everybody has a motive and everyone behaves oddly.
Theo is friendly, Jason dismissive, Sophia calculating and Marta kind of lost. It is Carl who knocks her down, overcome by her similarity to her cousin. Everybody comments on it but Amanda knows they were very different people.
She is given some laudanum for her concussion and sees a vision of her cousin. She, at least, is pleased to see Amanda. But after this, there are moments when her body is taken over by her cousin and she has no memory of what happens. Of course she is staying in Amelia’s room and it is all too resonant for everyone. In these times she dresses, acts and looks different. Even the dog knows her when she is possessed by Amelia.
But the valuable necklace is missing. Amanda had it in her hand when she fell.
Then her haughty fiance Nathaniel comes out to mostly reprimand her for going off alone. He easily falls under Sophia’s influence.
Jason is dark with green eyes and plays Spanish guitar. Sophia and Theo are white blond. I can’t even work out how Sophia and Theo are related or why they are hanging around - other than the obvious. Oh wait… they were neighbours, lost everything from carpetbaggers and Jason took them in.
The beginnings of the KKK are here, too. They come out to harass Nathaniel who is too cowardly to face them. They must have a contact inside the house, but who is it?
Marta is an alcoholic and is easily destroyed by whoever places a bottle of spirits in her room where she can’t avoid it.
It all comes to a head on the All Hallows Eve - as promised.
***
This is a re-release from 1978. It is a ‘sweet’ romance - no sex. It was just what I needed to read at the time.
3 stars
February 19, 2014
L'unique étoile parle d'elle-même !
Je n'ai pas adhéré à l'histoire et aux personnages, j'ai trouvé le tout trop fade, polissé, sans saveur, sans raccord, tiré par les cheveux, bizarre...
J'ai eu du mal le lieu et l'époque ou l'histoire se situe, l'espace temps est mal décrit.
Les personnages ne sont pas attachants, tous plus bizarre les uns que les autres, les personnalités et caractères m'ont paru incompréhensible et incompatible....
Bref, pas sûre que je relise cette auteure de sitôt !
Je n'ai pas adhéré à l'histoire et aux personnages, j'ai trouvé le tout trop fade, polissé, sans saveur, sans raccord, tiré par les cheveux, bizarre...
J'ai eu du mal le lieu et l'époque ou l'histoire se situe, l'espace temps est mal décrit.
Les personnages ne sont pas attachants, tous plus bizarre les uns que les autres, les personnalités et caractères m'ont paru incompréhensible et incompatible....
Bref, pas sûre que je relise cette auteure de sitôt !
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews