Jill Tattersall: The Shadows of Castle Fosse

This novel by Jill Tattersall, published in 1976 was one I had high hopes for, especially after reading two others by her that I loved and have reviewed on this blog. Also, the cover is pretty gothic. Check it out: there are two undead looking dudes on there and a scary skull with a castle in the background. In front of all that spooky stuff, a blond woman with her bust threatening to pop out is holding a candle, looking terrified.











Despite the promising cover, the novel leaves much to be desired. 25+ pages in, I was done. When Phoebe Kennington, the first woman in the Castle Fosse story, states that she would love to marry an old man like her grandfather, I howled. The first chapter was confusing anyway, and after that statement and others that came, I couldn't bear it. I didn't finish this novel by Tattersall. I recommend The Wild Hunt or Lady Ingram's Room any day over this one.