Evil at Roger’s Cross

THIS IS A NEW NOVEL BY CATHERINE MARCHANT, ENGLAND’S GREATEST WRITER OF GOTHIC MYSTERIES. IT HAS NEVER BEEN PUBLISHED ANYWHERE BEFORE.

Prudence Dudley sought solitude in which to recover from the ache of a lover’s betrayal.

She found an oddly isolated house in which bitter secrets lurked and sinister tensions lay buried just beneath the surface.

She tried to avoid becoming involved, but she was drawn deeper and deeper into the whirlpool of emotion. And finally she had to make a choice between two fiercely proud brothers, and discover what was hidden behind THE IRON FACADE.

Written by Catherine Marchant. Lancer Books 1965.

I’ve not read this one yet but thought I’d post it anyway since I really like the cover art and it seems a suitably storm-tossed one to usher in the Autumn with.

Evil at Roger’s Cross has also been published under the title of The Iron Façade and Catherine Marchant is a pseudonym used by the multi-million selling writer Catherine Cookson – one of the UK’s most widely read novelists, with sales topping 100 million.

Lancer published at least three other Catherine Marchant novels in the 60’s – House of Men, Heritage of Folly and House on the Fens. Out of these, I’ve read House of Men and hope to review that one soon. In the meantime, here’s a sample of  Roger’s Cross from the inside cover:

Don’t let this disturb you unduly, Pru. Yet I felt I ought to warn you.

“Don’t let this disturb you unduly.” My heart was racing now. The old fear was filling me again. My lips were trembling, and I felt sick. I could hear Aunt Maggie talking, but, strangely, I couldn’t see her, for the room had become blurred, dark. I said something. What it was, I don’t know. Then I felt Aunt Maggie’s hand gripping my wrist. So hard did she grip that I winced…

Nothing that I had been through before had caused me to faint. Now I felt myself falling…