LARGE TYPE · FICTION
Velda Johnston
Also known as: Veronica Jason
Velda Johnston was an American writer of Gothic Romance novels. She also wrote under the pseudonym Veronica Jason. She was raised and educated in Pasadena, California where she sold her first short story as a high school student. She went on to UCLA on a scholarship, where she majored in journalism and wrote articles for the UCLA newspaper. [Wikipedia]
Most acclaimed
The Etruscan smile
The Etruscan underworld goddess held the wheat-symbol of life in one hand, and in the other, the sacrificial knife. To Samantha Develin, the ancient figure seemed sinister, and not just because of the chill, enigmatic smile on its bronze lips. The recently discovered statue, Samantha suspected, was connected in some way with her sister's disappearance two months ago. It was in search of her beautiful artist sister that Samantha had flown from New York to Italy. There she took up residence in the centuries-old farmhouse which Althea had been renting for the past several years. Almost immediately, Samantha found that the neighboring people, including an attractive young English archaeologist, seemed anxious for her to leave. What was more, she was sure the Englishman lied when he disclaimed any knowledge of where Althea might be. Then she awakened one night just in time to put out a mysteriously kindled fire that might have destroyed both her and the farmhouse. Someone was determined that she should not find out what had happened to Althea. Although she was tempted to flee back to her Manhattan apartment, Samantha persisted in her search for the reckless, warm-hearted sister she had always adored -- a search that would lead her to strange people and reveal disturbing secrets in Althea's life. Here, set in the lovely Tuscan countryside around Florence, is a dramatic story of love and murder and of a long hidden evil.
The hour before midnight
KIRKUS REVIEW Judith Dunne, a dull little American illustrator, returns to her decadent cousin Cee Cee's carriage house near Hampton Court the year after C. has been brutally murdered in her next-door mansion. In no time at all, the murderer is after Judith, sending her threats in iambic pentameter. Is he Cee Cee's super-straight widower Steven Grenville? One of her onetime lovers, such as bureaucrat George Sherill or rock star Zack Reeve? Or handsome Kyle Hodge, who lives and works at Hampton Court?
House above Hollywood
The Rites of Fear Weird shadows danced on the walls of the vast, grotesquely ornate living room where Tara Mornette sat motionless on her throne-like chair. Beside her stood her nephew, handsome, coldly arrogant. In the doorway were the two Oriental servants, their faces barely masking icy contempt. But Carol had eyes only for the man who called himself Malon Thorne. A strange force seemed to come from his body. His words were charged with hypnotic power… …and despite all reason, against her will, Carol felt herself falling under his uncanny spell, helpless before the iron will of this man who, she knew, meant to do her harm…