Heroes Are My Weakness
Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Morrow, Aug 26 2014, $26.99
ISBN 9780062106070
Princess Crumpet the puppet “asks” why not Miami Beach as ailing
financially broke thirtyish ventriloquist Annie Hewitt drives in wintry weather
heading to a Maine barrier island where her late mom Mariah’s Moonraker Cottage
is and allegedly her legacy can be found.
Fearing her return to a place she fled over a decade ago, Annie resolutely
completes the journey.
Annie heads to Harp House on the hill above Moonraker seeking Will
Shaw for the key to the cottage. Instead
Widower Theo Harp tells her Shaw left a month ago, he lives there for now
working on his next horror novel and demands she leave and never return. The next day Annie meets the other residents
of Harp House, the owner’s housekeeper Widow Jaycie Mills struggling with a
broken leg and caring for her traumatized mute four years old daughter. Jaycie saved Annie’s life eighteen years ago
from what horrible “Lord” Theo did to her. As Annie and her puppets help Livia, the puppeteer
begins to rethink back to what really happened when terrible Theo tormented her
even as someone will do anything to drive her off the island.
This is a great gothic that combines the classic elements but within
a modern day New England albeit somewhat isolated island atmosphere. Theo is the brooding flawed antihero and
Annie the “innocent” damsel in distress; while Harp House turns out to be the “moody”
mansion. Susan Elizabeth Phillips writes a tremendous contemporary.
Harriet Klausner
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