I don’t normally read fiction — and certainly not horror. I also haven’t watched very many episodes of the old Dark Shadows gothic soap opera.

So no one was more surprised than I was when I purchased a stack of used paperback novels based on the series.

Perhaps I was compelled by an unseen force? Or maybe it was a latent fondness for childhood memories of encountering the show when I was home sick from school? In any case, I left the Printers Row Lit Fest with the musty, but in good shape, stack of novels.

This book, titled simply Dark Shadows, is a 1966 publication by Marilyn Ross. It’s the first in a series of 32 novels. Although the cover of the book shows the vampire Barnabas Collins from the TV show, he is completely absent from this story. I didn’t miss him per se, but it was a bit of a surprise. (According to Wikipedia, he doesn’t appear in a story until the fourth novel.)

Although the books are based on the television shows, they don’t represent the same storyline. (Similar to how Marvel movies don’t follow the comic books.) So, alas, even if I were to read all 32 novels, I wouldn’t be able to compare notes with those who have watched the whole 1,225 episode series. (Believe it or not, I know four people who have!)

The book is compelling and fun to read. And from a writer’s perspective, it starts with a masterful exposition that sets everything up.

I also laughed with admiration at how Ross worked in a sly reference to the title of the series. (I suspect that there are other insider references that escape my notice and understanding.)

The character development, fast pace, and clever prose kept me engaged until the very end, and I surprised myself by immediately reaching for the next book in the stack that I had bought.

I’ve since learned that the books are somewhat sought after by collectors, so pick up a copy if you come across it in a used bookstore. If not for the nostalgia, for the craft.