glampunk
Crab On The Rampage
gloompunk; glitter goth: disciple of Rikki Nadir: demonik in disguise, etc.
Posts: 61
|
Post by glampunk on Mar 22, 2008 21:01:32 GMT
Vic Crume - The Partridge Family #5: Terror By Night (Curtis, 1971) "The Partridge Family is all set for a great vacation.
But fun soon turns to fear when night comes to their lonely beach house on the New England coast.
Somebody or some thing is out to get them ... and when Keith tries to find out why, the rock star's vacation becomes a nightmare ..." Perhaps some introductions are in order. Mom Shirley (vocals) is a very merry widow. Teenage son Keith (guitar) is "the man of the house" and "a great help to his mother" and fellow-teen Laurie (vocals) is pretty. Danny (guitar), ten-years old and always thinking about money with his "steel-trap mind for business", Christopher (drums), two-years younger, has yet to register with me at all, likewise Tracy, the baby of the family. Oh yeah, and there's Simone, the family's official pet poodle. Anyhow: "Shirley Partridge recorded a song in the family garage with her five talented children - and the family was destined for stardom from the first scratch of a needle! Now they travel in a renovated old school bus painted in bright psychedelic colours. Shirley drives them all over the country in search of life, liberty, and the pursuit of singing engagements" The family are sitting down to a nice breakfast of pancakes and Mom is feeling a little guilty. The kids are always so well-behaved, and she's plain forgot to arrange them a summer vacation, not that they'll complain, the clean-cut little angels. But it's still rotten. Then, a phone-call from Reuben Kincaid, the Partridge Family's penny-pinching business manager, and he's found them a remote place in Massachusetts where they can holiday and rehearse in peace at the same time! So the family pile into their multicolour van and head off for Witches Hollow, Hangman's Hill on the outskirts of Haunt Point (pop. 291: founded 1620) .... They arrive at the village store where Keith meet's the most beautiful girl he's ever seen, etc.. Blonde, denim-clad Jane Parson's recognises him immediately because she loves rock, the Partridge Family most of all, so that looks like him sorted for a chaste kiss (at the very most). Jane's dad is the Sheriff and her ma bakes a mean blueberry pie which is as well - these people are always ravenous, and they soon wolf down the "juicy purple wedges" plus her steaming fresh chowder and a plate of lobster sandwiches donated by Jane. It looks like we're about to endure a pig-out to rival Simon Aaron's extraordinary gastronomic feats in Dennis Wheatley's Gateway To Hell but luckily, a sinister figure chooses that moment to make their presence known before the Partridges can make a start on Simone's dog-food. Laura cries out in horror at the approach of a long-haired creature wrapped in a cloak and holding a spiteful-looking cat with blazing green eyes .... To be continued
|
|
glampunk
Crab On The Rampage
gloompunk; glitter goth: disciple of Rikki Nadir: demonik in disguise, etc.
Posts: 61
|
Post by glampunk on Mar 23, 2008 16:52:34 GMT
False alarm. It was only local outcast, morose Pru Judbury the housekeeper's daughter, out for a late evening mooch. "A bewitched beanpole," Keith said gloomily. "And living with us!" At least she's his own age. Her mother, a skeletal perma-grump, is ancient and nothing like his glamorous, mini-skirted Mom! Some vacation this is going to be! Strange things are beginning to befall the Partridges. Laurie and Keith find a dummy lynched from a tree with a 'WELCOME! THE HANGMAN!' greeting attached. Also, the poodle has disappeared. I thought it best to mention that in case it's of later significance. What can it all mean? Are the Jackson 5 and the Osmonds in collusion to snuff out the teenybopposition? On one of his excursions to the village store to stockpile food, Keith encounters the most important man in Haunt Point, Mr. Beresford, wealthy art collector and rude bastard who doesn't like rock, most likely. "Oh, I heard you were going to be stuck with the Judburys - the village witch and her weird witch daughter. Poor you!" he sneers at Keith. What is he trying to say? When he's gone, Keith mildly rebukes Jane for letting Beresford say such a thing about her neighbours - "Man! I wouldn't let him talk that way about even my one hundred and ninetieth cousin!" - but she frostily reminds him that it's the old bat and her daughter's fault because they look strange and besides, it's common knowledge they detest Haunt Point. Keith is furious with himself. Jane keeps up her moody even when he splashes out on eight tickets for the charity clambake in aid of two returning Viet vets. What a dope he's been: "A great girl like Jane Parsons and I have to stick up for that - that toad catcher." Still, as long as nothing happens to ruin Mom's vacation. At this point, we'll take another break from all the excitement for a brief interlude. More Partridge Adventures! It seems that there are at least seven titles in the series, the first three credited to Micheal Avallone, and the fourth to Paul W. Fairman. #1 is merely The Partridge Family with no subtitle, but things perk up thereafter with The Haunted Hall (#2), Keith, The Hero (#3), The Ghost Of Graveyard Hill (#4), Terror By Night (#5), Keith Partridge, Master Spy (#6) and The Walking Fingers (#7). Also don't miss David, David, David, by James Gregory - Behind the image on the TV screen the David Cassidy you never knew! The back cover blurb for #1 must be a hype job as no book could be as good as this! "Can America's top rock group prevail against the machinations of a fat but deadly enemy agent - without blowing their cool?
If any group can do it, the Partridge Family can! They're a high-voltage six pack of talent and energy - five groovy kids plus one beautiful, mini-skirted Mom - and they've settled down in the top ten for a long, long stay.
Even the coolest clan in rock gets put up tight when a sinister spymaster hunts them down. He's after an international secret they don't even know they're carrying, and he'll stop at nothing. But little does he know what lies ahead when he tangles with that all-American super singing weapon - THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY.
|
|
glampunk
Crab On The Rampage
gloompunk; glitter goth: disciple of Rikki Nadir: demonik in disguise, etc.
Posts: 61
|
Post by glampunk on Apr 2, 2008 21:09:17 GMT
"What people won't think of next. Now who'd think any self-respecting millionaire would buy art stolen from a church? ... I sometimes think the whole world's gone mad"
"Gone sad is more like it", Laurie said dramatically. "Why can't people just be decent to each other?"
Finally my work in this world is done. I've completed a novel written by somebody called 'Vic Crume'!
It's not bad, either. True, the suspenseful scenes aren't allowed to get out of hand, but there's a Salem Witches interlude, a delightful moment when you think Mr. Crume may have had the glorious audacity to kill off the rotten family poodle (imagine the tears!) and, when the bad guy who stands to gain from the Partridge persecution, is revealed to be - gasp! the local Mr. Respectable! - you might well be reading a shudder pulp, albeit minus the all-important sex and sadism. Keith, the supposed nicest guy ever, is (deliberately?) unmasked to be a cantankerous, judgemental bastard who can't find it in him to apologise to Pru for throwing all kinds of unfounded allegations at her just because - by his standards - she dresses funny. He doesn't get his leg-over either, though that's to be expected.
I shall certainly be looking out for more of these, although Keith, The Hero isn't quite as urgent a requirement as The Ghost Of Graveyard Hill:
Double Play
The family that plays together, stays together is the Partridge family's motto, and it's zoomed them straight to the summit of rock fame and fortune. But now, suddenly, the Partridges face a new kind of crisis - from within.
When Keith, the fans' super-idol, turns out to be as dynamic at blasting home runs as he is at socking songs across, the group's future hangs in the balance. Will Keith decide to make a stab at baseball greatness - and leave the Partridge clan without its brightest star?
|
|
|
Post by ripper on Jul 17, 2015 20:29:36 GMT
I picked up the second volume in the Partridge Family series a few days ago--The Haunted Hall. Here's the back cover blurb:
IS THIS ANY WAY TO HAUNT A HOUSE? YOU BET IT IS!
Take five spirited kids and one groovy mom (who just happen to be the coolest group in rock). Put them in a deserted mansion set deep in the woods. Add assorted creepy ghosts, a smattering of sinister secrets, and enough danger to frighten King Kong. What do you get?
A super-swinging saga of suspense starring rocks first family— THE PARTRIDGES!
SEE THE SCREEN-GEMS TV SERIES STARRING SHIRLEY JONES
I'm looking forward to reading this one. I can just about remember the television series, but we had a B+W telly at the time so missed out on all those brightly-coloured clothes and that psychedelic bus. I was also rather too young to appreciate Shirley Jones' mini-skirts.
|
|
|
Post by dem bones on Jul 19, 2015 18:03:17 GMT
I picked up the second volume in the Partridge Family series a few days ago--The Haunted Hall. Here's the back cover blurb: IS THIS ANY WAY TO HAUNT A HOUSE? YOU BET IT IS! Take five spirited kids and one groovy mom (who just happen to be the coolest group in rock). Put them in a deserted mansion set deep in the woods. Add assorted creepy ghosts, a smattering of sinister secrets, and enough danger to frighten King Kong. What do you get? A super-swinging saga of suspense starring rocks first family— THE PARTRIDGES! SEE THE SCREEN-GEMS TV SERIES STARRING SHIRLEY JONES I'm looking forward to reading this one. I can just about remember the television series, but we had a B+W telly at the time so missed out on all those brightly-coloured clothes and that psychedelic bus. I was also rather too young to appreciate Shirley Jones' mini-skirts. I truly envy you this magnificent find, Rip. Can it possibly scale the suspenseful heights of Terror By Night?
|
|
|
Post by ripper on Jul 23, 2015 14:50:45 GMT
I am around 60% through 'The Haunted Hall' now, and, so far, it is going quite well.
The Partridges are due to appear at a pop concert in Larkland, but there are no hotel rooms available, so their manager, Reuben Kinkaid, arranges for them to stay at Turnbull Hall, a remote house that has been abandoned for 20 years after the owner, J. Watterson Turnbull, was committed to an asylum for being an arsonist. Arriving at the hall, they find Duke, who claims to be the caretaker but says he was not expecting any guests. A later paragraph explains to the reader that Reuben's secretary sent the arrangements for the Partridges to stay at the hall to the wrong place, so no-one in Larkland knows of their arrival, though none of the characters are aware of the error at this time. A storm has cut off electricity, so there are only candles for illumination. Laurie, the eldest daughter, has a room to herself and is scared in the night by strange laughter. There are also a woman's sobs and wailing but she is asleep when that occurs. Meanwhile, at the asylum, J. Watterson Turnbull slips away from an attendant and heads for his ancestral home. Next morning, the Partridges head downstairs for breakfast, but Laurie hears Duke's voice coming from the attic and goes to investigate. She finds Duke with a group of people and she is taken captive. Duke is obviously their leader and is not actually a caretaker. They debate what to do with her, but the sound of a helicopter landing in the grounds of the hall spooks them and they take off, fearing it is the police, leaving a frightened Laurie behind. Also, it is around this time that J. Watterson Turnbull arrives and breaks into the house. It's not the police. It is actually Jerry Jingo, a movie star, who wants to look at the house as a possible location for his next movie. Laurie was at first attracted to Duke, but after he showed himself in his true colours she seems now to be attracted to Jerry.
Up until now, everything has been played pretty straight, with few laughs. As might be expected, there is nothing that could offend the reader in terms of language or violence. There are sprinklings of pop cultural references and Laurie, we are told, has pictures of Steve McQueen, Michael Caine and Clint Eastwood on her bedroom wall at home. One little thing that did surprise me was a throwaway line that Keith and Duke had a talk about the war in SE Asia. Of course, this was 1970 and America was fighting a war in Vietnam, but I wasn't expecting any reference to it in a book like this one. I don't know if the gang led by Duke was supposed to evoke the Manson clan, but I did get that vibe, though time will tell. Also, up to now, Laurie has been the main character along with her mom, with the rest being more in the background. They have their dog as well, though it has not really done anything in the plot so far. I am intrigued to see if Duke and his gang are developed into the Manson wannabes that has been implied. Also, no sign yet of Keith getting any loving. Will Laurie's attraction to Jerry lead to anything? Will the family dog do anything other than bark? Will J. Watterson Turnbull torch the hall and lead to a fiery climax? Will Reuben put the moves on Shirley? Will Keith get to sock Duke for scaring his sister? Well, I hope that the next 50 or so pages will supply the answers--or possibly not.
|
|
|
Post by dem bones on Jul 23, 2015 16:00:57 GMT
Damn it all! The Partridge Family versus the Manson 'Family'? This sounds even better than Terror By Night. Michael Avallone was still using his own name for The Haunted Hall (the 'Vic Crume' alter-ego came in with #5) but from your review, the books are much of a muchness. Keith participated in a clambake for two returning 'Nam heroes in the later book, so no shying away from current affairs for the Partridges! Have any of the suspicious characters mouthed off about how much they hate "rock and roll" yet?
|
|
|
Post by ripper on Jul 23, 2015 18:29:10 GMT
Not as yet, Dem. I did forget to mention that Duke's gang seem to be planning on attending the Lakeland pop festival as well, but they scarpered rather sharpish when they thought it was a police helicopter landing in the grounds. Oh, and also Duke told the Partridges when they arrived that the house was nicknamed 'Satan Hall'. Not really sure how he knew that as I got the impression that his gang were actually leaving the next morning anyway, so maybe the locals had told them.
Interesting about a Vietnam reference also being in a later book. It just surprised me that it was in a book like this one.
|
|
|
Post by ripper on Jul 24, 2015 9:22:04 GMT
Duke's gang flee into the woods after mistaking Jerry's helicopter for the police. One of the gang, Indian, detours to drain the fuel out of the Partridge's bus, then taunts Duke that he hadn't thought of it. Next, Reuben Kinkaid arrives in his car and the mistake over no-one knowing about the Partridge's stay at the hall comes to light. Duke goes back to the hall and retrieves his motor cycle, which is hidden in some bushes. He also takes the opportunity to drain Reuben's car of fuel, stung as he was by Indian's criticism. In the hall, Laurie shows Jerry around the various rooms. J. Watterson Turnbull is about to sneak into the attic and start a fire there but hears Laurie's and Jerry's voices, so instead hides in a bedroom. When Laurie and Jerry go downstairs, J. Watterson Turnbull sets fire to the bedroom and after dancing manically among the flames then scarpers. Downstairs, no-one realises about the fire until smoke pours under a door. The Partridges, Reuben and Jerry try to flee through the front door but J. Watterson Turnbull has locked it from the outside using a secret door mechanism, so they are trapped. In the woods, Duke and his gang spot smoke coming from the house. Duke has a change of heart (I thought the Manson vibe was too good to be true) and heads back to the house, the rest of the gang fleeing the scene. As he arrives at the hall, he sees J. Watterson Turnbull, dressed in a bath robe and slippers, dancing crazily in the grounds. He hears banging on the front door and by accident manages to get it open. Everyone is safe and they realise that the old man is J. Watterson Turnbull and he was the one who started the fire. Jerry flies off in his helicopter to save it from the fire, while everyone else takes refuge in the bus. The fire brigade arrive and J. Watterson Turnbull explains about the secret door lock and also that he had set up other mechanisms to scare visitors, and Laurie realises that the laughter she had heard in the bedroom was one of his tricks. In town, the Partridges are given rooms and J. Watterson Turnbull is taken back to the asylum. That night, the Partridge's sing at the festival but Laurie is sad as Duke has disappeared. Next day, Laurie goes for a walk in town and hears over a radio that Jerry Jingle has been flown to Hollywood for an appendix operation. She hears a motor cycle and it is Duke, who explains he has joined up with a group of motor cyclists and they are heading for Hollywood the next day. Suddenly, Indian appears and demands Duke comes with him to lead the gang as the others won't stay without him. Duke refuses and they start fighting. Later, Shirley gets a call from Laurie saying she is at the police station, being held as a witness over the fight, so she and Reuben go to bail her out. Duke and Indian make up and become friends. Duke moves on with his new biker friends. After another performance at the festival the Partridges head back home.
Well, that was a very quick read, just 128 pages. I was disappointed that the gang led by Duke didn't turn into the Manson wannabes that the text initially implied. Also, the haunted house was pretty feeble with Laurie only actually hearing the laughter, and that was explained away as a trick set up by J. Watterson Turnbull. This entry in the series really belonged to Laurie. The rest of the family, Shirley excepting, played only a small part in the plot. Bands playing at the festival were: The Elephant Six, Sandy and Sonny and Sid, The Apes and The Loving Six. It was a fairly pleasant read, though not an awful lot actually happened, probably the most exciting thing being the fire, and that was over and done with in a few pages. I was expecting far more humour but there was very little. I would probably read more volumes if they came my way.
|
|
|
Post by franklinmarsh on Jul 24, 2015 11:58:44 GMT
Well, that was a very quick read, just 128 pages. I was disappointed that the gang led by Duke didn't turn into the Manson wannabes that the text initially implied. Also, the haunted house was pretty feeble with Laurie only actually hearing the laughter, and that was explained away as a trick set up by J. Watterson Turnbull. This entry in the series really belonged to Laurie. The rest of the family, Shirley excepting, played only a small part in the plot. Bands playing at the festival were: The Elephant Six, Sandy and Sonny and Sid, The Apes and The Loving Six. It was a fairly pleasant read, though not an awful lot actually happened, probably the most exciting thing being the fire, and that was over and done with in a few pages. I was expecting far more humour but there was very little. I would probably read more volumes if they came my way. Excellent stuff, Rip. 128 pages? Perfect. Surely any novel featuring characters with names like Jerry Jingle and Reuben Kincaid is beyond criticism?
|
|
|
Post by ripper on Jul 24, 2015 12:56:08 GMT
There's J. Watterson Turnbull as well, Franklin, and each time he is mentioned by the author it is always fully as J. Watterson Turnbull, not once shortening it to Turnbull.
Also forgot to mention that the full line-up of Duke's gang is Duke, Indian, Saddle, Jenny and Iris. It is mentioned that in the attic when Laurie finds them they have guitars, banjos and bongos with them. After Duke returns to the hall to rescue the Partridges, Saddle and the two girls play no further part in the plot.
|
|
|
Post by dem bones on Jul 25, 2015 13:48:09 GMT
Really enjoyed the review, Rip. Seem to remember it was the same with Terror By Night, the seemingly sinister goings on explained away once the culprit-who-stands-to-gain is unmasked a la Scooby Doo (the Partridges, like the Scooby Gang, tour the States in a psychedelic bus). A crafty google reveals there were at least 17 titles in the series including, #4 The Ghost Of Graveyard Hill (this one credited to Paul W. Fairman) #8: The Treasure of Ghost Mountain (Fairman again), #10: Marked for Terror and #14: Thirteen at Killer Gorge (both 'Vic Crume' again).
|
|
|
Post by ripper on Jul 26, 2015 10:05:57 GMT
With at least 17 entries in the series they must have been popular at the time and sold in profitable numbers. I was a bit disappointed that the ghostly goings-on didn't live up to what the blurb implied. I wouldn't be surprised if all the supernatural-sounding titles turned out to be Scoobies.
|
|
|
Post by dem bones on Feb 28, 2016 12:34:35 GMT
Could be that, mercifully, the Brick Lane market book famine is at an end as this morning I bagged a couple of potential corkers. Case in point: The Partridge Family Annual 1975 (WDL, 1974) A missed opportunity to be honest with you. 80 pages and and no room for a Partridge Family Tale of Terror? Not knocking the Cass, but purists are advised to stick with the novels.
|
|
|
Post by Jojo Lapin X on Feb 28, 2016 14:55:05 GMT
Not knocking the Cass, but purists are advised to stick with the novels. Just so you know, that link seems to lead nowhere. Perhaps it is for the best.
|
|