Dreadful Hollow: A Spine Chiller!

Author: Irina Karlova
Price: £995
Publisher: Hurst & Blackett, London, UK
Publication Date: Not dated but 1942
Edition: First edition
Format: Original cloth with dustwrapper
Condition: Very good in very good dustwrapper
Size: 13.7cm x 19cm
Pages: 160

Description:

First edition. Original orange cloth, blocked in black. Binding nice and tight, with very slight fading to the head and tail of the spine. Pages nice and clean with occasional very slight spotting. A very good plus, tight, clean copy in very good, slightly chipped, nicked and rubbed, fragile dustwrapper which is correctly priced 8/6net. Very scarce, especially in this condition.

Dreadful Hollow: A Brief Description:

Plot Overview:

Dreadful Hollow by Irina Karlova, a pseudonym for the British author Helen Mary Elizabeth Clamp, is a Gothic horror novel with vampiric and crime fiction aspects that follows the story of Arabella, a young woman who takes up a position as a governess at the ominous Dreadful Hollow estate. It was first published in 1942 with a plot that is steeped in classic Gothic elements, including an eerie atmosphere, a cursed family, and the presence of supernatural forces.

Detailed Plot Summary:

Setting and Introduction: The novel is set in the remote and foreboding Dreadful Hollow, an estate shrouded in mystery and isolation. Arabella arrives at the estate to take up her new position, only to find that the place is suffused with a sense of dread. The mansion itself is almost a character, described in great detail to evoke the dark and gloomy atmosphere typical of Gothic horror.

The Family Curse: Arabella soon learns that the family she is working for is burdened by a centuries-old curse. The curse manifests itself in various sinister ways, impacting the mental and physical well-being of the family members. As she delves deeper into the history of Dreadful Hollow, Arabella uncovers the tragic events that led to the curse, which are tied to the estate’s dark past.

Supernatural Occurrences: Throughout her stay, Arabella experiences a series of unsettling supernatural events. These include ghostly apparitions, mysterious noises, and other phenomena that gradually intensify the sense of terror. The supernatural elements are deeply intertwined with the family curse, suggesting that the spirits of those wronged in the past are still haunting the estate.

Arabella’s Investigation: Determined to uncover the truth, Arabella begins investigating the origins of the curse. She discovers hidden rooms, secret passages, and old documents that reveal the terrible deeds committed by the estate’s ancestors. These revelations are horrifying and bring her closer to understanding the full extent of the curse’s power.

Climax and Resolution: As the novel progresses, Arabella’s investigation leads to a confrontation with the malevolent forces that have taken hold of Dreadful Hollow. The climax of the story is marked by a struggle between Arabella and the supernatural entities, as she attempts to break the curse and free the family from its grip. The resolution ties up the loose ends, but the ending maintains the novel’s eerie tone, leaving readers with lingering questions about the true nature of the horrors that took place at Dreadful Hollow.

Themes: The novel explores themes of isolation, the impact of the past on the present, and the psychological effects of fear and guilt. It also delves into the idea of inherited sin and the inescapability of destiny, common in Gothic literature.

William Faulkner, Howard Hawks And The Film Script For Dreadful Hollow: Howard Hawks, the film director and producer, had acquired the film rights to Dreadful Hollow for $2500 in 1944 and commissioned the novelist William Faulkner to write the screenplay. The screenplay was lost for many years until its discovery in 1999. In her article for LFQ, Michelle Moore gives a detailed insight into Faulkner’s efforts in the turning of the story from “a novel with B movie potential into a distinctive screenplay that bears a strong resemblance to his more serious work as a novelist.” Moore argues that Faulkner wrote “the screenplay as a vampire narrative that borrows conventions from earlier vampire texts and catalogues the significant changes Faulkner made to the vampire novel on which the screenplay is based. Faulkner chose to emphasise the vampire’s lesbianism to a greater extent than any earlier female vampire text, which is all the more striking because a female vampire film had not been made since Dracula’s Daughter (1936). He also added details and made filmic changes to the story that cause the vampire’s destruction to appear as a rape or lynching and a revenge response to her lesbianism. Finally, the essay shows how Faulkner reworks the novel’s conventional detective narrative for the film by including his own specific interests in crime narratives to give Hawks another vehicle for his vision.” The film was never made.

Dreadful Hollow remains a compelling read for fans of Gothic horror, offering a rich narrative filled with suspense, mystery, and the supernatural. Its intricate plot and atmospheric setting make it a memorable example of the genre. First editions of it in this condition are exceptionally scarce due to the wartime production quality and the fragility of the dustwrapper.

Irina Karlova: A Short Biography

Irina Karlova was a pseudonym used by the British writer Helen Mary Elizabeth Clamp, who was also known for writing under other names, including H.M. Clamp and Olivia Leigh. Karlova is primarily known for her contributions to the horror and supernatural fiction genres during the mid-20th century.

She wrote several novels that blended gothic and supernatural elements, with her most famous work being Dreadful Hollow, published in 1942. This novel, like much of her work, is characterized by eerie atmospheres and unsettling narratives, typical of the gothic horror tradition.

Other notable works by Karlova include The Empty House: A Spine-Chiller (1944) and Broomstick: A Spine-Chiller (1946), both of which further cemented her reputation in the horror genre. Despite the niche appeal of her works, they have gained a cult following among fans of classic horror and gothic literature.

Irina Karlova’s works are not widely known today, but they remain appreciated by collectors and aficionados of vintage horror literature,

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