Countess Elizabeth Bathory was one of
history's most prolific and well documented serial killers. The House
of Bathory is based on her life.
The book alternates between telling the chilling story of the
Countess and a modern horror story in which a psychiatrist, Dr. Betsy
Path and her patient, Daisy Hart
become involved with a scion of the family living in the ancestral
castle.
The
Countess was infamous for her
nighttime activities in which she murdered young girls and bathed in
their blood as a way of keeping her youthful
complexion. Betsy, Daisy, and Grace, Betsy's mother, become involved
with the present Count who wants something Daisy's father took.
The
action moves from present day Colorado to Slovakia. The author
alternates chapters between the events of the past and the present
day story. While this can be difficult for the reader to follow, I
had no problem with the style. I think it helps that the chapters are
short. You don't forget one story thread while reading another.
I
enjoyed this book because of the historical detail. I had heard of
the Countess, but reading the novel made her environment come alive.
I didn't find the modern story as compelling. I didn't feel connected
to the characters. This could have been due to moving between the
time periods.
If you
like historical novels laced with horror, you'll enjoy this book.
I
reviewed this book for the Amazon Vine Program.
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