THE HOUSE OF CARE

Unlike last year's Charles and Elizabeth, which was for occultists only, this is an old-fashioned mystery that merely uses the occult for shading and red herrings. Middle-aged Henry Care lives off his rents at the old family estate in Cornwall, painting and philandering while raising his two children along with wife #2 Nancy. But 16 years ago wife #1 Deborah and Nancy were on the family tower. . . when Deborah, always unpredictable, jumped to her death--or was she pushed? And what about Deborah's daughter Laura--now 22, pregnant, and into black magic. . . who, in her efforts to bring back memories of Deborah's death, also falls from the tower, naked in a star-covered white cloak? Plus--several other questions about current domestic arrangements: adultery, quasi-incest, paternity puzzles, etc. All in all, a fairly seductive throwback--and a definite improvement over the all-ghost format.