Seven tears for Apollo (original 1963; edition 1964)

I think that it must have been a very long time since I last read this book because I didn't remember any of the story. Today
Whitney's books would be called romantic suspense but they were considered Gothics in the sixties. However [Seven Tears for Apollo] is above average for that type of book. Dorcas even managed to acquire a backbone by the end of the novel.

At the beginning of the story Dorcas is a very young widow who is secretly glad to have escaped an abusive marriage. Odd things have been happening and she feels as if she is being watched so Dorcas accepts Fernanda's offer to travel to Rhodes as her companion/secretary. But trouble follows Dorcas and on Rhodes we finally discover the truth that has been eluding her.

I actually enjoyed the book once I was a couple of chapters in and decided that Dorcas wasn't really 'too stupid to live', just in the process of getting over being psychologically abused. The descriptions of Rhodes as it was then were also good, making the island almost a character in its own right. Of course, a lot of the people were the stock characters found in novels of this genre.

Recommended for those who enjoy Gothics.