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Dark Shadows — by Marilyn Ross

Dark Shadows Series in Order: 32 books

  • Dark Shadows

    Book - 1

    Despite warnings from the townspeople, Victoria Winters accepts the offer to come to the strange Collins House as governess. For some curious reason she feels the secret of her past may be uncovered in the bleak manor high on Widow's Hill. From th...

  • Victoria Winters

    Book - 2

    Victoria is stalked by four menacing strangers through the grave-like halls of sinister Collins House. Still trying to uncover the secret of her own identity, Victoria Winters continues her life at Collins House. The unexpected arrival of mysterio...

  • Strangers at Collins House

    Book - 3

    Victoria Winters at last feels she has a clue to her own identity when she meets elderly Henry Collins. He secretly gives her the jewels which once belonged to his lost love - a woman Victoria strongly resembles. After receiving the gift, Victor...

  • The Mystery of Collinwood

    Book - 4

    Victoria stood on the ledge known as Suicide Cliffs and stared down at the raging surf and jagged rocks below. Next to her stood Professor Mark Veno, a mysterious visitor to Collinwood. He spoke to her in a low, sinister voice, "Think of all those w...

  • The Curse of Collinwood

    Book - 5

    Do Zombies Walk at Collinwood? Upset over the death of Ernest Collins, Victoria begins to believe that phantoms are haunting her. Are they figments of her imagination? As the threats to her life become very real, she is forced to accept the horrif...

  • Barnabas Collins

    Book - 6

    Barnabas Collins, the 175-year-old vampire who has taken the country by storm comes alive in this new novel of gothic suspense. -- Your blood will grow cold as you read the never-before-told story of the foggy night in 1899 when Barnabas Collins fi...

  • The Secret of Barnabas Collins

    Book - 7

    Here is another never-before-told story of the handsome, mysterious 175-year-old vampire. While searching for the woman who will replace is long-lost Josette, and thus end the terrible curse upon him, Barnabas meets lovely Clare Duncan. The story of ...

  • The Demon of Barnabas Collins

    Book - 8

    The arrival of a movie company at Collin-wood gives Barnabas a chance to escape Angelique's awful curse--the curse which has made him one of the living dead. Barnabas meets and falls in love with beautiful film star Rita Glenn. In order to save hi...

  • The Foe of Barnabas Collins

    Book - 9

    Barnabas befriends lovely Paula Jennings -- right after her marriage to strange, mysterious Christopher Jennings. He feels protective towards the lonely heiress because he suspects Christopher is the werewolf who has been ravaging the countryside. ...



  • The Phantom and Barnabas Collins

    Book - 10

    Maggie Evans visits the Collins family graveyard and is transported back in time to the year 1880. There she awakes, an amnesia victim at a Collinwood she barely recognizes. All that seems familiar are the house itself and the family's guest,Barnabas...

  • Barnabas Collins Versus the Warlock

    Book - 11

    David Collins and Amy Jennings, two charming, innocent children are suddenly turned into demons. At first their pranks only annoy Maggie Evans, their governess. But soon she realizes they have become malicious, bent on destroying all at Collinwood. ...

  • The Peril of Barnabas Collins

    Book - 12

    After falling in love with a beautiful heiress, Barnabas Collins makes a desperate attempt to find a cure for his vampire curse, He summons a Dr. Padel to Collinwood. But as time passes, Barnabas wonders if the doctor isn't using him for his ow...

  • Barnabas Collins and the Mysterious Ghost

    Book - 13

    Collinwood is plagues with a series of menacing events when a ballet troupe arrives there to perform for the summer tourists. One girl in particular, the beautiful Diana Samson, whom Barnabas has come to love, is repeatedly attacked by a mysterious, ...

  • Barnabas Collins and Quentin's Demon

    Book - 14

    When Quentin Collins invited Laura Balfour to Collinwood, they knew each other only from the correspondence that had grown out of Quentin's adminition for the haunting waltz her father had composed. Soon Quentin professes to love Laura--but is his lo...

  • Barnabas Collins and the Gypsy Witch

    Book - 15

    Warned by a gypsy witch that death will surround her, Roxanna Collins turns to her cousin Barnabas for help. But when Roxanna's father and brother are murdered, suspicion centers on Barnabas. To save his life, Barnabas must prove to Roxanna and the p...

  • Barnabas, Quentin and the Mummy's Curse

    Book - 16

    When Professor Anthony Collins decides to catalog his Egyptian relics at Collinwood, he brings with him the mummy of King Rehotip, who "died" over 2000 years ago. Only the professor knows that Rehotip is really in a state of suspended animation. One ...

  • Barnabas, Quentin and the Avenging Ghost

    Book - 17

    Carolyn's friend Celia Dalton visits Collinwood with her family and promptly begins suffering fainting spells during which others are violently attacked. Carolyn wonders if her friend may be possessed by the spirit of a murderer who recently cursed t...

  • Barnabas, Quentin and the Nightmare Assassin

    Book - 18

    Quentin tries to escape death at the hands of a hired killer. -- Carolyn Stoddard is knocked unconscious when the sports car she and Barnabas are riding in skids on a patch of ice. She regains consciousness in Collinwood with Barnabas and Quentin C...

  • Barnabas, Quentin and the Crystal Coffin

    Book - 19

    HOW LONG WILL COLLINWOOD'S EVIL FORCES ALLOW BETTY WARD TO SEARCH FOR HER SISTER'S KILLER Heiress Betty Ward is worried about her twin sister, who has eloped with Jeremy Frene. She follows them from Paris to the Frene estate at Collinwood -- but a...



  • Barnabas, Quentin and the Witch's Curse

    Book - 20

    Against her will, Anita Burgess accompanies her brother Jeffrey to Collinwood. He is determined to get revenge against Quentin Collins who he believes is responsible for his best friend's death. Pretending friendship toward Quentin, Anita and Jeff...

  • Barnabas, Quentin and the Haunted Cave

    Book - 21

    Harriet Turnbridge asks Barnabas Collins for help after her husband, her brother-in-law, and father-in-law are found dead, their throats savagely ripped open. The police insist the killer is a mad beast. Harriet thinks that the phantom recently se...

  • Barnabas, Quentin and the Frightened Bride

    Book - 22

    Ann and John Hayward's honeymoon at Collinwood slowly turns into a series of nightmares. Soon after their arrival, John, who is recovering from a war injury, falls victim to strange, violent spells. In a fit of irrational jealousy, he accuses his wif...

  • Barnabas, Quentin and the Scorpio Curse

    Book - 23

    IS THE SIGN OF SCORPIO THE MARK OF DEATH? Terror reigns at Collinwood when several patients at a nearby psychiatric clinic at which Barnabas Collins is a patient are stabbed to death. Each victim's forehead is marked with a scorpion, the zodiacal ...

  • Barnabas, Quentin and the Serpent

    Book - 24

    Professor Gerald Collins returns to Collinwood from an archaeological expedition to Mexico with several crates of animals -- giant rats, poisonous snakes and rare lizards. His daughter, Irma, turns to Barnabas for help. She fears her father also brou...

  • Barnabas, Quentin and the Magic Potion

    Book - 25

    A voice from beyond the grave warns Carolyn and Barnabas of the greatest danger Collinwood has ever known. Barnabas predicts trouble for Collinwood when Nicholas Freeze, in whose shop Carolyn Stoddard works, discovers a centuries old potion that p...

  • Barnabas, Quentin and the Body Snatchers

    Book - 26

    In an alien spaceship hidden in a swamp near Collinwood, Roger Collins and his friend, space scientist Murdoch Gray, lie bound and gagged--yet no one even knows they are missing! For their captors are able to change shapes at will, and two of them ha...

  • Barnabas, Quentin and Dr. Jekyll's Son

    Book - 27

    Before the blizzard cuts Collinswood off from the rest of the world, Barnabas Collins arrives there from England, bringing with him a friend, Dr. Henry Jekyll, who hopes to find a new life where no one knows he is the son of London's most savage murd...

  • Barnabas, Quentin and the Grave Robbers

    Book - 28

    "YOU SEE, PAULA, HOW WELL IT WILL WORK OUT. LILY WILL DRINK THE BLOOD OF THE VILLAGE MAIDENS -- AND BARNABAS WILL BE BLAMED." Paula stared at the evil doctor in horror. "Whatever happens to Barnabas, you'll still have Quentin to reckon with!" Dr....

  • Barnabas, Quentin and the Sea Ghost

    Book - 29

    Centuries ago, Jenny Swift ruled her cutthroat crew of pirates with a blacksnake whip. Now, legend says, her ghost still guards the treasure ship where it sank in Collinsport Cove, meting out death to those rash enough to seek her gold. But Norah Bli...



  • Barnabas, Quentin and the Mad Magician

    Book - 30

    When Cabrini, the world famous illusionist, comes to Collinwood, Carolyn Stoddard and her friend Beth Mayberry hope to work as his assistants. But suddenly Carolyn's anticipation changes to fear. Cabrini turns out to be a frightening figure, shrouded...

  • Barnabas, Quentin and the Hidden Tomb

    Book - 31

    ELLEN AWOKE TO SEE A GHOSTLY FIGURE MOVING THROUGH THE SHADOWS TO HER BEDSIDE. "Ellen!" Her name was whispered hoarsely, but she recognized the voice. It was Aunt Kate's. "What's wrong?" Ellen asked, getting out of bed. "Dying..." Ellen sprang ...

  • Barnabas, Quentin and the Vampire Beauty

    Book - 32

    While on a ski vacation in Switzerland, beautiful model Adele Marriot meets Dr. Stefan Soivak. He tells her of his discovery of an operating technique that will keep her forever thin. Adele agrees to have the operation and enters the doctor's clinic....

Series Premise

The novels revolve around the wealthy, cursed Collins family and their sprawling estate in the foggy coastal town of Collinsport, Maine. Central mysteries often involve hidden family secrets, inherited curses, ghostly hauntings, and romantic entanglements that threaten lives and sanity. Early books focus on Victoria Winters, a young governess arriving at Collins House (or Collinwood) to care for young David Collins. She seeks clues to her mysterious origins (abandoned as a baby with a note linking her to the Collinses) while facing dangers—mysterious attacks, shadowy figures, and family scandals—that suggest dark forces at work.

From book 6 onward (Barnabas Collins), the vampire Barnabas Collins becomes the dominant figure. Released from his coffin after centuries of entombment, Barnabas is a tragic, brooding 18th-century ancestor who roams the estate by night, struggling with his curse while pursuing romance and redemption. Plots typically feature a heroine (often a newcomer to Collinsport) drawn into the family's web—falling in love with Barnabas or another Collins, uncovering supernatural threats (vampirism, witchcraft, curses), and surviving perils like poisonings, near-fatal accidents, or vengeful spirits. Barnabas's vampiric nature adds gothic horror: he battles his bloodlust, protects loved ones, and occasionally leaves to spare them his curse. Recurring elements include the Collins family's dysfunctional dynamics, ancient portraits that seem to watch, hidden rooms, stormy nights, and the ever-present fog-shrouded cliffs. Each book delivers a self-contained romance-mystery with loose continuity—Victoria remains a recurring presence early on, while Barnabas headlines most titles—culminating in resolutions where love, courage, and revelation overcome darkness.



Dark Shadows Series Characters

Victoria Winters: The early protagonist—a young, orphaned governess with an unknown past. Intelligent, brave, and kind-hearted, she arrives at Collinwood seeking answers about her origins (a letter hints at a Collins connection). She faces constant danger while falling in love and uncovering family secrets. Victoria remains a recurring figure even after Barnabas takes center stage.



- Barnabas Collins: The breakout star from book 6 onward—a 200-year-old vampire, elegant, tragic, and cursed after a 1790s betrayal. Charismatic and tormented, he struggles with his bloodlust while protecting loved ones and seeking redemption. Often the romantic lead, he pursues heroines with intense, gothic passion.



- Supporting Collins family: Roger Collins (arrogant patriarch), Elizabeth Collins Stoddard (mysterious matriarch), David Collins (troubled boy), Carolyn Stoddard (glamorous niece), and others—often secretive, quarrelsome, and tied to ancient curses.



- Other key figures: Maggie Evans (local artist/waitress, occasional love interest), Willie Loomis (Barnabas's reluctant servant), various governesses, visiting strangers, ghosts, and villains (jealous rivals, vengeful spirits).

Setting of the Dark Shadows Series

The primary setting is Collinsport, Maine—a fictional, fog-enshrouded fishing village on the rugged New England coast. The heart of the series is Collinwood (Collins House in early books), a massive, decaying Gothic Revival mansion perched on cliffs overlooking the sea. The estate includes secret passages, hidden rooms, ancient portraits, a family cemetery, and the infamous Old House (Barnabas's original 18th-century residence, often his lair). The atmosphere is perpetually gloomy—stormy nights, howling winds, crashing waves, and thick fog that conceals dangers and secrets.



Collinsport itself adds small-town flavor: a harbor, local diner (often run by Maggie Evans's father), antique shops, and a tight-knit community wary of the Collins family's "curse." Occasional scenes venture to nearby woods, beaches, or Boston for plot twists, but the isolated, timeless mansion remains the focal point—symbolizing the family's haunted legacy and inescapable fate.

Tone & Themes of the Dark Shadows Series

The tone is classic 1960s–1970s gothic romance: atmospheric, melodramatic, and suspenseful, with a campy, over-the-top flair that embraces the era's paperback aesthetic. Ross's prose is florid and immersive—full of swirling fog, creaking mansions, pounding hearts, and brooding gazes—creating a sense of delicious dread balanced by romantic yearning. Heroines face constant peril (near-drownings, ghostly apparitions, murderous plots), but the danger feels thrilling rather than terrifying—no graphic violence or gore, just shadowy threats and narrow escapes.

Humor emerges unintentionally through exaggeration and repetition: endless "mysterious footsteps," swooning heroines, and Barnabas's tragic-monologue style lend a self-aware campiness. The supernatural is mild and romanticized—vampirism is more tragic curse than monstrous horror, with Barnabas often portrayed as a tormented Byronic hero. Overall, the tone is escapist and comforting: mysteries resolve neatly, love conquers curses, and virtue triumphs. It's addictive comfort reading—perfect for fans of soap-opera drama wrapped in gothic trappings.

The Dark Shadows novels by Marilyn Ross capture the essence of 1960s gothic romance tie-ins—atmospheric, melodramatic, and irresistibly campy—while expanding the TV show's world with original twists and vampire romance. Though not faithful adaptations, they deliver what fans craved: brooding Barnabas, imperiled heroines, haunted mansions, and satisfying resolutions amid fog and secrets. With 32 books of quick, addictive reads, the series offers nostalgic escapism—perfect for lovers of vintage paperbacks, soap-opera intrigue, and gothic chills. Ross's prolific output may feel formulaic, but that's part of the charm: reliable thrills in a timeless, cursed coastal world where love defies even the undead.



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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

There are 32 books in the Dark Shadows series.

The Dark Shadows series does not have a new book coming out soon. The latest book, Barnabas, Quentin and the Vampire Beauty (Book 32), was published in March 1972.

The first book in the Dark Shadows series, Dark Shadows, was published in December 1966.

The Dark Shadows series primarily falls into the Gothic genre.

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