Florence Stevenson (1920–1991)

How many romances start with the heroine being drowned in the first chapter? Ophelia is the devoted pet cat of a wealthy, eccentric woman, and the caretaker promptly drowns the beast so the the nephew will get the fortune. Ophelia returns as a naked, attractive woman, and is seeking revenge on her murderer while keeping the secret of just how she knows so much about the house, and so little about life. For cat-lovers, those who don't take their romances TOO seriously, and those who enjoy wry humor.… (mehr)

I'm not sure how this ever got published; but I'm glad it did. Curse is a hilarious send-up of every gothic romance ever, and most of the paranormal romances as well. After saying goodbye to the family ghost (which like Jane hid up in the attic to avoid the noisy, boisterous children), Jane becomes a governess (but of course) to the Concullens. And almost the first thing Jane does is strike up a friendship with the Concullen family bean-shee; ("And if I'd have known what hard work it was to be a bean-shee, I never would have drownded meself!"). The rest of the family is none too normal, either, and Jane soon fits right in. A wonderful romp.… (mehr)