Midnight Whispers
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Midnight Whispers is the fourth novel in the Cutler series, written in 1992 by the ghost-writer of V. C. Andrews novels, Andrew Neiderman. The novel follows the traditional formula of Andrews novels, and by being the fourth in its series, it thereby centres around the child of the protagonist of the first three novels.
[edit] Plot summary
Christie Cutler is the daughter of Dawn and her one time love Michael Sutton. Christie is a promising musician whose mother owns and operates the prestigious 'Cutlers Cove' hotel. They live nearby with Christie's loving stepfather Jimmy and her younger half-brother Jefferson while her Uncle Philip, his wife Bet, and their twin children Richard and Melanie reside in the family section of Cutler's Cove.
The story commences on Christie's sixteenth birthday. A grand party is being held at the hotel for her extended family and school friends, but to Christie, the only person whose arrival matters to her is her stepfather's younger brother Gavin. Jimmy's troublesome, college-student sister Fern also arrives, and presents Christie with a copy of "Lady Chatterley's Lover". Christie throws it into her closet, appalled with her aunt's promiscuous nature. Christie's party is a sensation despite further disruptions by Fern, and the evening concludes with Gavin confessing his love for Christie.
Some weeks after the party, Christie and Jefferson return home from school to find that Cutlers Cove has burned to the ground and their parents were killed in the blaze. It is revealed that their Uncle Philip and Aunt Bet are now their legal guardians, and they precede to move into Christie's house to establish themselves as the new heads of the Cutler empire. Aunt Bet continues to explain to Jefferson and Christie that they must all compromise and sacrifice, however Christie notices that it is only Jefferson and herself that are sacrificing for their troublesome cousins. Aunt Bet and Christie begin habitually quarrelling after Aunt Bet picks on Jefferson, and Richard frames him for naughty deeds. Christie pleads to her uncle to allow Jefferson and herself freedom in their own home, but Philip sides with his wife.
Gradually, Christie comes to notice her uncle's focus is more driven on adorning her with affection and private, intimate conversations. After he precedes to present her with lingerie and watch her bathe, Christie grows disturbed and worried by her uncle's behaviour. Yet, it is not until after her Aunt Bet finds the forgotten copy of "Lady Chatterley's Lover" and punishes her that her suspicions evolve into fear. Later that night, Her Uncle Philip, overcome by desire, and fury at never having been able to possess her mother, enters her room and rapes her. Heartbroken and confused, Christie packs her and Jefferson's things in the middle of the night and buys them bus tickets to New York, in search of her mysterious father. But her father, a rundown, drunken singer, in no way fits the image Christie had of him, and in her disappointment she leaves and calls the only man she still believes in, Gavin. Christie confesses to Gavin what her uncle has done to her, and in his fury and disgust he refuses to allow her to return home. Together they leave to hide out at 'The Meadows', the mysterious, ancestral plantation where Christie was born. Her Aunt Charlotte, a simple minded, but sweet woman who is somewhat childlike is now the owner with her husband, and gladly they take them in.
Gavin and Christie begin to explore the grounds, and gradually they learn many of the family's long hidden secrets that have remained buried inside the house, along with the torture Dawn suffered at the hands of Emily when she was pregnant with Christie. But gradually the isolation pulls them closer together, until Christy and Gavin finally consummate their relationship with Christie asking Gavin to take away her shame by making her love for him feel right.
But when Jefferson becomes terribly ill, Christie is forced to come out of hiding to save her brothers life, and in an instant her uncle comes to reclaim her. Frightened of him, but more so for her brothers life, Christie has no choice but to return with him. Gavin tries to stay with her, but Philip forces him out and takes his niece to their home. Christie is miserable and frightened back in her childhood home that she no longer feels safe or at home in. On the brink of insanity, Philip drives Christie out to a place where he took her mother years ago, and again tries to rape her. Christie manages to fight him off, and runs to her grandmothers husband, who finally learns what Philip has done. Philip is found to be mentally ill, and is taken away, while Aunt Bet and the cousins move out of Christie and Jefferson’s house.
The novel concludes with Jefferson recovering, and Christie and Gavin making plans for the future, including Christie's intention to become a pianist. It appears that the Cutler 'curse' has finally been broken.
