The Sentinel by Jeffrey Konvitz

JetBlackDragonfly

5 days ago

2 min read

This supernatural thriller holds its own with Rosemary's Baby, The Exorcist, and The Omen. You may know this story, but this review may have some spoilers.

Allison Parker, a New York model, returns from the funeral of her father with one of his possessions, a silver crucifix. She can finally move past a history of family trauma. Staying with her lawyer boyfriend Michael, she needs a new apartment and responds to an ad for a brownstone. The agent, Miss Logan, is happy to show her the 3.5 rooms filled with Victorian furniture. Allison meets her neighbors: Charles Chazen, an eccentric old man who talks to his pet bird and cat Jezebel, and a lesbian couple without sexual boundaries. Outside, she notices another neighbor on the fifth floor, a priest sitting in a chair facing the window, hands clasped around a cross. Old and blind, Father Halliran never goes out, his rent paid for by the Archdiocese of New York. Mr. Chazen invites her to his cat's birthday party where she meets the other neighbors; all a little strange, or perhaps just harmless old people. From that day, she is plagued by paralyzing headaches and nausea. There is metallic clanging in the night, and during a nightmare of discovering an intruder in the building, she stabs at them with a knife and runs hysterically out into the night. Detective Gatz arrives to hospitalize her, as there is no blood, and no body can be found. She must be hallucinating.

Spoilers:

Michael tracks down Monsignor Franchino at the Archdiocese, who says there is no connection to a Father Halliran, no ad in the newspaper can be found, and the agent Miss Logan does not exist. All of it is a lie - to orchestrate Allison into becoming Sister Therese, the replacement for Father Halliran. A blind nun to watch over the gateway to Hell.

Even knowing the story, I was spooked. This is one of the better supernatural thrillers of the time, with a unique plot based on character. The finale builds as the Devil sees a chance during transition to overtake the portal. With good pacing and a chilling atmosphere, this was adapted for film in 1977. Starring Christina Raines and Chris Sarandon, it scared the pants off me, and I was reluctant to read this for a long time.

With Ava Gardner and Burgess Meredith in supporting roles, it was Beverly D'Angelo's film debut, with parts for Christopher Walken, Jeff Goldblum, and Richard Dreyfuss.

1974 / Paperback / 280 pages