Cassandra Peterson

Memoirs of the Mistress of the Dark

Yours Cruelly Elvira

Karen Scarlet 

Elvira has always been my hero, but now that I have read this book, Cassandra Peterson is too now.

Krystal Karim

WOW, this was so lovely and heart-wrenching and hilarious and—ahhh, I love hearing the fun details, coincidences, and of course the drama, of true life events, especially of a hero of mine🥺🥰

Heather Harrington

I've always been a massive fan of Elvira, and even wanted to be her growing up, so I couldn't pick this book up fast enough. It was so fascinating learning more about her childhood and life leading up to becoming such a horror icon. It was full of funny stories that sizzled with Peterson's trademark wit and campiness, while also being heartfelt and allowing to see into a more vulnerable side. I also highly recommend listening to the audiobook!

Becca Futrell

Not to be dramatic but this is definitely one of the best autobiographies I have ever read. I went through so many emotions reading this -- I laughed, I cried & my arms were constantly covered in gooseflesh. I didn't want my time with Elvira to ever end. 

10/10 recommend. I especially recommend checking out the audiobook as Cassandra Peterson narrates it!

Gladys Mejia

**Instant New York Times Bestseller, Los Angeles Times Bestseller, USA Today Bestseller, Publishers Weekly Bestseller** The woman behind the icon known as Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, the undisputed Queen of Halloween, reveals her full story, filled with intimate bombshells, told by the bombshell herself. On Good Friday in 1953, at only 18 months old, 25 miles from the nearest hospital in Manhattan, Kansas, Cassandra Peterson reached for a pot on the stove and doused herself in boiling water. Third-degree burns covered 35% of her body, and the prognosis wasn't good. But she survived. Burned and scarred, the impact stayed with her and became an obstacle she was determined to overcome. Feeling like a misfit led to her love of horror. While her sisters played with Barbie dolls, Cassandra built model kits of Frankenstein and Dracula, and idolized Vincent Price. Due to a complicated relationship with her mother, Cassandra left home at 14, and by age 17 she was performing at the famed Dunes Hotel in Las Vegas. Run-ins with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and Tom Jones helped her grow up fast. Then a chance encounter with her idol Elvis Presley, changed the course of her life forever, and led her to Europe where she worked in film and traveled Italy as lead singer of an Italian pop band. She eventually made her way to Los Angeles, where she joined the famed comedy improv group, The Groundlings, and worked alongside Phil Hartman and Paul "Pee-wee" Reubens, honing her comedic skills. Nearing age 30, a struggling actress considered past her prime, she auditioned at local LA channel KHJ as hostess for the late night vintage horror movies. Cassandra improvised, made the role her own, and got the job on the spot. Yours Cruelly, Elvira is an unforgettably wild memoir. Cassandra doesn't shy away from revealing exactly who she is and how she overcame seemingly insurmountable odds. Always original and sometimes outrageous, her story is loaded with twists, travails, revelry, and downright shocking experiences. It is the candid, often funny, and sometimes heart-breaking tale of a Midwest farm girl's long strange trip to become the world's sexiest, sassiest Halloween icon.

Yours Cruelly Elvira Memoirs of the Mistress of the Dark

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