Yours Cruelly, Elvira: Memoirs of the Mistress of the Dark

Peterson’s memoir of life in the limelight is titled after her iconic role but covers a much more storied career. Peterson narrates, delivering the product in a polished manner that incorporates her distinctive brand of humor. As is the case for many Baby Boomers, the music of her era helps define her through childhood and drives the direction of her career. She covers the tumultuous years of Beatlemania and the summer of love before sharing stories of finding work as dancer and singer in the 1970s. She has encountered seemingly every classic rock star, from Frank Zappa to Jimi Hendrix to Elvis. However, the meat really begins when she moves to acting, and lands the role of Elvira. Here, her voice shows its greatest enthusiasm for the character, as well as her compassion for animals, though the narrative turns away from show biz stories and further toward her personal life.