From Publishers Weekly
With more than 30 books under his belt, veteran suspense novelist Saul is back with a horror novel featuring witchcraft, teen revenge and a haunted house. Angel Sullivan, a plain-looking 14-year-old who never fits in, gets a chance for a fresh start when her family moves into the plush community of Roundtree. Myra, her obsessively religious mother, and Marty, her lazy, alcoholic father, buy a house on Black Creek Crossing, even though the place is rumored to be haunted. Soon after they settle in, a black cat mysteriously appears out of thin air, smoke from a nonexistent fire fills the house and a girl's face appears in the darkness, reflected in a mirror. Meanwhile, Angel, wi?h the help of another school outcast, Seth Baker, begins to investigate the history of the house. They discover an ancient book of spells that may have belonged to the house's original owners, members of a Salem-like community of witches, and the teens proceed to cast spells on the bullies who torment them. But the sinister forces inhabiting the house are just biding their time until they turn their malice on Angel and Seth. Saul crafts a few passable scenes—the potions Angel and Seth concoct work in clever ways—but the chills are few and far between in this lackluster, paint-by-the-numbers horror tale.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From AudioFile
Thirteen-year-old Angel Sullivan learns her family has just moved into a house where two witches once lived before they were hanged in 1693. But their spirits don't rest easy in their graves. They show themselves to Angel and her new friend, Seth, and begin to shape the children's lives for both good and evil. This is a book for kids in middle or high school. Experienced readers may find the material a bit flat. The magical parts aren't particularly magical. Lee Meriwether's performance, on the other hand, is enchanting. She evokes terror and other emotions well. Her pacing, delivery, and character portraits are consistent and confident. She gives the book better treatment than it deserves. R.G.M. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
