Possessed

Gr 10-Up Deftly striking just the right balance between the horror of the supernatural and the reality of human nature gone awry, "Possessed" will keep readers turning the pages. Rayne is stifledby the oppressive summer heat and endless noise of her impoverished London neighborhood, by her controlling boyfriend, and by her mother's demands. Sick of it all, she decides to take a job as a waitress at a historic estate in a faraway village. Rumors of ghastly events throughout its long history surround Morton's Keep, and a feeling of genuine terror overwhelms Rayne when she enters the house. Yet fear, ghost hunters, and odd fire rituals cannot keep her from loving the peace of the wilderness far away from the city. When she meets up with a local clique led by mysterious and attractive St. John, she becomes even more enthralled. Yet the more involvement she has with him, the more his increasingly dark and disturbing behavior frightens her. Ultimately, a horrifying revelation leads Rayne down a secret passage into a hidden cellar where she discovers the whole truth in a truly frightening ending. Cann sidesteps the common pitfalls that plague many horror stories, including predictability and incredulity. She has created an interesting juxtaposition between the dangers of living in a hardscrabble urban environment and the terror of living in a spiritually possessed country estate. Artful writing and well-developed characters help the story flow seamlessly. A highly readable and wonderfully frightening tale."Tara Kehoe, Plainsboro Public Library, NJ" Copyright 2010 Media Source Inc.