What's the Name of That Book??? discussion

The Vengeance of the Witch-Finder
This topic is about The Vengeance of the Witch-Finder
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SOLVED: Children's/YA > SOLVED. Boy goes into maze at uncles house and awakens an evil spirit [s]

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message 1: by Sharon (last edited Sep 06, 2014 01:17PM) (new)

Sharon Hudgins | 1 comments I got this book from a book fair when I was in elementary school but it was soooo creepy. The title had something about a witch doctor or witch hunter in it. It was about a boy who was sent to live with his uncle. He had a friend who was blind who came and visited him. One night the two boys went to explore in the uncles maze of hedges and found a secret tunnel that led them to a tomb of sorts. When they opened the tomb, an evil spirit was released and it possessed his uncle and the maid in the house. The main character and his blind friend used to write postcards with descriptions of weather that correlated to how they were actually doing. Ex: It's warm and sunny meant they were doing well. "It cloudy and we had a tornado" meant help this evil spirit is trying to kill me. There was also a necklace containing a nail used in the crucifixion of Jesus somewhere in there. Please help me find it!


message 2: by bookel (new)

bookel | 4029 comments The Maze by Elizabeth Hawkins.
Andrew befriended Simeon, a blind boy. There's an ancient maze on a hill. Good story.


message 3: by Ann aka Iftcan (new)

Ann aka Iftcan (iftcan) | 6917 comments Mod
The Maze for the click for bookel's suggestion.


message 4: by Lobstergirl, au gratin (new)

Lobstergirl | 44924 comments Mod
We have to wait to hear from the OP to tell us. Looks like she was last active on Sept. 7.


message 5: by bookel (new)

bookel | 4029 comments Review from The School Librarian (see Google Books).
"While their parents work away from home for the summer, Andrew, Bella and Joanna are sent to stay with relation Beatrice on her farm in Dorset. Beatrice is wary of men and hence treats Andrew unfavourably. Andrew meanwhile befriends Simeon - a blind boy of Romany descent who has a curious second sight - and together they build a model of the farm. Beatrice initially blames the boys for a series of unexplained mishaps, though they eventually manage to prove themselves innocent and worthy of Beatrice's respect. Since their arrival, Joanna has been unusually introverted, spending most of her time at an old Druid turf maze in the woods. It transpires that she has been chosen by Tailltu. a pagan goddess, as a sacrifice at the maze owing to the expected poor harvest. But Andrew and Simeon intervene, offering another sacrifice, and Joanna is saved. ..."


message 6: by Lobstergirl, au gratin (new)

Lobstergirl | 44924 comments Mod
There's no mention of an uncle in that description, and the title doesn't match Sharon's memory. Beatrice is a cousin. Sharon also didn't mention a girl, and it seems like a lot of the story is focused on Joanna.

There are so many children's books about creepy mazes that I'm hesitant to say that's the correct book.


message 7: by bookel (last edited Jan 26, 2017 09:44PM) (new)

bookel | 4029 comments It was hard to recall details. Would have been easier if the OP had returned to say it wasn't the book. However, I just did a quick search, maze blind intitle:witch. Found the correct one. It's on openlibrary.org and can be borrowed as an ebook free.

https://www.amazon.com/Vengeance-Witc...

The vengeance of the witch-finder by John Bellairs.


message 8: by Lobstergirl, au gratin (new)

Lobstergirl | 44924 comments Mod
Good find! The GR link is:
The Vengeance of the Witch-Finder

Kirkus says:

"When Lewis Barnevelt and his uncle Jonathan (last met in The Letter, the Witch and the Ring, 1976) stop over at the family manor in Sussex during a tour of Europe, Lewis accidentally releases a malevolent spirit, imprisoned since the 17th century. Later, the two are seized by the ghost of Malachiah Pruitt, a Puritan "witch -finder " defeated by a Barnevelt ancestor, now back for revenge. The atmosphere and supernatural effects here are particularly eerie, even for Bellairs; beyond the usual nightmares, portents, apparitions, and peculiar old documents, Lewis must contend with being hustled off to a hidden torture chamber and a vicious invisible monster, and barely escapes a maze with twigs that grasp like fingers and bleed when broken. With the help of Bertram, a blind friend, plus a particularly potent amulet....." etc.


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