A TANGLE OF SPELLS

In this third series entry, Betty Widdershins and her sisters move to a peculiar village shrouded in witchcraft.

As 7-year-old Charlie, 13-year-old Betty, and 17-year-old Fliss move with Father and Granny from Crowstone to Pendlewick, they are filled with hope only to find their dilapidated new home, Blackbird Cottage, resembles a witch’s house. Warned to not talk about magic, they nevertheless keep encountering stories of witches in Pendlewick. A secret room in their cottage reveals the portrait and diary of Ivy, a girl who lived there but vanished two years ago after weird happenings made it appear she was a witch. After Miss Webb, a suspicious old woman, seems to curse her, Fliss begins to act dazed and bewitched. Suspecting that what happened to Ivy may now be happening to Fliss, Betty and Charlie spy on Miss Webb and are shocked to discover that there may be more to her story than they realized. Meanwhile, other elements in Pendlewick surreptitiously pursue Fliss for their own nefarious purposes while duping the villagers. Aided by Charlie, Betty must rely on her wits and a pinch of her own magic to untangle an insidious web of spells, leading them through treacherous Tick Tock Forest and back to Crowstone as they try to save their sister. Bizarre occurrences, unexpected revelations, and the overall dark, brooding atmosphere of isolation, suspense, and duplicity effectively reinforce the dominant witchcraft theme. Main characters read as White.

Another intriguing, memorable adventure.