THE WITCHFINDER'S SERPENT

A teenager must confront an evil that has ties to 17th-century witch hunts in Goodwin’s YA fantasy novel, the first of a prospective series.

After losing their father, 14-year-old Nate Watson and his 12-year-old brother, Marc, go to live with their paternal aunt, whom they didn’t know existed. They move from New York City and settle into Aunt Celia’s Windsor, Connecticut, home and community for the better part of a year. But a locked room—the only place in Celia’s home that’s off-limits—is impossible for them to ignore, especially after Nate overhears his aunt having a conversation with someone there that indicates that she’s keeping secrets from the boys. When the brothers later peek inside, they find books about demonology and witches, as well as a small, metal representation of a snake that wraps itself around Nate’s wrist. They also inadvertently unleash an imprisoned menace named Malleus Hodge, who threatens Nate’s friends and family in a bid to get the bracelet. Nate learns that he’s up against dark “magick” and evil creatures, connected to the Watson family and centuries-old New England witch trials. Fortunately, he, Marc, and Celia have allies to help combat their sinister, daunting foe. Goodwin ably weaves real-life history into this swiftly paced narrative; intermittent chapters set in the mid-1600s reference the first-known person executed for witchcraft in the American colonies. This plotline intertwines with those of Nate’s family and the villain they’re determined to stop, and the periodically tightening bracelet serves as a constant reminder that time is short. A host of appealing characters make up the cast; at one point, for example, Nate and his pal Jenn Quigley appealingly challenge a hulking school bully, and Marc is amusingly curious throughout. For a series opener, the author supplies a wealth of details, including backstories and insight into various types of magick. The final act offers some closure while also revealing a few surprises that could kickstart a sequel.

Well-developed characters enliven an absorbing novel that promises a bewitching saga to come.