- Source: Review Copy
- Pages: 218
- Publisher: Black Raptor Books
- Publication Date: 3 September 2021
- My Rating: 4/5
Goodreads Blurb
The Ghost-Witch, a demonic being born of the dead body of a shaman who chose black magic. This centuries-old evil has plagued The Two Spears and Four Claws clans for generations. Now the evil has returned, once again threatening the lives of a young mother and her twin babies. It is an evil that temporarily killed and banished with fire and magic, but it can never be destroyed. It is a source of great shame for the clans. So much so, that it is never spoken about outside of the tribe.
Maggie Four Claws, Grandma Opal, and the rest of the clans move into action to hunt down and banish the Ghost Witch but will they find the evil in time enough to destroy it and save Rebecca and her babies?
My Review
The story of Skadegemutc: Ghost Witch takes place in a town where an evil spirit has been haunting Native American clans for many generations. The spirit takes the form of a maiden and takes the lives of twins. The events in the novel take place among three different timelines. In the present timeline, a couple with twins moves into the town and encounters the haunted place which the locals call Haunted Gap, despite the subtle warnings given to them by the townspeople.
The first scene of the book itself had an aura of mystery and darkness mixed with sensuality. It is also the scene in which the evil spirit is introduced and it left an impression that made me intrigued to continue with the book. Almost every chapter is narrated from a different perspective which kept the story interesting.
I really enjoyed the world-building and fantastical elements in the novel. It is fast-paced and a lot of dangerous events start to happen one after the other. I was interested to read what destruction would take place next as a result of the haunted place and how the lives of the different characters would be affected. The element of suspense is strong in this book. There were a lot of gruesome scenes that enhanced its horror overtone.
Not all the narratives in the different timelines were equally interesting. Also, I felt that there were too many characters and therefore, not many stood out.
The book is short and keeps the reader on edge in true thriller fashion. It ends with an exciting twist that I did not see coming. If you are a fan of thriller stories based on legends and folklore, I would highly recommend this book.
