Monday, November 26, 2018

The Figure in the Shadows by John Bellairs


(hb; 1975: second book in the Lewis Barnavelt mysteries. Drawings by Mercer Mayer.)

From the back cover

“Lewis is sure that Grampa Barnavelt’s 1859 lucky coin is really a magic talisman in disguise. With its power, he could do anything he wanted─like get back at bully Woody Mingo, but as soon as he begins wearing the coin around his neck, strange things start to happen. Mysterious letters arrive in the dead of night. A strange, shadowy figure seems to be tracking him. And when Lewis finally gets his revenge on Woody, he feels as if someone else is in his body, urging him to go even further. Has Lewis awakened a force beyond his control?”


Review

Like its predecessor work, The Clock With a House in Its Walls, Figure is a fun, fast-paced tale of magic, familial warmth and spookiness. It is darker and more scary than Clock, but that does not detract from its excellence, and the addition of Rose Rita made this even more worthwhile. Followed by The Letter, the Witch and the Ring.

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