Before the Devil Fell

Book excerpt: In this contemporary ghost story, a man uncovers haunting family secrets—and a hidden tradition of witchcraft—in his New England hometown. College professor Will Connor tries to keep his distance from the village north of Boston where he grew up. But now that he’s back to care for his injured mother, he finds himself reexamining a horrific incident that took place years ago during one of his mother’s “spirit circles.” His mother had embraced the hippie generation’s fascination with New Age and the arcane, but the unexpected death of a close friend put an end to the meetings of the modern-day coven. Or so he thought. As Will looks deeper into his family’s history he discovers that her practices weren’t so much a passing fad but the latest link in a long tradition of New England witchcraft—a tradition that still seems to hold a strange power over the town. Will hopes that unearthing the facts about the death will put his questions to rest, but there are those willing to resort to violence to keep those secrets buried. “Equal parts engaging and creepy, this twisty tale deftly examines how secrets and regret can continue to reverberate through generations. A suspenseful story that examines how families haunt each other in life and death; possibly too creepy for late-night reading.” —Kirkus Reviews