The Mark of Cain

Gr 9 Up—Four years after the terrifying events of Long Lankin, Cora and Mimi inherit Guerdon Hall, returning to a scene of horror that is no less distressing after their father updates the property. What has been removed in the name of cleaning and remodeling is revealed to be just what has been protecting the family from the one who truly hates them, Aphra Rushes, a woman burned as a witch 400 years earlier. Aphra tells her painful tale of grief and obsession to readers as Cora's experience unfolds, and the mists and whispers of Guerdon take on a whole new dimension as the dark, sad secrets of the past are brought to light. This ghost story has a traditional feel, with tight prose that pulls readers in quick and holds them close, drawing them into the creepiness of a haunted house that becomes a character in its own right. Aphra and Lankin (from the previous novel), outcast and obsessed, still bear enough humanity to create a conflict in teens' minds as to the true extent of the evil in their tormented souls.