The Thirteen

January 2, 2012
Canadian author Moloney (The Dwelling) examines the price women will pay for their desires in this creepy visit to a contemporary suburbia inhabited by witches. The witches of Haven Woods have all made sacrifices to achieve their mortal desires: talented children, successful spouses, and career and physical goals. When the bond of the sisterhood begins to weaken after a member’s fiery death, Isadora Riley believes that the widowed daughter, Paula, and granddaughter, Rowan, of rebellious member Audra Wittmore hold the key to appeasing their dark master. Atmospheric details like the neighborhood spook house, numerous
local cats, and the commonality of warding devices are anchored in the minutiae of everyday life. Sure to evoke comparisons to Fritz Leiber’s Conjure Wife, this evocative story will also appeal to fans of Kelley Armstrong’s early works. Agent: Daniel Lazar, Writers House.

February 1, 2012

Paula Wittmore was forced to leave the idyllic community of Haven Woods when she was just 16. Life has since been tough for her, now 28, and Rowan, her 12-year-old daughter. Things may be taking a turn for the better when Paula is summoned home to care for her ill mother. Paula and Rowan quickly learn that Haven Woods, where residents seem to have everything they could ever need or want, isn't as picture-perfect as it seems. The town has a dangerous dark side, one led by a circle of 12 sisters that is on the hunt for the 13th member to join their circle, and a human sacrifice is all that is needed to seal the deal. VERDICT An eerie blend of The Stepford Wives, The Witches of Eastwick, and Desperate Housewives. Moloney's fourth novel (after The Dwelling) features a cast of bewitching characters and a creepy story that will stick with the reader long afterward.--Amy M. Davis, Parmly Billings Lib., MT

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