The Witch Door — Elisabeth Ogilvie

A sleepy summer island off the Maine coast - "Elisabeth Ogilvie country" to an ever wider reading public - becomes the scene of baffling and terrifying events when Craig Atwood, after a mysterious eight-year absence, suddenly returns to his wife and children.

Although they greet him wtih somewhat varied emotions, ranging from the undisguised hero-worship of his 14-year-old son to the open distrust of his wife, Megan, he manages to force his way into the family life again by a combination of infinite charm and an almost threatening insistence. Megan, once filled with bitterness at his desertion, has nearly forgotten him in the prospect of a happy second marriage. But their son, Chris, is caught up in adoration for a father he believes spent the eight years as a prisoner of war in Korea - an illusion shared by the neighbors who welcome Craig to the little community.

Although Craig's behavior quickly begins to suggest that there is more than a sentimental change of heart behind his unwelcome appearance, Megan is forced into the temporary pretense of accepting him, and at times he even seems in genuine need of his family and their love. But his apparent thoughtfulness always turns out to be caprice or calculation, and his sudden moments of affection do not completely hide a cruelty he enjoys, a power he abuses.

Megan's pose soon becomes unendurable, and her dilemma changes into a nightmare of horror as she begins to understand the mystery of his eight-year absence and the shocking reasons for his return.

In The Witch Door, the sights and sounds of a tranquil wooded island, its colorful summer life and carefree pleasures are recreated by a sensitive and gifted novelist. The drama is told in Elisabeth Ogilvie's skillful blending of mystery, romance, and intrigue - a combination which, coupled with her extraordinary characterizations of islanders, will make The Witch Door a vivid, exciting event for Miss Ogilvie's fans and for new readers everywhere.