"Curse of the Fairfield Witch" by Paul Ferrante
In the idyllic, picturesque town of Fairfield, Connecticut, T.J., his cousin LouAnne, and best buddy Bortnicker have found themselves to be local celebrities thanks to their local television show "Junior Gonzo Ghost Chasers". Their local fame has spread beyond the borders of the Constitution State thanks to previous ghost hunts the friends have taken on, but the three teenagers have somehow found time for other pursuits. T.J. is playing Legion Ball and Beatlemaniac Bortnicker can always find time listen to some deep tracks or brush up on trivia regarding his favorite band. In "Curse of the Fairfield Witch", Paul Ferrante's fourth installment of the T.J. Jackson series,
"Curse" starts in 1662, where Charity Blessing finds herself accused of witchcraft. The young woman faces hostility from the entire town of Fairfield, including her father, who is a respected member of the community and seems to be more interested in his standing with his peers than with his daughter's welfare. Charity must stand trial and face a trial by water in the local pond. Following that, she stands trial before the town, is convicted of being a witch, and hanged for her "crime". Before the sentence is carried out, Charity lays a curse upon the town.
Meanwhile, in the 21st century, The Gonzo Ghost Hunters find themselves with another case. Reverend Stirling, the new minister of T.J.'s church, has asked the youngsters to investigate some paranormal activity on the property. Meanwhile, T.J. is experiencing one of his clairvoyant episodes. Something is trying to communicate with him from the other side. He enlists the help of LouAnne and Bortnicker to investigate these phenomena. Joining them is Mr. Sherwood at the local Historical Society and Detective Susan Morosko of the Fairfield Police Department. The Ghost Hunters adventures take them to Florida where Bortnicker's knowledge of the Beatles comes in handy, Boston's Fenway Park where they are invited to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, and a tunnel that runs between the First Community Church and the local graveyard. The tunnel looks to be sound, and the teens are confident they can use it. Then again, you're always confident about a dirt tunnel until it collapses.
In the middle of putting clues together for the latest ghost hunt, there is also a Jaguar Convention the kids attend with T.J.'s father, a food fight at the local Tasteefreez ice cream shop, and the mystery man Bortnkicker's mother is dating. His mom won't say who he is, but Bortnicker finds out on his own, and isn't sure he wan't to know any more when he does.
The Gonzo Ghost Hunters are able to communicate to Charity, who reminds them of the curse put on the town on the day she died. When nothing else works, they turn to the Governor of Connecticut, hoping to obtain a pardon for Charity and save the town from the threats of her curse. T.J., LouAnne, and Bortnicker must survive long enough to confront Charity's ghost one final time and remove the curse from Fairfield.
"Curse of the Fairfield Witch" is based on historical events that took place in the town in the late 17th century. Readers of all ages, not just the young adults will enjoy the banter among the teens and the engaging action sequences that put character in danger. There are also uncomfortable conversations with members of the historical society and the clergy when it comes to what happened to the accused witches and why. The mix of historical events and fictitious details of the novel make for an exciting read, especially for Colonial History buffs.
"Curse of the Fairfield Witch" is available for purchase (eBook) on Lulu, Kindle, and Nook. Paperback copies can be purchased on Amazon and BarnesandNoble.com.
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