The Storycatcher

Hite (Ghost on Black Mountain) returns to the North Carolina territory for the story of Shelly Parker, a 16-year-old servant who works for the local pastor and his family. For as long as she can remember, Shelly has been able to see and hear the spirits of the Black Mountain dead. When the ghost of Arleen Brown begins to haunt Faith, Pastor Dobbin's daughter, threatening to reveal past sins the girl turns to Shelly for help. In the face of growing pressure from both the spirits and Faith's father, the girls join forces and make their way through the Depression-era South, from North Carolina to the Georgia coast in search of a man who holds answers for them both. Pastor Brown's organized religion battles the folk beliefs that Shelly channels for the souls of Black Mountain. Through multiple perspectives, Hite delivers a traditional Southern gothic tale infused with the supernatural. With ghosts abounding and a driving mystery, Hite's over-the-top language seems unnecessary, and often too many voices muddle an otherwise spellbinding tale. But those who enjoyed Ghost on Black Mountain will find much to enjoy. (Sept. 10)