Isis

Clegg (The Abandoned ) expands the burgeoning backstory of his multivolume Harrow haunted house saga with this poignant chamber tragedy involving young Iris Catherine Villiers (who, as an adult, will become Isis Claviger, oracle of the spook-ridden Hudson Valley academy). One of four children growing up on her family's Cornwall estate, Iris conveniently stumbles upon books of occult lore in her grandfather's library shortly before beloved brother Harvey dies while saving her life. Grief-stricken and guilt-ridden, Iris invokes a resurrection ritual, and the devastating results show how the worst horrors can grow out of misdirected love. This potent novella, one of Clegg's best, is both a stand-alone triumph and a powerful new chapter in his evolving series. (Nov..)