The Door Between

Continuing the story begun in Fours Crossing and Watersmeet, Garden's new novel puts Melissa at the crossroads of youth and womanhoodat a time when she has the chance to prove herself as the true Keeper who will join the Old Ways with the New. Even before Melissa is sure of her destiny, the hermit who clings to the Old Ways has beset Fours Crossing with problems in the form of wild, destructive dogs, through which bulletseven silver onespass. Melissa wins the hermit over with a newfound compassion and maturity. Despite evocative descriptions of a New England town under siege, the story has problems for readers unfamiliar with the other books. There is a laborious retelling of key elements from the past. These contribute to the suspense of the story, but the sheer bulk of references to earlier events ultimately renders the plot more dependent on the other books, rather than less. Ages 10-up. (July)