Reprisal

Whenever accused child murderer (and defrocked priest) Bill Ryan is near a telephone, it wails a continuous ring. As soon as somebody answers it, the caller, a long-dead boy, begs to be rescued from the psycho who killed him. A fugitive from the law, Ryan (using the alias Will Ryerson) is stalked by a primeval and malevolent force across America in this successfully formulaic installment of the horror series begun in The Keep. Detective Sergeant Renaldo Augustino is also hunting Ryan, and plans to torture Ryan before arresting him. Meanwhile, the evil entity is settling an old grudge with Ryan by killing his loved ones. However, the fugitive's fear is neither of apprehension nor death, but of the child whom he buried five years ago in an unmarked grave. A large cast of characters fleshes out the ranks in Wilson's stagy battle pitting good against evil. (Sept.)