Three Witches

Aliya, Gillian and Miya have specific reasons for wanting to make contact with the spirit of Trevor, a boy killed in a car accident. Aliya, his “secret” girlfriend, wants to say good-bye; Gillian wants to find out the whereabouts of money owed her; and Miya needs to make amends for harsh words spoken to Trevor shortly before his death. Connected by their common desire and pooling their knowledge of various forms of magic, the girls hold two séances that have shocking consequences. Those interested in the occult will likely be drawn to this novel, but the execution of this eerie story has mixed results. A convoluted subplot pertaining to Trevor's involvement in a dating service comes off as strained, and the female protagonists perhaps too pointedly represent three different ethnic groups, belief systems and branches of spiritualism (Islamic, Caribbean, Japanese). On the upside, Jolin (In the Name of God ) gives each of the girls compelling internal conflicts, and her provocative open ending will leave readers debating just how successful the girls are in their attempt to bring Trevor back from the dead.Ages14–up. (Aug.)