At the corner he thought he heard a soft rustling behind him. He turned and looked back, peering into the darkness and hearing the blood pound in his ears. But nothing seemed to be there.
As he climbed the hill, Lewis saw someone standing beneath a streetlight halfway up the slope. It looked like a woman. At first he thought it might be Mrs. Zimmermann. But then he noticed that the figure wore a long black dress and a black veil. Lewis had never seen Mrs. Zimmermann in anything but her favorite color, purple. He slowed down, wondering who this stranger could be.
She must have heard his footsteps, because she looked toward him and took a step back. Lewis breathed a sigh of relief. She looked as timid as he felt. He decided to hurry on past her.
Just as he reached the circle of light beneath the street lamp, the woman spoke to him in a tentative, low voice: "Young man? May I ask you something?"
Lewis edged away. He had always heard you weren't supposed to talk to strangers, but it seemed impolite just to run past her. Besides, her voice sounded a little worried. Probably she just needed directions. "Y-yes?" he said.
"Do you think I'm pretty?" asked the woman, and reaching up, she tore the veil away.
Lewis felt rooted to the spot. The woman's eyes were burning. But her mouth -- her mouth! It was a red gash straight across her face, from ear to ear. It split open, revealing dozens of sharp, curving yellow teeth.
An evil wizard, a mysterious island, a dark tower, and a frightening monster are just some of the elements in this gripping new Lewis Barnavelt adventure. When Lewis, his uncle Jonathan, and their friends Rose Rita Pottinger and Mrs. Zimmermann vacation near Lake Superios, they encounter the ghastly Ishmael Izard, a sorcerer who's determined to destroy the world. Will they be strong enough to defeat him, or will their fate be decided by their formidable foe?