The Vengeance of the Witch-Finder

Lewis Barnavelt #5

by John Bellairs, Brad Strickland (Completed by)

Something evil has taken over…
 
Lewis Barnavelt and his uncle are in England, visiting a cousin at Barnavelt Manor. Lewis quickly becomes friends with the housekeeper’s son, and as the two boys explore a garden maze, Lewis accidentally unleashes demonic forces that summon the ghost of an evil wizard bent on destroying his entire family.  Can Lewis fight the maniacal wizard, or will all the Barnavelts perish?
 
* “Chock-full of deliciously spooky details and narrated in a voice that is as cozy as it is ornery, this tale is utterly spellbinding.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
 
“The well-devised plot and the spooky atmosphere will please the series' many fans as well as new readers who like their mystery stories scary.”
—Booklist
 
“Satisfyingly hair-raising.”
—Kirkus Reviews

Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Fiction, Young Adult, Mystery, Childrens, Paranormal

153 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

John Bellairs (1938–1991) was an American novelist. He is best known for the children's classic The House with a Clock in its Walls (1973) and the fantasy novel The Face in the Frost (1969). Bellairs held a bachelor's degree from Notre Dame University and a master's in English from the University of Chicago. He later lived and wrote in Massachusetts.

Reviews

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate that this story is making sort of like a duology. The previous Lewis book had Rose Rita and Mrs. Zimmerman traveling back in time while Lewis and Jonathan were in Europe. So this book is the story about Lewis and Jonathon’s trip to Europe. They are happening simultaneously. I hope the next book they are all 4 back together again. That would work out well.

Lewis and his uncle are in London and then go visit Lewis’s cousin who lives in a run down manor. Lewis is pretending to be Sherlock Holmes which I love that part and one night he happens to release an evil spirit that had been entombed. The story gets going from there.

It is up to Lewis and his cousin to solve this dilemma on their own and save the day.

There is a hedge maze and labyrinth on the property that comes into play and a very clever secret passage in the maze. I love it. So well thought out. The house is pretty creepy and there are plenty of creepy characters in this one. The end is rather scary, I would think the intended audience of middle grade would love it.

The more I read of John Bellairs, the more I respect his genius. His prose are so straight forward and its obvious how smart the man was. I almost want to write a story like he did. They are so good. There are only 3 more I haven’t read before. Then his works are complete for me. It has been fun. I can’t wait to read the next one.

[Gavin Hetherington · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fifth book in the Lewis Barnavelt series was actually an atmospheric and entertaining read! After spending two books without our series protagonist as the main character (a decision that still baffles me), we finally see what Lewis and Uncle Jonathan got up to during the events of the fourth book, which followed Rose Rita and Mrs Zimmerman.

Lewis and Uncle Jonathon are taking a European break and end up visiting some distant relatives at Barnavelt Manor in England. While there, Lewis meets a blind boy his age who lives at the Manor, and together they accidentally unleash an evil spirit in the Manor's Maze.

The formula of Lewis accidentally releasing an evil spirit has already gotten a little tired, however I enjoyed the new locations and the higher stakes of this little adventure. I liked the isolated feeling we get with Lewis, even if he does keep things a secret when he shouldn't. I appreciate the handling of his anxiety and how it prevents him from seeking help sometimes, so I do think it was done well.

This is by no means the best middle grade series I've ever read, but I do like to fall into one of these Lewis Barnavelt books every now and then for a little bit of escapism.

[Elena Rodríguez · Rating 3 out of 5]

+3
John Bellairs se está convirtiendo en un autor que me gusta mucho. Las historias de Lewis junto a su tío Jonathan, Rose Rita y la Señora Zimmerman me hacen pasar bastantes tardes amenas.

Sus historias son ligeras y a los personajes acabas cogiéndole cariño. Además hay que destacar que para ser libros destinados a un público infantil hay algunas historias un poco oscuras. Sinceramente, a mi me encantan. Son novelas que cojo cuando estoy en temporadas bajas de lectura y al tener tan pocas páginas ( unas 100-200) no se me hace tan pesado.

Por último se pueden leer perfectamente en inglés ya que no contienen un vocabulario muy específico además, puedes hacer descansos entre libros ya que se trata más bien de novelas casi independientes.

[✦BookishlyRichie✦ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the few Bellairs books that I never got to and now I finally have. I really enjoyed this one, it had plenty of thrilling and creepy moments and of course a heaping dose of magic. This one takes place in England, which was an interesting and cool setting for this book. I had a lot of fun reading this one. :)

[Tara Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

When John Bellairs passed away, Brad Strickland, a longtime fan, finished many of the incomplete novels that Bellairs had left behind. This story, the Vengeance of the Witchfinder, was one of those. In the canon of the story timeline, about a year and a half after Mrs. Zimmerman loses her powers in "The Figure in the Shadows," Jonathan and Lewis take a trip across Europe, where they meet up with European cousins. I enjoyed this story, although the "Ghost in the Mirror," which follow what happens to Mrs. Zimmerman and Rose Rita during this same timeline, was definitely the better of the two in my opinion.

On a random side note, I JUSt found out that John Bellairs' website, Bellairsia.com, has a COMPLETE list, in canon order, of ALL of his books. They even include those written by Brad Strickland following the canon of the original series. I admit, I'm a geek. but this psychs me to pieces!

[Chazzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lewis Branavelt and Uncle Jonathan Barnavelt are in England to visit their cousin at the family estate, Barnavelt Manor. An exciting trip to learn more about the family history and see where Sherlock Holmes once roamed.

At the Manor, Lewis meets his Cousin Pelly and also becomes friends with the housekeeper's son Bertram. Even though Bertram has bad eyesight, he knows the property like the back of his hand and plays tour guide for Lewis.

While exploring the maze, the two boys accidently unleash a demonice force that takes over the property and the people on it. A force that summons Malachiah Pruitt's ghost, a witch hunter from the 1600s and he is out for vengeance.

Will Lewis be able to banish the witch hunter or will the witch hunter banish the Barnavelts?

An enjoyable read with plenty of action.

[Justin K. Rivers · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story runs concurrently with that of Ghost in the Mirror, a concept that works nicely. It gives the audience a chance to spend more time with the characters, and gives the characters room to grow a little. Aside from the somewhat maudlin blind sidekick, this novel is pretty strong. It's got some great atmospheric set pieces, (the crumbling mansion and the maze)and a story that not only ties into actual history, but also fleshes out the history of the Barnavelts as well.

[Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love that these books address things kids deal with, like anxiety, insecurity, and not wanting to tell parents when they know they've done something bad. but also, evil spirits and truly creepy and gruesome descriptions thereof. it's a nice balance. I still enjoy the series as an adult.

[Ken B · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 STARS

[Mollie Fredrickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only 4 and not 3 because of the last page.
This story just wasn’t quite as much fun as the previous two were for me. Totally a personal preference.
Also a policeman (certainly in my experience) would never call an American a Yank to his/her face. That would be considered rude where I come from... which is London. I can’t see that happening.

[Віталій Роман · Rating 5 out of 5]

Було цікаво. Льюїс разом з дядьком їдуть у подорож. До англійських родичів. І там теж є будинок, але не з годинником, а лабіринтом із кущів та квітів.

Здається це найбільш доросла із п'яти прочитаних. І це логічно - герої дорослішають. Проте поки все на цій серії. Можливо колись і решту дочитаю, але не скоро.

[Christie K.Rowling · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,75⭐️

Me vuelvo a reencontrar con los libros de Lewis Barnavelt.

Aunque mis favoritos siguen siendo el 1° y 2°, esta nueva aventura se presenta con un montón de giños a Sherlock Holmes y una ambientación siniestra que nos sumerge de lleno en una lectura fresca que funciona tanto para niños como adultos.

Un libro genial para desconectar una tarde cualquiera.

[Tiffany Spencer]

The Vengence of the Witch Finder
Jonathan and Lewis are in London on a search for Sherlocke Holmes home. It’s the third day of a six week vacation. They make it to Baker Street and Lewis locates the house. He comes to this conclusion because it faces East, the front door has a semi-circular fan on the door, and there’s an empty building across from it. The Constabul points out some more possibilities. There are seventeen steps leading to the second story and there’s no bow window but it was probably destroyed. After this they visit the British Museum and some strange little chops. Jonathan finds a stone carab for Mrs. Zimmermon. It’s three thousand years old. Jonathan says it’s not what he really wants to give her Lewis knows he wishes he could return her magic. This makes them both a little sad.

The next day they visit The Tower of London.Then they see Buckingham Palace and see the changing of the guards. They then do some exploring. Then they go to Dinsdale. There they have a cousin named Pelham who lives in a manor. They’ll spend the night there getting to know him. Jonathan warns him he’s not rich and they’ll have to be tactful. Jonathan’s brought him “a care package”. He won’t find this offensive. A lean man with silver hair and shabby clothes greets them. Then he takes them to Barnavel Manor. On first impression, the house looks evil to lewis.

Their introduced to the rest of the staff (Jenkins, Birdie, and God Ring). Birdie (whose blind) gives him a tour. He shows him Mater Martin. study (who was said to be a witch). The house was taken on account of him being accused of witch craft.Eventually he did get the house back from the Puritans. Birdie thinks he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. There’s no such thing as witches. Then they go outside. Then he shows him an entrance to a hedge that leads to a maze. They get lost but Birdie fortunately knows a trick thtat leads them to the exit. After this Birdie sugguests a book in the study for Lewis to read about Master Martin and they explore more of the outside. That night, Pelly expresses that he’s disappointed there leaving and Johanthan says maybe they’ll come back before they leave. In bed, Lewis reads “The Histry of the Barnavel Family”. He takes particular interest in the chapter about the witch finder. It’s about Pruit torturing those he accused of witchcraft and there being a chamber in the house where this went on. In the book, he finds a map of the hedge maze with something at the heart of the maze.

He sneaks out to the maze and is followed by Birdy. Together they go check out the maze and Birdy hopes they’ll find treasure so he can go to America and get a operation that might bring back his sight. He notices there’s a drawing of a bench with a line through it and he realizes they have to crawl under the bench. There’s an opening there and a building inside with a dome. It doesn’t have an opening. They discover one of the bricks is loose (on the bench). Birdy and Lewis go through the opening just as they hear laughter and something grabs Lewis. As he runs out of the maze he hears a sinister voice in his head. He notices the moon looks like a skull with missing teeth and it sappears to be say “Now I have thee”. Behind him he hears something running behind him and then he comes to a dead end. He hears the invisible creature but Birdy pulls him to the exit and he runs for the manor.

He falls and sees a the shadow. Lewis hurts his ankle but it able to stagger away to safety and loses the creature. Lewis and Birdy decide to keep the whole thing to themselves. The next morning, his cousin thinks he sees something out of the window, but dismisses it as nerves. Lewis sees stirrings in the hedge maze that can’t be the wind, but then they go still again. Jonahtan notices and asks what’s wrong but Lewis says nothing. Just looks like a storm’s coming. Then he slips away to say goodbye to Birdy. When he leaves he hears his cousin say there feels like something in the air.

When talking to Birdy, Birday asks him what they should do. Lewis says to keep him informed. They come up with code words to let him (Lewis) know if things are good there or bad. Jonathan and Lewis leave for Paris and do some sight seeing. He keeps in touch with Birdy. Birdy’s reply has the word “wonderful” in it so Lewis is relived. Jonathan and Lewis visit Pompeye (which Lewis is fascinated by) and continues to send post cards to Birdy every other day. Lewis starts to have dreams about strange bushes that eventually reach out there red branch’s to grab him, but he can’t run. He hears the monster somewhere out of sight. One of the branch’s grabs him and sweeps him forward. At the end of the branch is a human skeleton. It has green glass spectacles. Red twings appear out of the sockets and the spectacles drop to the ground. The branches draw him closer and then he’d awake in a cold sweat. Lewis gets a message that has “awfully” in it and nows his nightmares are going to come true.

Pelly looks even more worn on there trip back. His behavior is a little … off. Lewis tells Birdy about the nightmares and Birday says he has them too. He hears hushed voises that sometimes say his name from his window (or his closet or bed). Birdy also says a gentleman came and rented the gate house but he’s horrible. He felt something cold when he passed him (like a shadow). His voice sounded like a ghost. The ones he’s been hearing. Birdy then says the man has no footseps either. He implies he knows he’s alone in the house. Then all the chickens have died. All the others have become irritable and edgy. Lewis says they’ll have to find evidence that he’s up to no good.

So, they go to his house and try to peek in through the window, but it’s empty. They go in and something tall is inside. So they take off running and find themselves being chased again by the invisible thing. The thing can’t crsoss the drive though. Something is keeping them out. Then they see a tall, thin, pale, man beside the house. When Lewis looks again he’s disappeared. Jenkins warns them to leave Prestor alone. He mentions he made him look for a key. They find out it’s the key to the lumber room and he found it in the scullery. It’s a storage room. Lewis deducts that something in the attic was taken (a trunk). There’s a thin book on the floor. He later gets a chance to look at the book in bed. It’s an old diary of Martin Barnavel. In it is Martin’s tale from his perspective of what happened. It speaks of two women that were accused of being witches, but it was Pruitt that was the wizard, He used a spell of evil spirits and then had Martin locked up. Matin tho was also a wizard and used the Amulet of Constantine to break off Prui’s hold of the evil spirit. This rid him of his magic and he died. He says he imprisoned the sprit in the tomb and now Lewis knows what he unleashed.

In the thunder and lighting, Lewis can see a face outside his window. The diary grows hot and starts to smoke. Then it explodes and Lewis falls to the floor. Mrs. Goodring tells him the next day that Pelham and Jonathan have gone on a trip and he can’t play with Birdie. Her movements are bizzare and mechanical. She tells him to go play in the maze (by himself). Its also weird that Johnathan’s clothes are still there. So, Lewis calls the Constable, reaches his mother, and tries to leave a message but the phone cuts off. So, he decides to walk to the police station. When he leaves, he sees Jenkin sealing off the drive. His eyes are empty and his voice is hollow. He recognizes the voice and runs back to the manor. Jenkins and Goodring are hypnotized. Birdie is missing. Her uncle and cousin are gone and he’s trapped at the manor.

He goes back into the manor and Goodring sends him to his room. When there he locks the door. He makes a makeshift rope and escapes out the window. He sees someone has cut the wires. He finds Birdie and they find a shed to talk in. They decide the best bet is to try to find the amulet in the vault. They’re able to get into the dome and find the Amulet of Constantine and the crown of King Charles the 1st. The thing starts to come after them again. Birdy falls. Lewis thrust the amulet at him. The thing stops. This makes it lay down in the grass and the boys make it to the manor. Safely in the room, Birdie wonders how the ghost was able to get into the manor Lewis says that when they opened the vault they brought Pruitt’s spirit back to the manor. Prestor must be the ghost of Pruitt.”Grolie” (I’m guessing this is the creature) is the spirit he controlled. The ghost is using it as a guard dog. But Jenkins let Prestor inside so he got past Martin’s protection circle.

Lewis and Birdie make an attempt to go out into the hallway for food and there is the apperition. Then he turns . Lewis and Birdie start to run down the hallway. It’s Pelly. He forces them to climb down a stairway. In the room is uncle Johnathan and a bunch of instruments of torture. This is the room where Martin was tortured. Lewis tricks the Witchfinder into agreeing to free everyone else if he gives him the crown. But once he has the crown on his head, Lewis has attached the amulet to the crown and it takes care of the ghost. The police take Pelly, Birdie’s mom, and Jenkins to the clinic and it’s explained away as a “gass leak”. Prestor returns to London. Jonathan burns some of his stuff. Johnathan gives Pelly the crown. A lawyer says he has a good chance of claiming it.

When they get back, Jonathan and Lewis don’t mention what happened. Rose Rita and Mrs. Z immermon tho went on a trip and she got her magic back. Eventually they tell Mrs. Zimmermon and Rose Rita. Mrs. Zimmermon says it’s a great historical artifact (the amulet) and Johnathan says she’s welcome to it. After this around the holidays, Lewis gets a card from Birdie and finds out he was able to get the operation and now he can see.

Rating: 6 I didn’t have a lot of thoughts on this one surprisingly. These are always decent but go very quickly. I thought I’d feel more about this one because when I read books about innocent people being accused of “witch craft” it usually leaves me feeling some kind of way because it’s usually the very people who preach about acceptance and “love” that are the ones doing the torturing. So, they just don’t sit right with me. Even though Martin *was* a witch it turned out. But it all just feel kind of flat here. I just didn’t feel that heated spark. Still, the story wasn’t bad. There’s always a little history in these-which isn’t necessarily bad- but if your not into history it can kind of make the story drag a little.

[Cynthia Egbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brad Strickland does a decent job of finishing Bellairs' work but there is an element missing that lets you know that Bellairs didn't write the ending to the book. This makes me sad but I am still grateful for the completed work and I will read on and finish the series, even the books written solely by Strickland. Of course, I loved the crumbling old manor house in England as a setting and to have Lewis and Rose Rita simultaneously battling the evil spirits of "witch hunters" on either side of the ocean was a nice touch. I do have to grumble about the stupid ghost destroying a most precious journal at one point in the book, but I suppose it was necessary to the story line. Sigh.

Some gems to share:

"Fictional characters of that sort are a bit realer than you and me, if you take my meaning. I mean, look at me, now: In a hundred years, who'll come looking for my house? Nobody. But you can be sure that people will still be searching for Mr. Holmes's flat at 221B Baker Street. Now if that isn't being real, I don't know what is."

"Oh, dear me, please don't call my Pelham. Nobody does, you know. I've been Pelly to everyone for nearly seventy years. Sounds much more friendly, don't you know?" (One has to believe that Bellairs read The Once and Future King when you read this passage, this makes me happy!)

"It was a fairly large book, bound in brown leather with clasps of brass. The brass had turned green with age, and the leather was flaky and soft. A sweetish, spicy scent rose from it, a little like bay rum and a little like cinnamon and ginger. That pleased Lewis, who maintained that truly interesting volumes always smelled interesting."

"The face at his window had belonged to someone - or something - that could float in midair. Lewis remembered a line from a play that he, Jonathon, Rose Rita, and Mrs. Zimmerman had attended in Ann Arbor one evening back in the spring:
Fair is foul, and foul is fair:
Hover through the fog
and filthy air.
The play had been Macbeth, and the characters speaking the lines were the three hideous witches. Lewis thought that William Shakespeare had such creatures sized up about right."

[Kasia (Kącik z książką) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jeśli Wasze dzieci nie należą do nadmiernie strachliwych i lubią się bać, możecie podsunąć im serię o Lewisie Barnavelcie. Według informacji na okładce jest skierowana do młodych czytelników w wieku 8-13 lat, chociaż osobiście przesunęłabym tę granicę na co najmniej dziesiąty rok życia.

Cała opinia:
http://www.kacikzksiazka.pl/2019/12/l...

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever wondered what happened to Lewis and Uncle Jonathan on their Europe trip? We are about to find out in the Vengeance of the Witch-Finder. While in England, they visited a relative, Cousin Pelham, who inherited Barnavelt Manor. Lewis befriended the housekeeper's son, Bertie and they unconsciously released an evil spirit of a witch-finder back into the world.

Once again I found myself immersed in this book because the story line got me turning the page. The story line is a typical one about Lewis causing troubles and not wanting to let Uncle Jonathan to know about it, but it was different in that the spirit this time was a witch hunter. I do enjoy a good book, where the witch meet face to face with the person hunting his or her down. It is obvious who will win, but it's how they got there that really matter.

All the mayhems that Lewis were involved, have resulted him to undergo drastic character development. For starter, in the beginning of the series he was very subconscious of his appearance and he tried numerous methods to change, but he was not able to be consist with them. Also, he is a worrywart, but thrived to be a brave person. This all change in this book because this trip changed him mentally and physically.

I really like how the author split up the adventures of Mrs. Zimmermann and Rose Rita, and Uncle Jonathan and Lewis into another. Combing these two would make it confusing going back and forth. The Ghost in the Mirror and the Vengeance of the Witch-Finder are nice compliments of each other.

My rating: 4/5

[Ashley Lambert-Maberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A highish 3 stars ... I'm aware this was "readable but not thrilling" (which is 3 star territory for me), except that I have such good will for the series, and, since I'm a wuss, it's always been such a comfort that there was a scary-but-not-gruesome series of books I could comfortably enjoy, I'm having trouble resisting the urge to give it an extra 1/2 star ... but I will be firm.

It chugs pleasantly along, provides suitable thrills, and my only real irk would be that Lewis needs to speak up more. (And after a heart to heart with his uncle near the end, it seems maybe he will, next time).

In this volume they travel to Europe, in particular the ancestral Barnavelt home in the UK, in case I forget the plot, as I am wont to do.

(Note: I'm a writer, so I suffer when I offer fewer than five stars. But these aren't ratings of quality, they're a subjective account of how much I liked the book: 5* = an unalloyed pleasure from start to finish, 4* = really enjoyed it, 3* = readable but not thrilling, 2* = disappointing, and 1* = hated it.)

[Amber Scaife · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jonathan and Lewis travel to Europe to visit Jonathan's cousin, Pelly, and while staying at Pelly's old manor house, Lewis and his new friend, Bertie, accidentally release an evil witch-finder ghost on the grounds.
We love Bellairs and Charlie has really been enjoying them as our occasional bedtime read-alouds, but this one got a bit too creepy for him in the middle. We took a break for a couple of days and then he wanted to get back to it, and we were able to finish it then. It's good knowing that everything always turns out right in the end, and I think that helped. The characters are great and the stories are fun, so I suspect that Charlie will choose to continue with the series.

[Greg Kerestan · Rating 3 out of 5]

In an unusual narrative trick, Brad Strickland (and the late John Bellairs) spins two simultaneous parallel adventures across the globe- one starring Rose Rita and Mrs. Zimmermann, and the other starring Lewis and Jonathan- in two books. The Lewis and Jonathan edition is a little more traditional than "The Ghost in the Mirror," with a relic and an ancient spirit in prime Bellairs mode. It's certainly not a weak installation, all things considered, but feels a little by the numbers and Johnny Dixonish.

[Noah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty entertaining. It would have been fun to have the roserita/zimmerman plot from Ghost in the mirror running concurrent to be part of the same book, even though their plots had little to do with each other's

[Agatha Donkar Lund · Rating 3 out of 5]

A John Bellairs I had never read! Utterly delightful in a nostalgic way.

[Josephine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm glad Brad Strickland picked up where John Bellairs left off after his untimely death...but the writing's not quite the same. Not that that stops me from reading them multiple times...

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmm, not my favorite of the series. Really seemed like there wasn't much of a story at all, just a lot of build up. It was a quick fun read though.

[Tammy]

Recommended in the book, Tolstoy and the Purple Chair: My Year of Magical Reading.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strickland does a fantastic job of carrying Bellairs' characters along, but the creeping menace that had always made Bellairs' books more than just children's fare is missing.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ones not completed by Brad Strickland are better but it's still in Bellairs' style.

[Heather Culley · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much worrying about who’s fat or skinny.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am always a little sad when Mrs. Z is not, or is barely, present. Overall, a great little adventure with the right amount of Bellairs’ fun.

[Belinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the whole series. These books are so fun. Enjoyed every moment of reading the series.

[Mary K. MESSERSMITH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it a lot!

Loved, sometimes I couldn't read it at night. I get chills from my surroundings. Other then that enjoying the series.