In Revenge of the Witch (Greenwillow / HarperCollins, 2005), Thomas Ward was apprenticed to the Spook, who keeps witches, haunts, and other dark forces contained. Now, Tom and the Spook are in Priestown and facing two forces of evil. The Bane is a power who eluded the Spook years before. The Quisitor is a mere mortal, but one who wields power from the Church, along with an unholy desire to persecute any who he believes dabble in darkness, including the Spook and Tom. The Spook is captured by the Quisitor and sentenced to burn at the stake at the same time the Bane shows unmistakable signs that its power is growing, leaving Tom alone to deal with both crises. The return of Tom’s friend Alice, a young witch with questionable loyalties, the revelation of an astonishing secret in Tom’s family, and hints of a secret or two in the Spook’s own past lend additional drama to a riveting tale that will have readers eager for the next installment. (Ages 10–14)

Now it's the dark's turn to be afraid

The Spook and his apprentice, Thomas Ward, deal with the dark. Together they rid the county of witches, ghosts, and boggarts. But now there's some unfinished business to attend to in Priestown. Deep in the catacombs of the cathedral lurks a creature the Spook has never been able to defeat; a force so evil that the whole county is in danger of being corrupted by its powers. The Bane!

As Thomas and the Spook prepare for the battle of their lives, it becomes clear that the Bane isn't their only enemy. The Quisitor has arrived, searching for those who meddle with the dark so he can imprison them—or worse.

Can Thomas defeat the Bane on his own? Is his friend Alice guilty of witchcraft? And will the Spook be able to escape the Quisitor's clutches?