Children of Demeter

Knight (The Fourth Whore) delivers a heady, atmospheric tale of the uncanny in her sophomore novel. Middle-aged widow Sara moves into the house once occupied by the secretive pagan Children of Demeter commune, about whom she’s writing a book. As she settles into her new home, she faces a series of strange occurrences: she starts her period despite having been declared menopausal, discovers several mysterious images etched into the walls, and encounters an odd presence lurking in the lake out back. Hoping to make sense of what’s happening, she looks into the sinister history of the house and the Children of Demeter—and is sucked into a world of sexual abandon she may never be able to escape. Knight creates a palpable suspense throughout the deep and many-layered mystery, and her characters leap off the pages: Sara, especially, is fully fleshed out, haunted by both her past and her present. Readers of eerie horror will find much to enjoy. [em](Aug.) [/em]