FOOTSTEPS IN BAY DE VERDE

An illustrated ghost story set in Bay de Verde, Newfoundland.

Inspired by a story told to the author by a longtime Bay de Verde resident about an event his mother experienced when she was a child of 6, this spooky tale skillfully layers atmosphere and pacing. On a windy November evening in 1922, siblings Theresa, 4, Bridie, 6, and John, 8, huddle on a daybed in their Newfoundland kitchen, which is lit by a single kerosene lantern. It is an hour past their bedtime, and they are half-hiding in the shadows because they want to hear the ghost stories the adults tell after their everyday news is finished. The tales begin, and the children shiver deliciously. Then unexpected—but familiar—footsteps are heard, and ghosts become more than just stories. Cotter’s tale harks back to an age when visiting was the activity and stories were the entertainment, so despite its skillful suspense, it manages to also convey a restful interlude. Dwyer’s shadowy double-page spreads evoke the mysterious as they juxtapose the swirling smoke of wraiths with realistic renderings of the people. Some illustrations work better than others, as when a facial expression looks less like a frozen photograph and more like an evocative moment; but in all, the tone, mood, and atmosphere of the story are scrumptiously spooky. The people depicted are shown as white.

A good old-fashioned ghost story sure to deliver spine tingles.