Revenge of the Witch

Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney, 2004 Harper Trophy

     Old Gregory has been hunting the things that go bump in the night for years. He is aging past his prime, but there is no one to take his place as twenty-nine apprentices have failed, fled, or died.
     Thomas Ward is the seventh son of the seventh son, and the year he turns thirteen he is apprenticed to the Spook. He follows old Gregory from his home and discovers a world of Ghosts, Ghasts, Witches, Boggarts, and other creepy-crawlies in the darkness. The work is difficult - learning the skills specific to the Spooks as well as more traditional learning in Latin and Greek.
     The apprentice is old Gregory's last chance and after a month's trial Tom is allowed to return home before making the commitment to his task. The young man hopes his mother will welcome him, but is surprised when it is revealed his Mam has planned his apprenticeship since Tom's birth.
     Being the seventh son of the seventh son gives him abilities few others possess, but it is his mother's heritage which makes Tom different. Old Gregory acknowledges Mam's ability, but only after tragedy strikes their family and Tom must make a difficult decision concerning a new friend.
     While his trials are dangerous, both to Tom and the people he cares about, he perseveres. Tom matures with the tests old Gregory administers, he stays long after he's already decided to go home, and when it comes to the most difficult choices of his young life, Tom acts with integrity and trusts his instincts. As he is fond of saying - somebody's got to do it, might as well be me.