A Bond with Death

At Hughes Community College in Texas, President Fieldstone is upset with English Literature Professor Sally Good because the instructor's deceased husband happened to be related to the Salem witch Sarah Good, declared a witch over four hundred years ago. However, with the assault on the Potter books and a bond referendum on the ballot box pertaining to the college, Fieldstone worries that the nebulous link will reflect badly on the school in the eyes of its conservative donors and voters. Irritated over the absurdity of the situation, Sally next learns from Jack Neville that former English Professor Harold "The Garden Gnome" Curtin was murdered. Sally as the English chair forced Harold to leave because he treated students like "ants in his domain". Sally also finds out that the Internet, home of misinformation, has informed local voters that Professor Sally Good is Witch Sarah Good using her powers of evil to probably kill the Gnome. To avoid burning at the stake by Fieldstone, Sally must uncover who killed the disliked professor. At first brush, readers will think along the lines of Sally that the hoopla over her indirect link to a four century dead in-law is ridiculous. However, Bill Crider lampoons the misinformation and disinformation that flows as freely as information on the Internet into a solid rumor spreading mechanism that paints quite a picture. The heroine realizes she must clear her name by finding the culprit; she may not be dealing with dark forces, but this is worse as she struggles with the Internet and Fieldstone. Mr. Crider provides a terrific academic amateur sleuth that satirizes the Internet at a time when the presidential race depends on disinformation. Harriet Klausner