FIVE MILE HOUSE

Five Mile House
by Karen NovakBomsbury
$23.95
hardcover
ISBN 1-58234-096-X
2000

This is an intertwining of two lives in two different time periods. One happened over a hundred years ago in which a mother supposedly killed her children and then herself. The other regards a policewoman that kills a child molester. These two tragic women are drawn together by a historical society that notices that the policewoman could be a twin of the original murderess. The town then entices the policewoman’s husband to restore this house to its original form. A logical person I would think would quit and get far away from this area once the resemblance between the two women was noticed. Obviously, this family sees this as unusual and just chooses to ignore it.

The town itself either is part and supportive or the Wellington family or a member and supporter of Wicca. These two have had a silent war since the original family battles of over one-hundred years ago that certainly created a town full of secrets and gossip.

The book leaves the reader constantly wondering how the two stories are going to meet and what element of supernatural will develop. I found the most supernatural part being in that a building could be evil especially if the cornerstone is made with sacrificial parts in the cement such as blood, fat, and milk. Supposedly in the original house the cornerstone contained a sacrificed mother and child. Well, if a church can be considered sacred and good, why should a house not be considered evil in the same way?

I had difficulty with the main character, Leslie. This is a woman that went through a major emotional crisis in her life because of her being a caring mother. Throughout the story she is neglectful and disinterested as a mother and wife. She leaves her two daughters constantly and never seems to come back to them or to interact with them. The ten-year-old is always baby-sitting the four-year-old. What I find almost supernatural is that these girls never fight, Leslie hardly ever fixes a meal and she never has to pick up or do laundry. Also, what is strange is that the husband is understanding, overworked, and accepting of her lack of interest in him and the girls.

The story is constantly moving as is the main character. I found myself reading this book faster and faster in that I could not predict what would develop next.This is a good page-turner I would recommend it, but not to someone who is in an emotional crisis with young daughters.