The Revenge of the Wizard's Ghost

I first read Revenge of the Wizard's Ghost somewhere around fifth or sixth grade in the course of tearing through everything John Bellairs wrote for young readers. My return to it was prompted by reading M.R. James: one of the unnamed horrors in James' story "Count Magnus" seemed distressingly familiar. Either this...thing...is a more common concept than I knew, or Bellairs was a big fan of James. In any case, it scared the daylights out of me all over again. The rest of the plot didn't stand up quite as well upon re-reading as that of some of Bellairs' other books, but it's still worth a look for first-time readers.

Collapsed in a weird trance, Johnny Dixon is dying. Professor Childermass and Fergie soon learn the horrifying reason: Johnny is possessed by the spirit of the evil Warren Windrow. In a desperate effort to find a clue that will save Johnny's life, the professor and Fergie race to the gloomy Windrow estate. But demonic forces are waiting for them, and suddenly they're fighting for their own lives.

The most inept group of psychic investigators ever imagined until the invention of the "The Ghostbusters". It all ends happily with a ride in the swan boats in Boston.

He snaps at his dear friend Professor Childermass. He says odd things to his best friend, Fergie. He walks in his sleep and hears strange voices. And then Johnny Dixon suddenly collapses into a weird sleep with an ugly sneer upon his lips.