Who Do Voodoo?

For Middle Grade readers. Jesus and Voodoo. Party and prayer. Love and betrayal. Twelve year old New York City boy, Phil Williams, struggles with conflicting messages when, entrusted by his grandmother in the role of "Icebreaker," he visits estranged family in New Orleans as he sets out to restore the family relationship. With his best friend, Nestor, in tow, Phil encounters a series of strange events - erratic behavior by supposed family members, bloody headless chickens, an unseen intruder during the night. Nestor is convinced the bodies of Phils family members have been taken over by voodoo practitioners. Phil refuses to accept this explanation and is determined to uncover the truth. Is it Voodoo? Or scare tactics by mere mortals?

Phils visit to the Land of Pirates results in a plan of action and determination to follow clues to solve the mystery. His investigations lead him to the source. Discovering an underground passageway once used as a stop in the...