It begins with the Conway family taking over the family homestead, looking for a fresh start. The head of the family, Tim, drinks and has drunk away everything the family has. When his aunt is dying, she requests them to come visit her. On her deathbed, she gives teenage Kim a golden cross pendant "to protect her." One is given to eighteen-month old Molly, but her mother, Janet, puts it away to give to her when she is older. Kim's twin, Jared, is shunned by Aunt Cora and told to go away.

When Aunt Cora dies, the family is told they must live in the family home, with adequate income to do whatever they want. Tim sees this as an opportunity to begin fresh, making the old rickety mansion into a hotel. He would finally find the success he feels is his due – only if he can control his drink problem.

Meanwhile, the almost purely Catholic town is being led by the local priests to ostracize the Conways. It seems that the family has had a history of trouble and violence, including murder of babies and suicide. No one really wants anything to do with them, anyway. The oldest cleric has been given the family Bible by the dying Cora, which holds the keys to all the terrible secrets of the family.

Kim and Jared must attend the local Catholic school where they find that no one wants anything to do with them. It is about then that Jared begins to become someone different than the twin that Kim has always known. They had always been able to communicate telepathically – the "Twin Thing"– but that stops, for some reason. Then inexplicable things happen. Their cat is slain, violence occurs and Jared seems to be in the heart of it all. When he moves down to the creepy, smelly basement and paints his room totally black and makes friends with some weird people, Kim gets really worried.

Of course, it is apparent to the reader that Jared has become the Devil personified, explaining all his satanic actions, but the big question is how and will he be saved?

This is a good read, with just enough mind-numbing action to keep the reader glued to his seat. There are the side characters that keep the interest high, but the most fascinating character is that of the father, who has a dramatic change, becoming the husband Janet always wanted. Too good to be true? Of course!

If you like John Saul's style of writing and want fast-paced action with remarkable characters, you will like The Right Hand of Evil.

--Kay Black