Description

Good friends Abby, eleven, and Brian, ten, decide on an afternoon outing of riding their bikes to the Speedee-Mart and buying a few treats. First, Abby talked Brian into taking along Babs, his six-month-old golden retriever. Without asking permission, Brian put his best leash on Babs and they took off. Next, Abby wanted to stop off and ask Shelly to join them.

Shelly was game, but suggested that they take the short-cut through the woods. Along the way, Babs got loose and led them on a merry chase. Up a big hill to a tall chain-link fence. Then, under the fence and into a huge, abandoned old nursing home. They were not able to find Babs. What they did find was a torn portion of a spooky chain letter—with spidery words elegantly penned on yellowed paper edged in black. This was unlike any chain letter they had ever seen. The letter plainly stated: Whosoever possesseth this letter and dares to break this chain shall suffer disaster and death . . .
It had the feel of pure evil.

While reading the letter, a bearded stranger spoke to them, and they ran out. Brian was distressed and felt guilty about losing Babs. That night, he and Shelly decided to go back and look for the dog. Things got worse when Shelly also disappeared! Police came but could not find any trace of either Shelly or Babs.

Over the next few weeks, Abby became increasingly negative about everything. Also, a  boyfriend of Abby’s older sister Karen apparently committed suicide by driving his car off a cliff. In addition, Brian’s family appeared to be breaking up. Were all these events connected? Would they know who had broken the chain letter by who had died?  Abby and Brian slowly became obsessed with finding the torn-off portion of the chain letter and learning what is supposed to happen to those who break the chain.