When Rachel's orphaned cousin comes to live with the Bryants, 17-year-old Julia, whom the family had never seen before, charms everybody: Rachel's parents, her brothers, her best friend, and worst of all, her steady boyfriend. But for Rachel, Julia's arrival signals a Summer of Fear…. Sweet, lovely Julia, it turns out, is a witch: how Rachel finally uncovers the truth and saves her family from the ruthless sorceress makes for a sensational climax that may cause even young cynics to suspend their disbelief in black powers.