There are many logistical questions that occur to the reader when diving into this novel about an executed 1700s witch who pops up routinely in an otherwise idyllic village on the Hudson River — and essentially holds the entire town hostage with a historical catalog of horrific acts. Why don't the citizens just leave? Or kill her (although that apparently didn't work the first time around)? How come the outside world doesn't know about this? Though Dutch horror/dark fantasy novelist Thomas Olde Heuvelt is an established superstar in Europe, "Hex" is his first novel published in English — and, wow, it's scary, beautifully orchestrated and, yes, he's got clever answers for all those questions. The story also has a very literary and metaphorical quality, folks — and you're not gonna like what the author's narrative suggests about the human race. Even more impressive: The original novel was set in The Netherlands and, after suggestions by his Stateside agent and publisher, Olde Heuvelt reimagined "Hex" for American culture with a very believable cast of American characters. Pretty amazing stuff.