Publisher's Synopsis
The birth of Wilbur Whateley in Dunwich is obviously an ominous event. On the night he is born, strange noises rumble through the hills, all the dogs in the vicinity continuously bark, and a hideous screaming is heard. In fact, the whole Whateley family is rather bizarre. Lavinia, Wilbur's mother, is a deformed, unattractive albino. Lavinia's father, Old Whateley, is feared by the local populace for his practice of black magic, while the father of Wilbur is completely unknown. This ominous note continues as the child grows. Wilbur is described as "goatish" in appearance, although he possesses the Whateley trademark of a chinless face. He can already walk at the age of seven months and talks at eleven months. He is very particular about keeping his body well covered with clothes, unlike the rest of the Whateleys. Every May Eve and Halloween, the boy and his mother are seen going up to the top of Sentinel Hill and apparently practicing weird rites, to the accompaniment of bursts of flame and underground rumblings.
