"How the Hangman Lost His Heart," K.M. GRANT, Puffin; 2006; 192 pp.

This is a story about a head. Yes, a head.

Now let's take this further: This is a story about a head without a body. Well, not at first. The head starts out, as all heads do, sitting pretty upon a body -- that of Uncle Frank, known to all and sundry as Col. Frank Granville, traitor to the king of England and sympathizer of Bonnie Prince Charlie . . . but more on that later. Let it suffice to say for now that head and body are rudely parted by the end of Chapter One.