Author: Stephanie Bearce
Genre: mystery
Age range: middle grade
Similar book: Premeditated Myrtle by Elizabeth C Bunce
Summary (provided by publisher): Raven Gallows lives in a funeral home and is determined to become a famous detective. Her first case is one close to home—find the truth surrounding her mother’s puzzling death six years ago.
When a mummified man is discovered behind a wall at the Moonrise Manor Hotel, Raven is shocked to see that the body is clutching her mother’s gold and silver locket.
Raven gathers her friends—Cosmina Wilde, who thinks she can talk to ghosts; Miles Farnsworth, who works at the haunted hotel; and Eric Wong, who possesses unparalleled computer skills—and sets out to learn the identity of the mummy. As they follow the clues, they discover more than they bargained for, including a stash of stolen art and a legend of a secret society.
What I liked: It can be difficult to create a kid friendly mystery with meaningful stakes. After all, murders and crime can be too intense for some kids. But this book handles it well. After all, the central elements of this plot are a major art theft and a hidden corpse. By carefully avoiding any unnecessarily grim details we get a mystery with meaning without becoming gross or overly intense.
What I didn't like: I wouldn't call it a negative, exactly, but there are some elements of the book that are perhaps too open ended. It doesn't decide, with any certainty, whether ghosts are even real much less secret societies and the truths about Raven's mother's death. This is the first book in a series so if you're wanting closure, don't start on this one yet.
More information: The Secret of Moonrise Manor releases February 5.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
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