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From the New York Times bestselling author of Scritch Scratch and The Girl in White comes a new spooky mystery about a girl detective who must decode a series of ominous clues tied to a century-old tragedy to find a missing teenager before it's too late... Twelve-year-old Hazel Woods has always had an unusual knack for sleuthing. Some may call it snooping, but all she really wants is to solve mysteries around town. So, when she not-so-accidentally overhears her brother Den planning to sneak into the cemetery at night for an epic game of hide-and-seek, she decides to secretly tag along. This seems like the perfect opportunity to investigate the claims that the cemetery is haunted. But the moment the game ends, Hazel realizes something is very, very wrong. From her hiding spot in the bushes, she overhears that her brother's best friend, Everett, is missing. Everyone else was found by the seeker but there's no sign of Everett anywhere. It's as if he just . . . vanished Hazel and Den are determined to find Everett before it's too late. But as they begin to unravel the terrifying clues that started appearing since that night in the graveyard–eerie whispers that sound like someone counting, the intermittent smell of smoke, and the cold, lost presence that follows them everywhere, she's not sure what they are dealing with. But Everett needs more than search parties and scent-tracking dogs to find him, especially if his disappearance is tied to the history of the cemetery, and the lost, century-old spirits that might still be trapped there . . .
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Another book which proves that Lindsay Currie is the queen of middle grade horror.
Hazel is an excellent detective to the chagrin of her parents. With hopes of one day starting a podcast she decides to follow her older brother, Den, to the creepy cemetery to hopefully get some content for her first episode. Shortly after her brother and his friends start their late night game of hide and seek something mysterious happens that sends everyone running except one - who ends up missing. With Den's best friend Everett missing, Hazel knows she must put her sleuthing skills to use to find him. Between Hazel, Den, and Hazel's best friend they're sure that there's something paranormal to Everett's disappearance and they must follow the clues to save him.
Lindsay's books are always filled with great characters that share a comraterie that will take you back to your middle school days (if you're so lucky). I think that's why kids and adults love her books - not only because they're filled with adventure and intense creepyness but because of how lovable every character is.
The journey to figure out the mystery is filled with some quick thinking on Hazel's part with the help of her brother and best friend. And the revelation of what is really happening in the graveyard is so heartbreaking but Currie does a great job of adding heart to it that it's also beautiful.
I highly recommend ALL of Lindsay's books and this one is no exception!