The Haunted

April 15, 2019
Further misfortune befalls a girl who can't escape her ghosts. Being the new girl in Drearford, New York, means heaps of unwanted attention for Hendricks Becker-O'Malley, who'd much rather begin anew with a clean slate. Her traumatic past was the main reason behind her family's relocation to the small town, with its dreary gray skies and sinister secrets. However, her new home--Drearford's derelict Steele House--offers no comfort. The disturbances start small: the usual moans and groans of an old house, a creepy doll singing of its own accord, devious laughter from another room. At first, Hendricks' past shrouds her in self-doubt fueled by shame. But then she meets Eddie Ruiz, a damaged boy who lost an older brother and younger sister to Steele House's cursed, evil spirits. Together the pair plan to vanquish the ghosts, attempting a misguided cleansing ritual in the process. As Hendricks and Eddie develop a close bond, Steele House launches its final onslaught. Vega's (The MercilessIV: Last Rites, 2018, etc.) take on the haunted house subgenre features an eclectic, well-fitted mix of supernatural spookiness and gore. Overall, the novel doesn't rise above its creaky cliché-riddled plot, but the author excels at portraying the aftermath of a toxic, abusive relationship from Hendricks' perspective. Though Hendricks is assumed white, the supporting cast offers some diversity. A gently horrid reminder that some ghosts can be very real. (Horror. 14-18)

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April 29, 2019
This spooky supernatural tale by Vega (the Merciless series) follows a well-trod horror arc: high school student Hendricks moves with her parents from Pennsylvania to a small New York town, where she senses a sinister presence in rambling old Steele House—the infamous site of a murder-suicide. The move follows Hendricks’s toxic relationship with her controlling ex-boyfriend, Grayson, whose behavior escalated into violence and stalking. Though Hendricks settles into a new social life quickly, with a cast of distinguishable characters, she wrestles with unease at the house and sees visions of Grayson’s reappearance. When Hendricks’s baby brother is physically attacked by a ghost, she approaches outsider Eddie, who lost both his siblings to Steele House. Vega’s narrative is at its best when Hendricks’s haunted past foreshadows and mirrors the paranormal events, raising questions about the impact of trauma on the present. The intrigue unravels into familiar scares and cinematic genre tropes (a child ghost with inky black eyes, a visit to a tarot shop), but Vega maintains psychological tension up until the uncertain conclusion, leaving enough loose ends to suggest a sequel. Ages 14–up. Agent: Josh Bank and Joelle Hobeika, Alloy Entertainment.

June 1, 2019

Gr 9 Up-Hendricks arrives in the small New York town of Drearford with her baby brother, her house-flipping parents, and major baggage from her hometown of Philly. Escalating incidents with her former boyfriend Grayson forced her family to relocate with the goal of renovating a run-down old house, which Hendricks soon learns has a macabre history. Several teens, curious about the new girl, quickly fold her into their close-knit group, and even more quickly, school hottie Connor makes it clear he is interested. But with flashbacks and references to troubles with her ex, Hendricks isn't jumping into anything soon. As she learns more about the history of the house, as well as the connections between it and her enigmatic neighbor Eddie, disturbances in the house turn from scary to violent. Ultimately Hendricks and Eddie must battle the house and the hungry spirits that inhabit it. Interplay and dialogue between the teens ring true, more so than the almost nonexistent relationship between Hendricks and her apparently oblivious parents. Allusions to cruel bullying as the catalyst to events almost get lost as the story culminates in a finale that, while dramatic, feels rushed and overcrowded with explanations. The relationship with Grayson and the role alcohol played are intriguing yet used as a red herring rather than fully explored. Socioeconomic status, poverty, and mental illness are examined through the equally haunted Eddie, who feels that there is something "rotten" with the entire town. VERDICT Teens will relate to the characters and enjoy the creepiness, making this a strong choice where horror is in demand.-Lee De Groft, Jamestown High School, Williamsburg, VA

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