Midnight at the Barclay Hotel

August 17, 2020
When 12-year-old JJ Jacobson’s CEO mom wins a weekend at the haunted Barclay Hotel in Aspen Springs, Colo., paranormal investigation enthusiast JJ convinces her to bring him along. The Jacobsons seemingly have nothing in common with the other guests: cowboy Buck Jones; Fiona Fleming, an actress and occasional medium; retired Detective Frank Walker; and children’s librarian Chelsea Griffin. But, save for Detective Walker, each of the guests has a Barclay-related secret—and, as they learn upon their arrival, all are suspects in the murder of Mr. Barclay. Detective Walker’s 11-year-old book-loving granddaughter, Penny, and lonely 12-year-old hotel resident Emma, who is prone to mysterious disappearances, team up with JJ to discover “who had motive, means, and opportunity,” while JJ simultaneously attempts to prove the existence of ghosts to skeptic Penny. Bonet’s black-and-white illustrations are appropriately mellow; all characters are portrayed as light-skinned except for Penny and her grandfather. Though readers already exposed to the genre may consider this well-trod ground, Bradley (the Double Vision series) offers a fast-paced, lightly spooky entrée to mystery fare. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Laurel Symonds, the Bent Agency. Illustrator’s agent: Hannah Whitty, Plum Pudding Illustration.

December 1, 2020

Gr 3-7-When unexpected invitations are received for an all-expenses-paid weekend at the newly renovated (yet rumored to be haunted) Barclay Hotel, no one thinks to question why. The five invited guests-a cowboy, a librarian, an actress, a CEO with 12-year-old son JJ, and a detective with 11-year-old granddaughter Penny-arrive and discover they are there to solve a murder. It turns out that most of them are suspects. JJ, a ghost-hunting enthusiast, and bookish Penny team up with Emma, a mysterious girl who lives at the hotel, to discover everyone's secrets and figure out the answer. Veteran narrator January LaVoy reads, and does a wonderful job adding life and sparkle to the audio. Characters are differentiated well, particularly JJ, who is convincingly read with a husky voice. As the kids follow the clues, there are various twists and turns to keep the listeners absorbed, and LaVoy's reading of the suspenseful parts leaves the listener breathless. The Barclay Hotel itself is described in such an atmospheric way that it is easy for listeners to picture the spooky setting. Penny and her grandfather are African American while the other characters appear to be white. VERDICT Puzzle buffs will enjoy this fast-paced supernatural mystery.-Julie Paladino, formerly with East Chapel Hill H.S., NC

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