The Inn Between

Starred review from January 1, 2016
A haunted hotel seeks new victims in this middle-grade suspense novel. Eleven-year-old Quinn's best friend, Kara, is moving. Quinn is having difficulty letting go, so she makes the trip from Denver to Santa Monica with Kara and her family. When Kara's parents stop to rest at the Inn Between, a grand Victorian hotel in the desert, Quinn is unnerved by the hotel's strange architecture, its isolated location, and the odd guests and even odder hotel employees. Kara's parents and brother disappear after the first night. Knowing they aren't safe, the girls resolve to escape, even if it means traveling through the hot desert with little food and water, but before Quinn can leave the Inn Between, she must wrestle with some demons--both literally and figuratively. Shifting between past and present as Quinn reflects on her difficult relationship with her younger sister, Emma, and her immediate dilemma with Kara and the Inn Between, Cohen's emotionally gripping tale perfectly captures the essences of friendship and sibling love. Heavy themes are handled with sensitivity, offering a cathartic experience for readers who may be dealing with similar situations. Readers should not be misled by the book's innocuous cover--the book deals with such dark subjects as death and child abduction, and the concept of hell is described in vivid, frightening detail. Readers looking for a mystery with heart, humor, and hairy moments will be captivated. (Supernatural fiction. 9-12)

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January 1, 2016

Gr 5-8-Eleven-year-old best friends Quinn and Kara are taking one last trip together before Kara and her family move away. The whole family are shaken after their car spins off the road when a blinding light appears out of nowhere. They decide they need to stop for the night, and, luckily, a hotel, the Inn Between, is close by. Staffed by a friendly receptionist, Persephone; an elevator operator named Sharon; and a forceful doorman, Aides, this eerie inn is conveniently located in the Mojave Desert. Quinn gets an ominous feeling as soon as she crosses the threshold. Her apprehensions are justified when Kara's parents and brother go missing. Stuck in a labyrinthlike hotel hallway, the two friends are desperate to reunite with Kara's family and find a way out. Situated directly on the border of California, the Inn Between represents the challenging transitions Quinn is facing. She is so resistant to change that she physically binds herself to Kara using a friendship bracelet. Many readers will relate to losing a friend, but here the pain of letting go is more acute because of Quinn's past. This book is a fast-paced mystery that uses frequent flashbacks to heighten tension. Glimpses into her backstory reveal Quinn's terrible mistake and its repercussions. Several black-and-white illustrations are included; however, the pictures appeal to a much younger audience and belie the dark themes that are present. VERDICT A suspenseful mystery with darker themes making it suitable for an upper elementary to middle school audience.-Jocelyn Charpentier, Brooklyn Public Library, NY

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