The Whispering House

April 1, 2012
Contemporary English kids and a restless Victorian ghost inhabit a mystery with an inventive reveal in this sequel to The Theft & the Miracle (2007). Hannah's family temporarily moves house and her father immediately departs for a speaking tour, leaving Hannah--whose mother is present but slightly irrelevant--vulnerable to domestic oddities. Wallpaper peels, electricity flickers and the house seems to be crumbling on purpose. Hannah and friend Sam try to find connections between a discolored, pin-stuck doll in the attic and the doll's owner, a girl named Maisie who lived in the house and died in 1877 at age 11. Damp weather makes Hannah dream of lurid green leaves and a fire she can hear but not see. As Hannah takes her school exams, the calendar advances towards Maisie's death-date. Was Maisie murdered? Does she want her murderer identified? Wade takes readers through two suspects (first Maisie's ugly maiden aunt, then Maisie's comely mother, textually challenging assumptions about appearance) to an answer both relieving and tragic. Despite a narrative voice that's sometimes stiff or too descriptive, Hannah and Sam seem younger than their 14 years. A clue-offering secondary plot is implausibly convenient. However, there's plenty of spookiness, and the truth about Maisie's death and Hannah's dreams is surprisingly interesting. While this isn't the strongest restless-ghost story in characterization or voice, the tidbit it reveals about Victorian history is memorable. (Ghost story. 8-12)

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June 1, 2012

Gr 5-9-The mystery cuts close to home for accidental detective Hannah Price, 14, who was first featured in The Theft & the Miracle (HarperCollins, 2007). Hannah and her parents have to move when their house shows signs of collapse. It doesn't take long before she realizes that their new home is haunted by the ghost of a young girl who may have been killed by a member of her family. It also appears as if the house is beginning to revert to its former state. As in the first book, Hannah relies on her artistic ability, which has some supernatural overtones, and on her friend Sam to help her solve the mystery. The novel is tightly plotted from the opening chapter, which is an anxiety-producing retelling of "Hansel and Gretel," to the surprising revelation of the mystery's solution. Hannah is a welcome new type of detective in middle grade fiction; she is not eager to have this mystery to investigate but she approaches the situation with determination and courage. Readers who enjoy Jennifer Allison's "Gilda Joyce" books (Dutton) may enjoy Hannah Price as well.-Kathleen Meulen Ellison, Sakai Intermediate School, Bainbridge Island, WA

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2012
Grades 5-8 In this sequel to The Theft & the Miracle (2007), 14-year-old Hannah and her friend Sam investigate the mysterious changes taking place in the house her family has rented. The peeling wallpaper and cracking walls are insignificant compared with Hannah's unnerving dreams and their discovery of a Victorian doll with oddly stained skin that had evidently been stuck with pins. Researching the house's history, they realize that Maisie, an 11-year-old girl who died there in 1877, may have been poisoned. Suspense gradually builds as the house deteriorates before their eyes and the sinister circumstances surrounding Maisie's death are revealed. Those who enjoyed the previous novel will find this a satisfying sequel, while readers new to the series will pick up the essentials easily. The historical explanation of the murderer's method is enjoyably obscure, though its revelation relies on coincidence. This English mystery features well-drawn characters, an atmospheric setting, steadily mounting tension, and a satisfying conclusion.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)