Are you a fan of a good ghost story?
When I was growing up I read every spook-tacular book I could get my hands on. The authors of my childhood were Mary Downing Hahn (Wait Till Helen Comes, Took) and Betty Ren Wright (The Dollhouse Murders, Ghosts Beneath Our Feet), each master storytellers for middle graders specializing in hauntings. So when Scholastic first approached me with this project I nearly fainted with excitement…and nerves. They wanted me to write a ghost story comparative to the great Mary Downing Hahn? A story that left kids reading under their covers with a flashlight, breathless with fear and anticipation? I was more than up for the challenge. Not only would I get to write in an age group I adore, I got to write a book like the ones that got me into reading. Oh, if only I could tell my twelve-year-old self, Hey, you know those books you can’t stop reading? Well, you get to publish one some day.
The only life 12-year-old Emily has ever known is the cold, unloved existence of being an orphan. But everything changes when the Thorntons, a young couple from London, adopt Emily, whisking her away to a new life at their grand estate.
At first, life at Blackthorn Manor is wonderful. But as Emily explores the grounds and rooms, she stumbles upon a mysterious girl named Kat, who appears to be similar in age, and the two become fast friends.
That’s when things take a turn for the worse. Kat seems to know a curious amount about the estate, and strange things happen whenever she’s around. In one case, Emily narrowly avoids getting toppled by a bookcase in the library; in another, the fire erupts in the fireplace, nearly burning Emily’s hands. It’s almost as if someone — or something — wants Emily dead.
Emily must find out what happened to the Thorntons and, more important, how Kat is connected to these strange goings-on at Blackthorn Manor before it’s too late!
Looking for a signed copy?
REVIEWS ARE IN!
Duga’s book is perfect for readers of all ages who wish to delight in a classic ghost tale and who enjoy predictably spooky—though not too horrifying—haunted-house stories.
— Stephanie Cohen, Booklist Review
You know some of those Are you Afraid of the Dark episodes that were truly excellent and creepy and full on eyes bugging out of your head terrifying? That’s what this book was like. It’s like one of those great episodes that has spent the last 20+ years occasionally floating across your brain and making you shiver. A truly fun and exciting middle grade ghost story.
– Caryn, Goodreads
The Haunting is just the right amount of creepy mystery for middle readers. Author Lindsey Duga’s prose is spot on for this genre. The Haunting is a fast-paced read that I finished in a day. It’s sure to be a hit with middle graders.
– Jessica Harrison, Goodreads