One Halloween night Nate and his friends visit the local hotel, which has been turned into a haunted house. But when Nate realizes that none of the kids who've gone in have come out yet, he fears that the happenings in the hotel may be more than fun and games. In fact, the hotel may just be the site of a real, live haunting. Together the terrified Nate and his friends investigate the mysterious happenings -- an adventure that culminates in a fun surprise ending.
This is a quick, if pretty spooky, mystery for younger kids who don't scare easily. Die-hard fans of detective stories may be annoyed by the fact that the children's sleuthing actually delays solving the mystery. In fact, if the kids had simply done what all the adults suggested instead of investigating, they would have gotten to the solution without much hassle. Still, children who are new to the genre may not notice, and the mystery itself was fun, while the lively illustrations and surprise ending should delight children. Although it is part of a series, it stands alone nicely.
EL (K-3) -- ADVISABLE. Reviewer: Caryn
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