Review by Booklist Review
Every neighborhood has that house the creepy one, haunted or owned by a witch or the site of grisly murders. In Glennon Heights, where Olivia has lived her entire life, that house is 16 Olcott Place, former home of a wealthy family who have since fallen from grace. After Olivia makes friends with new resident Janie Donahue, strange and spooky notes signed by the Sentry of Glennon Heights begin showing up, threatening Janie. The tension ramps up as more letters arrive, their threats hitting closer to home. Is the Sentry a ghost of some kind, or a community member bent on preserving the historical house? When Janie's parents get involved, the true mystery begins. Whoever is doing this knows things about the Donahues and their house that no one else does. The creepiness of an invisible stalker pervades the second half of the book, all the way to the eerie conclusion. A good pick for younger YAs who've exhausted Poblocki and Hahn.--Stacey Comfort Copyright 2019 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Mysterious letters torment the new inhabitants of a house.The gorgeous, stately Langsom house is among the finest residences of Glennon Heights. After the Langsoms move outmysteriouslythe Donahues move in from out of state. Olivia Danvers becomes fast friends with the new family's youngest daughter, Janie, and gets drawn into the Donahue family dramas. These dramas include something unspoken about Janie's brother, Ben (whom Olivia rapidly develops a crush on), that prompted the move, and Mr. and Mrs. Donahue's volatile relationship. By far, the most interesting oddity at the Donahue house are creepy letters from the self-proclaimed Sentry, warning the family of secrets inside the house and the gruesome fate that awaits them if they stay. While the teens investigate possible suspects and uncover the history of the house (including hidden passages and a secret room with peepholes), Mr. Donahue jumps on the knowledge that the Langsoms also received some letters as a nondisclosure that justifies a lawsuit against multiple parties, including the real estate agent and the Langsomsa move that doesn't make his new-to-town kids popular. After a very slow-burning plot, when the pieces come together they come hard and fast, overly explaining the mystery and leading to an abrupt climax. All characters seem to default to white.Despite interpersonal storylines stuck in ruts and an underwhelming ending, the creepy house moments land well. (Horror/thriller. 12-adult) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
