Review by Booklist Review
Lila's summer plans did not include traveling to Ohio with her parents to sort out her estranged, recently deceased Grandpa Clem's estate. Nor did they feature a sudden ability to see ghosts, but such is life. Lila's penchant for being overdramatic has put her friendship with her besties on the rocks, but her new commitment to playing things cool is put to the test when she encounters the forlorn ghost of her grandfather at the old inn he owned--and he reveals that he was murdered. Newbery Award winner Kelly kicks off this interactive new series, with Jasmine Warga on deck to write the sequel. QR codes bring ghosts Lila meets to life, but this is a fun enhancement of the story only; readers without access to smartphones or tablets will not be deprived of any narrative content. Unsurprisingly, Kelly's writing holds its own, and readers craving a light ghost story will happily tag along with Lila as she dives into Castle Hill's paranormal history and finds new friends who accept her for who she is.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: A serious publisher push is behind this new series, whose ghostly gimmick and powerhouse writers will attract many a reader.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Eleven-year-old Lila Clement doesn't want to travel to the Ohio inn owned by the recently deceased grandfather she never knew. She'd much prefer to spend her summer proving to her friends that she's not a drama queen like they claim. But following a near-death experience after her parents' car spins out on the wet highway, she starts having strange visions, which test her resolve to be "strong and steady" like a rock. The weirdness escalates when she encounters ghosts at the Castle Hill Inn--including the spirit of Grandpa Clem himself, who says he was murdered. Allying with ghost-enthusiast newcomer Teddy and her video game--loving younger brother, Caleb, Lila investigates the inn's sordid history, the stakes escalating as her parents and neighbors are besieged by nightmares about their worst fears. Now Lila's burgeoning medium skills may be necessary to provide Grandpa Clem peace and save the town. Kelly (At Last She Stood) deploys intensely scary scenes and chilling prose to manifest an eerie series-starting adventure. Grim ghost portraiture by Franquiz (the Archives of the Unexplained series) enhances the unnerving ambiance. Includes interactive digital aspects. Teddy has brown skin; the Clements are described as having Filipino ancestry. Ages 8--12. Author's agent: Sara Crow, Sara Crowe Literary. Illustrator's agent: Desiree Wilson, Looking Glass Literary. (Sept.)
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Review by Horn Book Review
In this supernatural murder mystery, the versatile Kelly (2025 Newbery medalist for The First State of Being, rev. 5/24) skillfully balances otherworldly horrors with more realistic middle-school angst. Eleven-year-old Lila Clement panics when she learns that she has to go to Ohio for two weeks for her estranged grandfather's funeral. She's never met the man; "What difference did it make if she were there or not?" Her two best friends have become distant and critical, and she's desperate to stay in Phoenix to try to work things out. Nevertheless, she finds herself beginning summer break with her parents and younger brother at her grandfather's creepy Victorian inn, having to learn about her own family member from Teddy, a kid next door who was close to "Grandpa Clem." Lila's personal problems are quickly overshadowed, however, when Grandpa Clem's ghost appears to her and informs her that he was murdered and needs her help to open a portal to the afterlife. Lila, her brother, and Teddy join forces to figure out what happened to Grandpa Clem and end up involved with the victims of a 156-year-old tragedy. Lila is a sympathetic, fully realized protagonist whose insecurities ring true. Spine-tingling scenes featuring revenge-seeking ghosts and evil forces that feed on fear are as vivid as depictions of Lila's sense of loss at not getting to know her grandparents. Three haunting black-and-white ghost portraits are interspersed, with QR codes for interactive elements. Kitty FlynnSeptember/October 2025 p.67 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
After her estranged grandfather dies, an 11-year-old girl learns that she can not only see ghosts, but also communicate with them. Lila Clement is always being accused of being too much--too dramatic, too intense, or just taking up too much space. When Grandpa Clem passes away, the family sets off on the long drive from Phoenix to Castle Hill, Ohio. They'll be staying in the inn he owned for a few weeks, sorting out his affairs. Lila meets Grandpa Clem's young neighbor, Teddy Hamad, who quickly becomes her confidant after she shares with him that she saw the ghost of her grandfather--who said he was murdered and needs her help. In turn, Teddy reveals that Castle Hill Inn contains a portal for spirits of the departed to pass through to the other world. Teddy, Lila, and her younger brother, Caleb, must solve the murder, help the good ghosts resolve their unfinished business so they can cross over, and stop the malevolent spirits who stand in their way. In this clever series opener, Newbery Medal--winning author Kelly examines fear and grief through memorable characters and fast-paced chapters. The book contains puzzles and augmented reality elements (accessed via QR codes and integrated with Franquiz's eerie, full-page illustrations) that allow readers to interact with the ghosts and conduct their own investigations. Lila and Caleb are Filipino and white, and Teddy has brown skin. Hauntingly good and sure to possess any horror aficionado.(Paranormal. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
