CREEPY AND TWISTED

Tabitha, an unwanted child of two very selfish parents, is about to be left at the doorstep of the local orphanage, when she and five other children are  invited to a spend the weekend at the mansion of a wealthy but reclusive countess.  Strange things begin to happen as soon as they arrive.  The maid dies right at the dinner table and the children begin to dissappear one by one.

Tabitha sets out to investigate the secrets she's sure is hiding in the mansion and with the seemingly more and more unstable countess.  Nooks and Crannies by Jessica Lawson is a Dahlish gothic novel set in some nebulous Dickensian time period.  It's a perfect read for those looking for something different to read.

For readers in 4th-6th grades.  

THE TITLE TELLS IT LIKE IT IS

Seldom does a mystery start by letting the reader know who committed the crime but Jennifer Wolf Kam in her book Devin Rhodes Is Dead does just that. The story is told by Cass who had been Devin’s best friend and who now feels responsible for her friend’s death. Actually her long-time best friend and fellow wearer of the best friend heart charm, Devin had dumped her in favor of a more popular girlfriend and the usual, boys. The story is told in alternating chapters that alternate between “before’ and “after” and include along with the story of a friendship gone wrong, a bit of romance and the supernatural. Not always the most unbiased of narrators, Cass does tell an intriguing story. 

Best for readers in grades 6-8.

ONE BAD APPLE IS ALL IT TAKES

Seamus was always a good kid.  He rarely got into trouble, and never for anything serious.  He was in trouble for things like not cleaning his room or trying to skip out of class 7 minutes early to be in line first for Fish Stick Tuesday.  But now, Seamus is a criminal.  It was all an accident.  He was trying to help when he threw the apple across the cafeteria at Miss Parsippany.  But now there's no bringing Miss Parsippany back, and there's no going back to the life he once knew when his parents drop him off at Kilter Academy, the best reform school in the country.

Little do Seamus' parents know, however, that Kilter doesn't punish trouble-making, they reward it, and in fact encourage and teach the trouble makers of the future.  Too bad Seamus isn't a natural-born trouble maker, despite being Kilter Academy's only Murderer.  Trouble just seems to find him.  To pass his classes though, Seamus must learn to become a trouble maker, and as he does so, he becomes Kilter's star pupil, along with is pyromaniac roommate and new best friend.  Together, they uncover and disrupt the secrets and staff at Kilter Academy in the first Merits of Mischief book, The Bad Apple by T.R. Burns.  This book is good for trouble-makers and aspiring trouble-makers in 6th grade and up.

SAY GOOD NIGHT GRACIE

You might not know this, but it really hurts when one of your parents dies. Especially when it happens unexpectedly. Especially when it's your Dad, the only one in your family that understands you. So it doesn't seem like a very good thing when your sister decides to adopt a dog. Especially when that dog talks to you and only you. Grace wonders if she's losing her mind, but at least takes the time to listen. You won't believe what this dog has to say! WHAT THE DOG SAID by Randi Reisfeld is a story that will take you on a roller coaster of emotions, but in the end you will be filled with love. 

For grades 4 and up.

OCTOBER 2012

DR. BONES HAS A NIECE!

When Tory finds an old dog tag while dodging angry primate dirt bombs, she becomes intrigue with its owner. One thing leads to another, Tory and her friends are running late night undercover missions to root out the truth behind the disappearance of 16 year old science nerd from the 1960s.

Virals by Kathy Reichs is a new series from the author of the Dr. Temperance Breannan books (and the Bones television show). This series feature her niece living on a University owned island off the coast of South Carolina. It's an action-packed, science fiction, murder mystery novel with bits of romance and lots of suspense. Perfect for mature 6th-10th grade readers.

MURDER, MONEY AND MYSTERY

Logan just moved into a new house ...a haunted house where the previous owner was murdered. The dead woman was accused of embezzling from the town's now closed amusement park, The Magic Forest. But the boy next door swears that she wouldn't do that and if she didn't then what happened money? Arthur and Logan follow clues left by the dead woman in order to track down the real thief and her killer.

Closed For the Season: A Murder Mystery by Mary Downing Hahn is a short suspense novel for readers in grades 6th - 8th.

THE DEADLY MEANING OF FLOWERS

The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets: An Enola Holmes Mystery by Nancy Springer. In this third twisted tale of mystery for 6th - 8th grade readers, Dr. Watson has been kidnapped and committed to an insane asylum under another's name. Enola is on a parallel hunt with her older brother Sherlock to find Dr. Watson before the anonymous bouquet sender kills him. Enola must use all her skills to pull their beloved Dr. Watson from danger.

SAMURAI WANNABE

Seikei can now return to his family as a samurai, but how will they treat him after all these years? In A Samurai Never Fears Death, the third book in the series, Seikei returns to his hometown but instead of a warm family reception, he finds his brother and sister at the center of several murders and a smuggling ring.

An intricate historical murder mystery for middle school readers and older.