The Crossroads by Chris Grabenstein

HAUNTED MYSTERY SERIES BOOK 01

The Crossroads by Chris Grabenstein

Random House

Published in 2008

ISBN 9780375846977

325 Pages

PLACES TO BUY FROM:

Amazon (Hardcover)
Barnes & Noble (Hardcover)

CHECKED OUT THE BOOK FROM MY PUBLIC LIBRARY.

Review/Rating:

4 out of 5



Zack Jennings is a normal eleven-year-old boy, except for the fact that he can see ghosts. Him, his father, and his new stepmother move from New York to Connecticut, but when they arrive there things are not what they appear to be. You see, there is the huge tree in their backyard, and Zack knows there is something evil about it. His new stepmother, Judy, has also seen ghosts near the house. Are the ghosts all connected in some way? And why does the evil spirit in the tree want to kill him?

Another supernatural book, but it is one about ghosts. Also, it's a junior fiction book. Yeah, I know, way off my level, but I like to read around. :)

Like almost all mystery books, it starts off kind of slow and boring, which is always annoying in books. Though, it starts to pick up the action, suspense, and mysteriousness after they move to Connecticut, where the haunted tree is at. And the mystery part is kind of annoying since the author doesn't leave that many clues for you to figure out what happened, instead the author lets the characters figure it out on their own. So if you want a mystery, where you can solve it from the clues, this isn't a book you want.

Another thing that is slow-moving are the characters, though they do eventually have some growth, errr... most of them anyways. I especially like how the relationship between Zack and Judy, his stepmother, grows. Why? Because you mostly only see books mention how mean the stepmothers are or how they mostly ignore the kid, but with this book, they actually get along towards the end.

Another thing that I like about this book is that it tells the story using mostly descriptions and details, instead of mostly dialogue. I tend to be more harsh on books that have more dialogue than ones that tell the story in paragraphs summarizing what most others use dialogue for. I like books like this one a lot. :)

Anyways, it is a good ghost novel, despite the slow-moving parts, so go read it. :D

Another thing, this book has a series. This book is the first one in that series. The second one is called The Hanging Hill, and the third one, which isn't released yet, is called The Smoky Corridor. I'll try to read them, if my library orders them. >.<

Other Reviews/Author Site:

Chris Grabenstein
Goodreads: The Crossroads by Chris Grabenstein
Library Thing: The Crossroads by Chris Grabenstein
BC Book Reviews: The Crossroads by Chris Grabenstein
Bookhound: The Crossroads by Chris Grabenstein
Mrs. McGriff's Reading Blog: The Crossroads by Chris Grabenstein