Name: The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street
ISBN: 9781481477048

Lindsay Currie

When lights start flickering and temperatures suddenly drop, twelve-year-old Tessa Woodward, sensing her new house may be haunted, recruits some new friends to help her unravel the mystery of who or what is trying to communicate with her and why.

The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street

A girl unravels a centuries-old mystery after moving into a haunted house in this deliciously suspenseful read that Kirkus Reviews calls “just the ticket for a cold autumn night.” Tessa Woodward isn’t exactly thrilled to move to rainy, cold Chicago from her home in sunny Florida. But homesickness turns to icy fear when unexplainable things start happening in her new house. Things like flickering lights, mysterious drawings appearing out of nowhere, and a crackling noise she can feel in her bones. When her little brother’s doll starts crying real tears, Tessa realizes that someone—or something—is trying to communicate with her. And it involves a secret that’s been shrouded in mystery for more than one hundred years. With the help of three new friends, Tessa begins unraveling the mystery of what happened in the house on Shady Street—and more importantly, what it has to do with her!

Lynn Braden

Tessa's father has taken a job in Chicago, so their family moves from Florida into an old house on Shady Street. From the time they move in, Tessa is struggling to accept her new situation. To make matters worse, strange things begin happening in the house, and Tessa becomes convinced that their house is haunted. Surprisingly, Tessa makes some new friends at school and they seem willing to help her figure out what is happening in her house.

The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street is a very tame haunted house story with a little suspense. Clues are offered, but seem to almost come out of nowhere, and no reason is ever really given for why the kids in the story decide to help Tessa, except for Nina's unnatural interest in the occult. The character of Cassidy seems to serve no purpose in the story and we never really find out much about former friend, Rachel. Some of the interactions between the kids don't really ring true, and the parents seem to show very little concern for major issues occurring in their own household. With an ending that just seems to be too pat to be logical, this story doesn't live up to expectation. Overall, The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street includes some enjoyable scenes, but is basically a disappointment.

The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street

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