#MMGM: It Found Us by Lindsay Currie
ABOUT THE BOOK
Twelve-year-old Hazel Woods has always had an unusual knack for sleuthing. Some may call it snooping, but all she really wants is to solve mysteries around town. So, when she not-so-accidentally overhears her brother Den planning to sneak into the cemetery at night for an epic game of hide-and-seek, she decides to secretly tag along. This seems like the perfect opportunity to investigate the claims that the cemetery is haunted.
But the moment the game ends, Hazel realizes something is very, very wrong. From her hiding spot in the bushes, she overhears that her brother’s best friend, Everett, is missing. Everyone else was found by the seeker but there’s no sign of Everett anywhere. It’s as if he just . . . vanished
Hazel and Den are determined to find Everett before it’s too late. But as they begin to unravel the terrifying clues that started appearing since that night in the graveyard–eerie whispers that sound like someone counting, the intermittent smell of smoke, and the cold, lost presence that follows them everywhere, she’s not sure what they are dealing with. But Everett needs more than search parties and scent-tracking dogs to find him, especially if his disappearance is tied to the history of the cemetery, and the lost, century-old spirits that might still be trapped there.
REVIEW
Hazel wants to start a podcast where she can talk about solving mysteries. She's been using her sleuthing skills around town to solve local mysteries such as who broke a store window, who stole a bike, and most recently who's been leaving dog poop on her neighbor's lawn. Her parents' refuse to let her start her podcast and are exasperated at her snooping. But her snooping skills come in handy when she overhears her brother making plans to sneak out to play hide and seek at the local cemetery. Hazel sees this as a chance to gather intel on the legends surrounding the cemetery that indicate the place is haunted. Her search takes a turn for the worse when Den's friend Everett disappears during the game.
While the police and volunteers search for Everett, Hazel and Den quickly realize that Everett didn't run away and strange happenings in the cemetery indicate his disappearance is likely related to the supernatural things going on in the cemetery. Realizing the need to find Everett quickly, Hazel puts every skill she has into gathering clues. With the help of Den and her best friend, Maggie, the interview people and gather clues, but can they put everything together before it's too late?
Once again, Currie has written a spooky story full of questions needing answers. I loved the combination of ghost story and mystery. Hazel's determination and good sense came in handy as the kids navigate a terrifying and confusing situation. I also appreciated Hazel and Den's parents. So many books have clueless or absent parents. In this case, the parents are busy helping with the search for Everett and are trusting their kids to stay home as asked, when they catch the kids returning from an investigating jaunt, they work out a deal that works for both the kids and the parents. The author does a good job of building the tension as the kids encounter increasing danger as they get closer to the answers they seek. A thrilling mystery with a good dose of scary ghost story.
sounds like a good one! I hope it gets nominated for the Cybils so I can add it to my tbr!
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