A great little ghost story. A great combination of supernatural elements and Victorian history. ( )

I shouldn't have liked this book - there is very little action, it's rather creepy, and the main character, Allie, never actually solves the problem and it has quirky characters.

But...for some reason I really liked it. I think mainly because of Allie. She's a very real and strongly formed character. She's not ashamed of her intelligence and interest in the world around her, but she can see clearly enough that she's not perfect. Allie talks about the various adults involved in the ghost hunting expedition with a kind of dry but pleasant wit. She's a believable and layered character. I'll be looking for the rest of this series just to find out more about Allie.

Verdict: An attractive and quirky series, might appeal to middle grade readers interested in paranormal phenomena.

ISBN: 978-1741146585; Published October 2007 by Allen & Unwin; Borrowed from the library; Added to my personal wishlist