The House In Poplar Wood

Product Description Haunted Mansion meets Stranger Things   ★ "A smart, thrilling mystery" - Publishers Weekly, starred review ★ "Magical elements, evocative, intelligent writing, and ever-ratcheting suspense."- Kirkus Reviews, starred review   "The foreboding atmosphere perfectly matches the dark mystery and high stakes confronting the middle-schoolers." – Booklist   For as long as the Vickery twins can remember, Lee and his mother have served Memory, while Felix and his father assist Death. This is the Agreement. But one Halloween, Gretchen Whipple smashes her way into their lives. Her bargain is simple: If the twins help her solve the murder of local girl Essie Hasting, she'll help them break the Agreement. The more the three investigate, however, the more they realize that something's gone terribly wrong in their town. Death is on the loose, and if history repeats itself, Essie's might not be the last murder in Poplar Wood. Simultaneously heartwarming and delightfully spooky, The House in Poplar Wood is a story about a boy's desire to be free, a girl's desire to make a difference, and a family's desire to be together again.   Review A breathtaking and elegant tale with vivid prose, a spooky setting, and a fiercely determined group of unlikely friends. Will have readers flipping pages late into the night. -Ashley Herring Blake, acclaimed author of Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World A fresh, imaginative, creepy, and cheer-worthy tale of three teens trying to break family curses, escape dark forces, and do the right thing for themselves and their loved ones. -- Common Sense Media5-star review A smart, thrilling mystery, equal parts dark and gentle, that explores questions about freedom, power, and choosing one's master. - Publishers Weekly, starred review Atmospheric and gripping, the book offers a boldly original take on the Grim Reaper concept, but never sacrifices entertainment for metaphysics (even while raising some thought-provoking questions). Ormsbee does a masterly job of juggling perspectives, keeping all the children distinct and fascinating in their own ways, while never losing the page-whipping pace of her well-crafted plot. -- The New York Times Magical elements, evocative, intelligent writing, and ever-ratcheting suspense.- Kirkus Reviews, starred review Ormsbee manages quite the balancing act, giving each kid a distinct personality and an authentic perspective. -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Quirky, spooky, and thoroughly enjoyable. - School Library Journal, starred review Spooky but not too scary. the story also tells how one person, or three working together, can make a difference. - School Library Connection The foreboding atmosphere perfectly matches the dark mystery and high stakes confronting the middle-schoolers. - Booklist With twins who are forced to leave separate lives, one with each parent, this is kind of like a scary version of 'The Parent Trap.' -- Romper About the Author K. E. Ormsbee hails from the Bluegrass State and lives in Austin, Texas. Halloween is her favorite day of the year, and she believes you're never too old to dress up. She is also the author of The Water and the Wild and The Doorway and the Deep.