The Smoky Corridor: A Haunted Mystery

by Chris Grabenstein

Overview

Perfect for Halloween! From the New York Times bestselling author of Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library and coauthor of I Funny and Treasure Hunters, comes a series of spine-tingling mysteries to keep you up long after the lights go out.

Zack is about to start at his new school, and in addition to homework, school lunches, and bullies, Zack must also contend with a ruthless hit man seeking a lost treasure, a voodoo savvy ghost waiting to take possession of a new body, and a soul-sucking zombie in the basement. Suddenly homework doesn't seem so bad.

Once again Chris Grabenstein proves his mastery of the frightening and funny tale. Young readers, especially reluctant ones, have found an inspiration to read in Grabenstein's quirky characters and deadly situations.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780375865107
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	08/09/2011
Series:	A Haunted Mystery Series
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	5.17(w) x 7.61(h) x 0.78(d)
Lexile:	690L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

CHRIS GRABENSTEIN is the Agatha and Anthony award—winning author of The Crossroads and The Hanging Hill as well as several adult thrillers. He used to write TV and radio commercials and has written for The Muppets.

Chris was born in Buffalo, New York, and moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, when he was 10. After college, he moved to New York City to become an actor and writer. For five years, he did improvisational comedy with some of  the city's funniest performers, including this one guy named Bruce Willis. Currently, Chris and his wife JJ live in New York City with three cats and a dog named Fred who starred in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on Broadway. You can visit Chris (and Fred) at ChrisGrabenstein.com

Editorial Reviews

Zach Jennings sees ghosts. The third volume of the "Haunted Mystery" series finds him beginning his first year at Horace P. Pettimore Middle School. While attending orientation with his father, Zach encounters the ghosts of the Donnelly brothers, two young students who died in a tragic fire in 1910 and seek revenge. He also feels the presence of the school's founder, a Union captain in the Civil War. Zach is warned by a friendly ghost he had assisted in the past that great danger is present and Zach must save the school. However, he is told he must not involve adults. Previously, Zach was helped by his stepmother who also sees ghosts, but this time he is on his own. As he fights the zombie soldiers of Captain Pettimore and resists the Donnelly brothers' devious plan, he wonders if he is up to the task. Bullying from the principal and other students makes his job even more difficult. At first, the nice history teacher appears to be supportive, but can she be trusted? Is Zach the student Captain Pettimore thinks is the one who will give him new life? Zombies, ghosts, and buried treasure make this an entertaining page turner. Reviewer: Shirley Nelson

Children's Literature - Shirley Nelson

Gr 5–8—This third entry in the series continues the adventures of Zach Jennings, who has the uncanny ability to see and talk with ghosts. His entrance into sixth grade is complicated by the brain-eating zombie that sleeps under the school guarding a Confederate treasure trove for a voodoo-practicing ghost waiting to take over the body of an unsuspecting child. With a maze of tunnels under it, a cemetery behind it, and guardian ghosts wandering through it, this middle school is far worse than most. Murders are committed in the quest for the treasure, but the creepiness tends to be so over-the-top, and there is so much humor in the book, that the evil is mitigated. Zach is a likable character, resigned to his ghost-seeing abilities and often trying to connect with his inner superhero. He's also nervous about the new school, realistic about his status there, and wants to make friends and avoid the school bully. With its short chapters, Smoky Corridor might appeal to some reluctant readers, but there are a lot of characters, including ghosts, to keep track of, and the plot is full of twists and turns that could be confusing. Grabenstein is a riveting storyteller; most kids won't be able to put this book down. Its appeal will be wide, as it is a mystery, a thriller, a ghost story, a school story, an action adventure, and a humorous book. It can stand alone, although reading the earlier titles does provide some pertinent background information.—Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME

School Library Journal