Suspense, shadows for cooler days

Once Halloween passes and leaves fall off the trees (much to the chagrin of our leaf raker), darkness arrives earlier. Shadows cast from bare limbs and chilly nights make autumn the ideal time to curl up in a cozy chair next to the fireplace with a suspenseful mystery. With each turning of the page, anticipation builds as readers rush to find the culprit and solve the mystery.

STOLEN CHILDREN. By Peg Kehret. Penguin. Ages 9-12. 240 pages. $16.99.

What parent or child doesn't fear kidnapping? In this masterful book, Peg Kehret creates a very scary story about a baby sitter and her 3-year-old charge becoming part of two criminals' get-rich-quick scheme. The kidnappers force Amy and little Kendra to make videos to pressure Kendra's parents; Amy uses her smarts to send clues in them.

Unlike other dark tales of abduction, this story stays away from physical violence and is able to give readers a thrill at Amy and Kendra's plight and Amy's maturity in the face of danger.

Both of us found this to be a mesmerizing page-turner and have passed it to the other readers in our house.

HAUNTED U.S.A. By Charles Wetzel. Sterling. Ages 8-12. 86 pages. $5.95.

Part of Sterling's Mysteries Unwrapped series, this book delves into the scientific and psychic explanations of ghosts. The White House is a major feature because it is the most haunted house in the country, according to Charles Wetzel.

The Obama family might want to look into reported ghost sightings of famous former presidents, their families and employees roaming the halls before moving in!

THE CROSSROADS. By Chris Grabenstein. Random House. Ages 10-14. 325 pages. $16.99.

Talk about creepy! An evil spirit inhabits a tree in the yard where Zack Jennings, his father and his new stepmother have moved. Zack unravels a twisting, turning, sometimes confusing mystery that involves distant relatives and a possessed plumber in his new town that may be small but is far from sleepy.

With so many ghosts and plotlines corkscrewing through the book, readers must stay on their toes. However, solving the mystery is worth the read in this entertaining and spooky book.

THE RED NECKLACE. By Sally Gardner. Penguin. Ages 12 and up. 378 pages. $16.99.

A historical thriller combines two favorite genres for us! This book is set in tumultuous 1789 as France swirls toward its Revolution. A gypsy boy named Yann Margoza uses his two talents, discerning what people are thinking and being able to throw his voice, to earn his living. He and Têtu, a dwarf who has cared for Yann since childhood, work with a magician whose desire to earn money overpowers his judgment. Yann and Têtu escape capture at the Marquis de Villeduval's chateau, but not before Yann meets Sido, the marquis' repressed daughter.

The meeting changes their lives and alters the course of their fates, which, despite being separated by years and miles, remain intertwined. At the heart of the book is the mysterious red necklace that appears when characters meet untimely deaths. The evil Count Kalliovski is wrapped up in the mystery, although Yann cannot quite figure what the count's role is.

Prepare to spend fast-paced moments reading to find out the answers to this book's intrigues, all of which are wrapped into a tidy end. Traveling back in time to solve this royal mystery brings great enjoyment.

THE SÉANCE. By Iain Lawrence. Delacorte. Ages 9-12. 272 pages. $15.99.

Scooter King, a young man growing up in the Roaring Twenties, works as his mother's assistant in her psychic-reading business. Mostly a flimflam operation, the medium's business is threatened when Harry Houdini comes to town. When Scooter discovers a body backstage in Houdini's Torture Tank, he becomes determined to find out who is trying to sabotage Houdini's show, even though Houdini is out to expose the psychics in town.

Scooter does find the killer but also finds himself in danger. He must rely on his wits and his newfound friendship with Houdini to escape and to announce the truth. This is a super book for boys and for those with an interest in historical fiction.

THE MYSTERY. By Maxwell Eaton III. Knopf. Ages 4-7. $12.99.

Just who keeps changing the barn's color? Max and Pinky paint it red, only to wake up and discover someone has repainted it pink. They repaint only to find that the mystery painter strikes again ... and paints the barn plaid. They look for clues and set up a trap. Max is surprised to find the culprit is really innocent. This is a cute introduction to the whodunit genre.

■ Monica Young and Hannah Young can be reached at cyoung9@triad.rr.com. View book reviews at the Journal in Education site at www.jie.journalnow.com.