The Haunting of Tabitha Grey

Set in a sprawling Victorian manor, a classic ghost story with a stunning twistI look up at the dark, unblinking eyes of the house and I get the weirdest feeling . . . It's the feeling of being pulled into something and being unable to stop it happening . . .Tabitha is used to changing schools and moving to different houses. But when her family moves into Weston Manor, something is different. It's as if the house has been waiting for her. There are lavender smells which come from nowhere, the old servants' bells ring in the night, and she can hear crying in empty rooms. Tabitha's always been imaginative. Even her best friend Gemma knows that. But this time, could she actually be telling the truth?

From School Library Journal

Gr 5-8-Ghosts without gore are featured in this mildly creepy novel. Tabitha Grey and her family have moved once again, this time because her father has taken a job as the Keeper (caretaker) of a historic estate/museum. One of the perks of the job is living in the mansion's converted servants' quarters, but Tabitha's mom and little brother rarely leave the flat, and her dad is busy working, leaving Tabitha frequently alone. While many people regularly tour the estate, the home makes Tabitha distinctly uneasy. Before long, her uneasiness turns to full panic as she begins to smell lavender when no one else does, hear sounds no one else hears, and see figures that she believes are ghosts. There is some mystery here, but the story focuses less on the ghosts and more on what happened to the Grey family before moving to Weston Manor. A subplot concerning Tabitha's father's infidelity doesn't add anything to the plot, and her mother's emotional fragility comes across as self-indulgent. The ending takes a Sixth Sense-style twist, somewhat diminishing the impact. Still, this novel might have some appeal to kids who like shivers, but not nightmares.-Heather Webb, Worthington Libraries, OHα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

From Booklist

After moving to Weston Manor, a historic mansion where her father is curator, Tabitha starts having strange visions. She sees women running through the house and playing croquet on the lawn, and she smells lavender where there is none. Dealing with this house also begins to strain her relationship with her parents and friends, and she feels the weight of being responsible for her younger brother, Ben. Once Tabitha starts getting some answers, she finds that the house wants something from her, but can she bear to give it? Unlike most ghost stories, there is little outright action, but rather it boils with simmering danger and some occasional scares. Most readers will likely predict the ending, but seeing it unravel is still satisfying. Since the book is set in England, some phrases may be foreign to readers, but nothing that cannot be defined in context. A good next step for readers who are fans of Mary Downing Hahn—but don’t want to be completely terrified. Grades 6-9. --Tiffany Erickson

About the Author

Vanessa Curtis is the author of Zelah Green and Zelah Green: One More Little Problem.

Reviews

News