Night Ghost

★★★★★ "Felt like I was watching a movie instead of reading a book. Great read!" - Customer Review Everyday they see the cemetery standing alone on the block.Thirteen-year-old Suellen Blanchard, her two friends Sabrina "Slim" Morrison and Brandon Dowell, and her twelve-year-old brother Andre never really thought much of it.Until Suellen notices the shadow of someone walking around inside the decrepit funeral home building.When the friends are later told a brief history of the funeral home and an ominous ghost story that has spread throughout their town over many years, they decide to delve deeper into the town's urban legend by entering the graveyard the following night.But during their late night trespassing, they're caught up in some unexpected trouble and are forced to escape. However, once they leave the cemetery, the real terror begins.A mysterious knock on the door after they return home that night. An intruder breaking in. And a strange vehicle trailing one of them home after school.What could possibly be behind these odd occurrences?Is it a curse for not allowing the dead to rest in peace...or is it something more?They've trespassed upon more than just the lonely graves of the dead and all the other secrets dwell within an old, abandoned graveyard...

The Prairies Book Review Night Ghost by Nick C. Brady follows a group of pre-teens in a horrifying mystery. Suellen and her best friends, Brandon and Slim, are curious about the tiny cemetery near their homes. Suellen's brother, Andre, informs them of a local legend which says that anyone who walks across one of the graves will be haunted by the ghost of the angry man who was buried there. An adventurous night in the graveyard is cut short by the appearance of the police and the news that there is an escaped serial killer on the loose. Soon, the four young adults find themselves caught up in events that might be way more dangerous than being haunted by the graveyard's ghost. Though I am no longer a young adult, this book triggered plenty of nostalgic moments for me. It was easy to compare this book to classic young adult horror stories such as those written by Christopher Pike or R.L. Stine. Everyone seems to remember the Goosebumps or Fear Street series. With more stories like this from Nick C. Brady, I could easily see him establishing a new generation for the genre of young adult horror. Aside from the twists and turns that kept me hooked to the storyline, I absolutely enjoyed all of the characters and the ways that they developed as the story progressed. If there was anything I didn't like about the book, it would be that I feel like I didn't get to spend enough time getting to know them all a little bit better. Having four main characters might have made it a little challenging for readers to feel strong connections to any single one of them. However, Suellen is probably the central character out of everyone, and I did feel like I connected to her most of all. With no profanity or explicit scenes, this book is suited for younger teens. There is a minimal amount of violence in the book, as well as topics such as serial killing and murder, so more sensitive parents might be a little more cautious to allow their children to read this book. Even with these topics, there aren't any gross or gory moments, so I still think that the book is perfectly acceptable for this age group. I personally could have picked up this book around age 10 and been completely fine with it. Overall, I am excited to give this book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars, and I definitely recommend it to young readers (and their parents) who love horror stories and thrilling mysteries. The book appears to be professionally proofread and edited. The writing is clear and easy to read, without being childish, so that adults can enjoy it as well.

Engrossing and entertaining... Brady's latest follows the misadventures of a curious group of junior high school friends, who find themselves entrapped in a dangerous conspiracy where spooky ghosts and vengeful monsters become almost real. For the junior high school friends Suellen, Brandon, and Slim and Suellen's younger brother Andre, the abandoned cemetery on their way home from school holds a fascinating attraction with sinister stories floating around its origin. Deciding to investigate the authenticity of the menacing ghost story, the group decides to trespass one night. But they trespass upon more than just the lonely graves of the dead. After escaping the terrorizing situation, the real trouble begins. The tension builds as the teenagers find themselves being stalked, preyed upon, and terrorized by an enigmatic figure. Soon, it becomes clear that the danger threatening their lives was more real than they originally thought it to be. Brady's smoothly paced narration pulls readers into a spooky and engrossing story of adolescent adventure and intrigues. Suellen's struggles with her fears, insecurities, and her exasperation at Andre's behavior make her thoroughly realistic, flesh-and-blood character. That she maintains a brave front despite her inner fear serves to render her individual struggles even more touching. The other protagonists are sketched with equal authenticity, and Brady successfully channel their inner quirks and trepidations. Brady's prose is simple, and he skillfully keeps the tension ripe throughout with surprising revelations and plenty of suspense in the back. This is an entertaining, well-paced middle grade thriller.

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