by Trianne Harabedian

Thrillers, mysteries, books with suspenseful intrigue? They have never been my idea of a good time. I often find them frightening and too intense, which can sometimes mean nightmares. Yep, I’m an adult who gets scared of the dark.
So when I heard that Margaret Peterson Haddix was coming out with a new book, Greystone Secrets: The Strangers, I hesitated. She has a reputation for being an amazing mystery writer for kids, keeping her readers in suspense and elevating tension while staying age-appropriate.

“But it’s a middle grade book,” I told myself. “It’s for ages nine to twelve. How scary can it be?” Not scary at all, as it turned out! In fact, I devoured it like pizza on a late night. It was the most engaging middle grade novel I’ve read in a long time.

The book is about the three Greystone children: Chess, Emma, and Finn. Their dad died when they were young, and they live normal lives with their mom. At least, everything is normal until their mom stumbles across a news article about three kids across the country who have been kidnapped. The Greystone children are bewildered when the article lists their own names as the lost children! These others look different from Chess, Emma, and Finn, but they share first names, middle names and birthdays.

But this is only the beginning of the strangeness. Before the children can ask questions, their mom leaves on a mysterious work trip and sends them to stay with a friend they hardly know, whose own daughter wants nothing to do with them. The Greystones begin to worry when their mom doesn’t call to check on them, returns their texts with cryptic messages, and appears to have completely vanished. The suspense only grows as the children investigate, find clues, and decode messages that lead them on adventures beyond their belief.

With a hint of A Wrinkle in Time, lovable characters, and a well-woven story, I’m excited to present Margaret Peterson Haddix’s The Strangers as one of our picks for the First Editions Club for Young Readers! It’s engaging, literary, and perfect for the middle grader in your life–whether they are easily frightened or not!

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