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168 pp.
| Dial
| October, 2008
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8037-3151-6$16.99
(4)
4-6
John Bellairs Mystery series.
Primed for a relaxing summer, Lewis Barnavelt instead finds himself plagued by a series of accidents that lead him, his uncle Jonathan, and old friends Rose Rita and Mrs. Zimmerman to become enmeshed in the magician Schlectesherz's nefarious pursuit of power. Despite some sketchy details and the not-so-spooky tone of the supernatural goings-on, series fans will find this engaging.
182 pp.
| Dial
| October, 2007
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8037-3061-8$15.99
(4)
4-6
In this second volume in a projected trilogy, Jarvey Midion inherits a book that contains a series of magical worlds. Jarvey and his friend Betsy are separated and forced to face plentiful danger--including Jarvey's villainous ancestors--on their way home. Though characters are only sketchily developed, Strickland has created a solid read for genre fans.
173 pp.
| Dial/Sleuth
| October, 2006
|
TradeISBN 0-8037-3148-5$16.99
(3)
4-6
John Bellairs Mystery series.
Lewis Barnavelt and his best friend, Rose Rita, again encounter danger as they investigate supernatural goings-on at Hawaii House. The friends--along with Uncle Jonathan and Mrs. Zimmermann--encounter an angry goddess, ancient relics, a Hawaiian princess, and an army of ghostly warriors before the house returns to a peaceful state. Fans will enjoy the story's suspense and fillips of humor.
152 pp.
| Dial
| August, 2003
|
TradeISBN 0-8037-2622-8$$16.99
(4)
4-6
Lewis finds an old silver whistle beside a mysterious grave in the woods. When he blows into the whistle Lewis unleashes the lamia, a serpentlike creature with a taste for human blood. The series created by John Bellairs continues in familiar eerie fashion, though details about the lamia's appearance and behavior are disappointingly sketchy in this deliberately paced story.
146 pp.
| Dial
| September, 2001
|
TradeISBN 0-8037-2620-1$$16.99
(3)
4-6
John Bellairs's characters are featured in this sequel to The House with a Clock in Its Walls. Lewis, his friend Rose Rita, Uncle Jonathan, and Mrs. Zimmerman race to destroy Ishmael Izard's doomsday clock before the sorcerer destroys the world. Appealing characters pitted against an evil villain, a well-paced plot, and an atmospheric setting add up to a good read in this suspenseful mystery-adventure.
105 pp.
| Dial
| June, 2000
|
TradeISBN 0-8037-2498-5$$15.99
(3)
4-6
Bookish ten-year-old Maury struggles to fill his brother's shoes on the family farm after Ben leaves to fight in WWII. His stern father always seems angry these days, and Maury's taking in a stray dog doesn't help, but Maury slowly comes into his own. The subdued tone and distinct, if slightly idealized, characterizations suit this simply and gracefully written wartime-era novel.
151 pp.
| Dial
| September, 2000
|
TradeISBN 0-8037-2220-6$$16.99
(3)
4-6
Continuing the adventures of John Bellairs's characters, Strickland pens a briskly paced mystery full of secrets, spells, and the supernatural. Lewis Barnavelt and his friend Rose Rita become enmeshed in a potential disaster. The destruction of an old bridge releases a malevolent force--the legacy of an evil, long-dead magician--but all ends happily despite the menace in this entertaining tale.
166 pp.
| Dial
| September, 1999
|
TradeISBN 0-8037-2222-2$$16.99
(3)
4-6
Based on characters created by the late John Bellairs, Strickland's story continues the page-turning adventures of Johnny Dixon and friends Professor Childermass and Fergie Ferguson. When Johnny's father falls ill, the intrepid trio travel to the spirit world to seek an ancient, transmogrifying book that holds the key to the cure. Fans of supernatural mysteries, and Bellairs's books in particular, will find this a frightfully engaging read.
149 pp.
| Dial
| September, 1998
|
TradeISBN 0-8037-2202-8$$15.99
(4)
4-6
Lewis Barnavelt and Rose Rita Pottinger, characters created by the late John Bellairs, return in a typically eerie encounter with Egyptian magic wielded by the spirit of a sorceress who plans to sacrifice Rose Rita in order to bring herself back to life. The book breaks no new ground but offers a satisfying enough continuation of Bellairs's supernatural series.