Thursday, February 21, 2013

Van Tol, Alex. Shallow Grave.


Van Tol, Alex.    Shallow Grave. (Orca Sounding series)     Orca  131p  $9.95     
978-1-4598-0202-5       2012    ms/hs   VG    Mystery/Detective

This page-turning suspense thriller is sure to appeal to young-adult readers.  Shannon is involved in a prank that involves hiding the principal’s car in the woods.  Elliot tries to help her when the car accidentally rolls onto her foot and is accused of being involved in the prank as well.  The pair is sentenced to clean out the old school boathouse as their punishment.

As they begin to clean things up, they find suspicious items in the boathouse, and strange, scary things begin to happen.  Shannon makes a Ouija board and the pair begin to ask it questions.  However, when Shannon and Elliott decide they have had enough and it is time to leave, a force locks them in the boathouse until all of the questions have been asked and answered, and the mystery is solved.

Alex Van Tol has created a thrilling short novel that fits well within the high-interest, lower-reading-level confines of the Orca Soundings series.  This fast-paced mystery is sure to delight young-adult and reluctant readers.

Murder-Fiction                                       --Virginia McGarvey

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