Midnight at the Barclay Hotel

by Fleur Bradley (Author) Xavier Bonet (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade

Hunting ghosts and solving the case before checkout? All in a weekend's work. Read the novel that New York Times bestselling author, Chris Grabenstein calls, My kind of mystery!

When JJ Jacobson convinced his mom to accept a surprise invitation to an all-expenses-paid weekend getaway at the illustrious Barclay Hotel, he never imagined that he'd find himself in the midst of a murder mystery. He thought he was in for a run-of-the-mill weekend ghost hunting at the most haunted spot in town, but when he arrives at the Barclay Hotel and his mother is blamed for the hotel owner's death, he realizes his weekend is going to be anything but ordinary. Now, with the help of his new friends, Penny and Emma, JJ has to track down a killer, clear his mother's name, and maybe even meet a ghost or two along the way.

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Kirkus Reviews

Agatha Christie references abound, and the hotel setting shines. A quirky, kid-friendly introduction to the murder mystery.

Publishers Weekly

When 12-year-old JJ Jacobson's CEO mom wins a weekend at the haunted Barclay Hotel in Aspen Springs, Colo., paranormal investigation enthusiast JJ convinces her to bring him along. The Jacobsons seemingly have nothing in common with the other guests: cowboy Buck Jones; Fiona Fleming, an actress and occasional medium; retired Detective Frank Walker; and children's librarian Chelsea Griffin. But, save for Detective Walker, each of the guests has a Barclay-related secret--and, as they learn upon their arrival, all are suspects in the murder of Mr. Barclay. Detective Walker's 11-year-old book-loving granddaughter, Penny, and lonely 12-year-old hotel resident Emma, who is prone to mysterious disappearances, team up with JJ to discover "who had motive, means, and opportunity," while JJ simultaneously attempts to prove the existence of ghosts to skeptic Penny. Bonet's black-and-white illustrations are appropriately mellow; all characters are portrayed as light-skinned except for Penny and her grandfather. Though readers already exposed to the genre may consider this well-trod ground, Bradley (the Double Vision series) offers a fast-paced, lightly spooky entrée to mystery fare. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8-12. Author's agent: Laurel Symonds, the Bent Agency. Illustrator's agent: Hannah Whitty, Plum Pudding Illustration. (Aug.)

Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

My kind of mystery! Quirky, fast paced, and full of fun! —Chris Grabenstein, New York Times bestselling author of the Mr. Lemoncello series.

A madcap mystery that I couldn't put down! —Jennifer Chambliss Bertman, New York Times bestselling author of The Book Scavenger series. 

Featured on NPR's Best of 2020 Middle Grade list.


Fleur Bradley
Fleur Bradley is an active member of SCBWI and MWA, where she has judged for the Edgars. She regularly does school and Skype visits, as well as librarian and educator conference talks on reaching reluctant readers. Originally from the Netherlands, she now lives in Colorado, not too far from the historic (and haunted) Stanley Hotel, which partly inspired this manuscript.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780593202906
Lexile Measure
650
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Viking Books for Young Readers
Publication date
August 20, 2020
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039060 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Friendship
JUV028000 - Juvenile Fiction | Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories
JUV069000 - Juvenile Fiction | Ghost Stories
Library of Congress categories
Mystery and detective stories
Ghosts
Murder
Ghost stories
Detective and mystery fiction
Investigation
Hotels, motels, etc
Hotels
Secrecy
Secrets
Detectives

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