Spooky

by Crystal Mazzuca

Stephanie Pookay isn't her real name. Information about her parents isn't the real deal. Her curiosity about the special program isn't supposed to be followed. But "Stephanie" isn't your average teenager. Forced to enroll at Chambers Boarding School when a mission gone wrong leaves her an orphan, Stephanie (as she's now known) must give up the life she knew as a CIA agent and pretend that she's just a normal girl. The last thing she wants is to stand out, but that's pretty tough when you have a freaky roommate who only wears black, there's a blonde Barbie out to get you, and the last guy in the world you want giving you attention won't leave you alone. Add to that a teacher who seems to know more than he should, and Stephanie finds that trying to be typical is a lot harder than she thought. But Chambers isn't quite what it seems, and suddenly, Stephanie's caught up in a mystery that has her pulling out all her undercover spy tricks. The CIA may have given up on her, but she refuses to stop when she fears that her new friends might be in danger. The last thing she expects is to be confronted with a ghost from her past...and a killer from her present.

240 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2011

Reviews

[Jill Williamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

After her parents’ deaths, Stephanie is forced to enroll at Chambers Boarding School. But she can’t change who she is, and Stephanie worked undercover with her CIA parents all her life. So when some strange things start happening at Chambers, Stephanie can’t help but take a closer look. What’s harder for Stephanie, though, it just trying to be a normal teenage girl.

I enjoyed this book. The mystery was engaging, as were the subplots and characters. Stephanie was a spunky heroine with a strong voice that was easy to relate to. If you like reading books like Alex Rider and Gallagher Girls, you’ll enjoy this story. I can’t wait to see if there is a book two.

[Johnny Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fairly well written book. My disappointment was with the level of realism that all of a sudden drops off. At least that is how I felt. The characters and situations went from marginally believable to almost absurd. Still it was very entertaining and I enjoyed it immensely.