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American Girl Samantha Mysteries #4
Clue in the Castle Tower
While visiting an old castle in England, Samantha and Nellie solve mysteries involving a ghost and some missing rare books.
172 pages, Library Binding
First published March 1, 2011
16 people are currently reading
458 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Masters Buckey
29 books47 followersSarah Masters Buckey was raised in New Jersey and lived in Texas for 15 years. Sarah was nominated for the Agatha Award in 2008 for A Thief in the Theater and in 2005 for The Curse of Ravenscourt. She was nominated for an Edgar Award in 2007 for The Stolen Sapphire.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
December 8, 2025
**
NOTE:
This should be book 3 of the Samantha Mysteries, see the spoiler at the end of the review for details**
Samantha, Nellie, Grandmary and the Admiral finally landed in England after an adventurous voyage. They've seen many of the famous sites already - Buckingham Palace, Westminster Clock Tower, and the London Zoo.
They are just about to explore the British Museum when the Admiral bumps into an old school friend, Sir Charles. While they are catching up, Samantha learns that Sir Charles is still grieving the loss of his wife and he has taken in orphaned twin nephews (who cause a fair amount of trouble themselves).
Then much to everyone's surprise, Sir Charles has a suggestion:
But soon that excitement turns to worry when some very important belongings go missing - who could have stolen those items? And will the girls figure it out before they have to leave for Paris?
This was a fairly good Samantha Mystery. The mystery was definitely mysterious but it wasn't quite as spooky as Ravenscourt nor as much of a whodunit as the Stolen Sapphire but overall I was satisfied.
As always, I loved the friendship between Samantha and Nellie, and it was a lot of fun to explore the nearby castle with them.
I liked how nearly every character had their own secret and that we got to figure them out thanks to the persistence of Samantha and Nellie.
I did feel a bit annoyed that the twin boys (Henry and Ian) had pretty much the same personality. That happened with Agnes and Agatha (Aunt Cornelia's younger twin sisters)...I just feel like that Henry and Ian needed to be their own people.
But all in all, this was a fairly good addition to the Samantha Lore and an enjoyable read!
A Peek into the Past
As with many of the American Girl stories, we get a historical section that delves into an aspect from the main story. In this Peek into the Past we learn about why London was considered a destination city by travelers of the day and many of the great architectural, historical, and cultural wonders in that city.
Samantha, Nellie, Grandmary and the Admiral finally landed in England after an adventurous voyage. They've seen many of the famous sites already - Buckingham Palace, Westminster Clock Tower, and the London Zoo.
They are just about to explore the British Museum when the Admiral bumps into an old school friend, Sir Charles. While they are catching up, Samantha learns that Sir Charles is still grieving the loss of his wife and he has taken in orphaned twin nephews (who cause a fair amount of trouble themselves).
Then much to everyone's surprise, Sir Charles has a suggestion:
After a bit of hemming and hawing, they decide to spend the last few days of their London portion of the trip on the English Countryside near a castle. The girls are delighted!
"I say, Archie, why don't you and your family come stay with me at Lockston?"
But soon that excitement turns to worry when some very important belongings go missing - who could have stolen those items? And will the girls figure it out before they have to leave for Paris?
This was a fairly good Samantha Mystery. The mystery was definitely mysterious but it wasn't quite as spooky as Ravenscourt nor as much of a whodunit as the Stolen Sapphire but overall I was satisfied.
As always, I loved the friendship between Samantha and Nellie, and it was a lot of fun to explore the nearby castle with them.
I liked how nearly every character had their own secret and that we got to figure them out thanks to the persistence of Samantha and Nellie.
I did feel a bit annoyed that the twin boys (Henry and Ian) had pretty much the same personality. That happened with Agnes and Agatha (Aunt Cornelia's younger twin sisters)...I just feel like that Henry and Ian needed to be their own people.
But all in all, this was a fairly good addition to the Samantha Lore and an enjoyable read!
A Peek into the Past
As with many of the American Girl stories, we get a historical section that delves into an aspect from the main story. In this Peek into the Past we learn about why London was considered a destination city by travelers of the day and many of the great architectural, historical, and cultural wonders in that city.
March 4, 2011
Samantha and Nellie go to England and solve a mystery there. Even though there is a rumored ghost, the story is not too scary for sensitive readers.
June 1, 2024
The great AG marathon continues. Again, reading for the first time as an adult, inspired by the American Girls podcast.
Fun, but this is another one that is solidly about the setting, not the protagonist. In Sam's case, I think this is exacerbated by the fact that she never had a real arc or consistent theme, so it's a lot harder to continue what was never there in the first place.
That said, this one hit me right in a sweet spot when it opened with Sam and fam arriving at the British Museum in London. I adore the British Museum - lived around the corner for about a month when I was a student and loved being able to drop in whenever I liked - even as I acknowledge the problematic nature of its existence. And then we get some upstairs-downstairs manor house drama, so if you like that kind of thing (and I do), it's just the kind of thing you'll like.
We wind up at this manor house because the owner is an old pal of Sam's new grandfather, Admiral Ridiculous Name, but the interesting people here are the young lady with journalistic ambitions, the young maid who wishes she could go back to school, and the male versions of Agnes and Agatha. Why we needed another pair of rambunctious, curly-haired twins, I don't know, but here they are. After a few pranks, they turn out to be good eggs, and almost worth the effort Samantha and Nellie put into solving their problem. Which they do, though they don't get the full story at first. Things turn out well for pretty much everyone, except perhaps the housekeeper who was really hoping the boys would go back to boarding school.
It occurred to me that a generation earlier, a rich American like Samantha might be looking for possible husbands with fancy titles on a tour of Britain. Unfortunately for Henry and Ian, they're likely to wind up embroiled in the Great War one way or another (and really I prefer a future for Sam and Nellie that's just Sam and Nellie), but maybe if they make it through, Sam can introduce them to the Pitt twins. Or for that matter, maybe the Pitts wind up in Europe during the war on their own, as my great-grandmother did, via the YWCA. I can definitely see them driving ambulances between battlegrounds and field hospitals or something else wildly dangerous.
More Samantha babble:
Meet Samantha | Samantha Learns a Lesson | Samantha's Surprise | Happy Birthday, Samantha | Samantha Saves the Day | Changes for Samantha
Nellie's Promise
Samantha's Winter Party | Samantha and the Missing Pearls | Samantha Saves the Wedding | Samantha's Blue Bicycle | Samantha's Special Talent | Samantha's Short Story Collection
The Curse of Ravenscourt | The Stolen Sapphire | The Cry of the Loon | Clue in the Castle Tower
The Lilac Tunnel: My Journey with Samantha
Fun, but this is another one that is solidly about the setting, not the protagonist. In Sam's case, I think this is exacerbated by the fact that she never had a real arc or consistent theme, so it's a lot harder to continue what was never there in the first place.
That said, this one hit me right in a sweet spot when it opened with Sam and fam arriving at the British Museum in London. I adore the British Museum - lived around the corner for about a month when I was a student and loved being able to drop in whenever I liked - even as I acknowledge the problematic nature of its existence. And then we get some upstairs-downstairs manor house drama, so if you like that kind of thing (and I do), it's just the kind of thing you'll like.
We wind up at this manor house because the owner is an old pal of Sam's new grandfather, Admiral Ridiculous Name, but the interesting people here are the young lady with journalistic ambitions, the young maid who wishes she could go back to school, and the male versions of Agnes and Agatha. Why we needed another pair of rambunctious, curly-haired twins, I don't know, but here they are. After a few pranks, they turn out to be good eggs, and almost worth the effort Samantha and Nellie put into solving their problem. Which they do, though they don't get the full story at first. Things turn out well for pretty much everyone, except perhaps the housekeeper who was really hoping the boys would go back to boarding school.
It occurred to me that a generation earlier, a rich American like Samantha might be looking for possible husbands with fancy titles on a tour of Britain. Unfortunately for Henry and Ian, they're likely to wind up embroiled in the Great War one way or another (and really I prefer a future for Sam and Nellie that's just Sam and Nellie), but maybe if they make it through, Sam can introduce them to the Pitt twins. Or for that matter, maybe the Pitts wind up in Europe during the war on their own, as my great-grandmother did, via the YWCA. I can definitely see them driving ambulances between battlegrounds and field hospitals or something else wildly dangerous.
More Samantha babble:
Meet Samantha | Samantha Learns a Lesson | Samantha's Surprise | Happy Birthday, Samantha | Samantha Saves the Day | Changes for Samantha
Nellie's Promise
Samantha's Winter Party | Samantha and the Missing Pearls | Samantha Saves the Wedding | Samantha's Blue Bicycle | Samantha's Special Talent | Samantha's Short Story Collection
The Curse of Ravenscourt | The Stolen Sapphire | The Cry of the Loon | Clue in the Castle Tower
The Lilac Tunnel: My Journey with Samantha
October 9, 2020
I read this book back when it first came out, and only gave it two stars. Recently, I bought a used copy to read it again, because even though I didn't think I would like it, the library had weeded the rest of their copies during the COVID-19 closure, and I didn't want to read or reread every single American Girl mystery but this one.
Fortunately, I enjoyed this more the second time. The mystery is still subpar compared to many of the others, but the characters are engaging, and it's interesting to read a story where one of the American Girl characters encounters British culture and history. The book isn't spectacular, but I am glad that I read it again, and would recommend it to people who find the premise appealing, really like Samantha and Nellie, or just want to read all of the American Girl mysteries.
Fortunately, I enjoyed this more the second time. The mystery is still subpar compared to many of the others, but the characters are engaging, and it's interesting to read a story where one of the American Girl characters encounters British culture and history. The book isn't spectacular, but I am glad that I read it again, and would recommend it to people who find the premise appealing, really like Samantha and Nellie, or just want to read all of the American Girl mysteries.
March 13, 2012
It was a good book.It was funny and mysterious.They had good explanations for why every thing happened.Here's a summary:Nellie and Samantha travel to England with their grandparents and meet the Admiral's(their grandpa)old friend.He invites them to stay at his house and they do, but valuable things are being stolen.Nellie and Samantha crack the mystery.
November 2, 2024
A fun romp that picks up right where *Stolen Sapphire* left off. I don't really have anything more to say about it, though.
November 18, 2024
Read at deer shack!
August 15, 2016
Samantha and Nellie are traveling with Grandmary and the Admiral. I was happy to see that this book continues from "The Stolen Sapphire." In that book, Samantha was on the ship crossing the Atlantic, and now they have arrived in England, the first stop on their European tour.
I've very much enjoyed Samantha's stories because they are set in New York. But here is a chance to see her time period from a different perspective. That was a very nice change as well.
When the group arrives in England, they meet an old friend of the Admiral's who invites them to visit his country estate. During their stay at the manor house, Samantha and Nellie learn about the castle behind the house that the Admiral's friend is restoring.
There is talk of a ghost that haunts the tower of the old castle, but don't let that frighten your child. This is not a scary book, thank goodness. There is a mystery that needs to be solved, one that involves old books and searching an old fashioned writing desk with hidden compartments! Those parts were delightful.
The mystery is resolved in an unexpected way - with no criminals to be apprehended and I thought that was very well done. Sarah Masters Buckey told the perfect story for girls to enjoy and learn from without overdoing the scary part. I know I would have liked this book when I was American Girl age, but the great thing is that the writing is good enough that I can enjoy it now as well.
Samantha is a great character, very smart and very compassionate toward all. What she does at the end of the book surprised me, but made me like her even more.
Samantha Parkington remains my favorite American Girl! :)
I've very much enjoyed Samantha's stories because they are set in New York. But here is a chance to see her time period from a different perspective. That was a very nice change as well.
When the group arrives in England, they meet an old friend of the Admiral's who invites them to visit his country estate. During their stay at the manor house, Samantha and Nellie learn about the castle behind the house that the Admiral's friend is restoring.
There is talk of a ghost that haunts the tower of the old castle, but don't let that frighten your child. This is not a scary book, thank goodness. There is a mystery that needs to be solved, one that involves old books and searching an old fashioned writing desk with hidden compartments! Those parts were delightful.
The mystery is resolved in an unexpected way - with no criminals to be apprehended and I thought that was very well done. Sarah Masters Buckey told the perfect story for girls to enjoy and learn from without overdoing the scary part. I know I would have liked this book when I was American Girl age, but the great thing is that the writing is good enough that I can enjoy it now as well.
Samantha is a great character, very smart and very compassionate toward all. What she does at the end of the book surprised me, but made me like her even more.
Samantha Parkington remains my favorite American Girl! :)
February 26, 2015
First book of 2015!
So, I got this book last summer at the AGP because I had enjoined the American Girl mysteries previously. In particular the Samantha ones. This book is similar to the ones I've read prior. The writing is well done, and the mystery is firm, though it seems the mystery changed several times throughout the book. I liked the setting, and felt like I learned quite a bit about 1907 England. The description was very good, and I could picture the old manor and castle ruins like I were actually there. I read this book in only a few hours, for it is a pretty short read at only 173 pages, but it was worth my time. Reading American Girl books reminds me of the joy I used to have whenever I got the opportunity to open a new one.
So, I got this book last summer at the AGP because I had enjoined the American Girl mysteries previously. In particular the Samantha ones. This book is similar to the ones I've read prior. The writing is well done, and the mystery is firm, though it seems the mystery changed several times throughout the book. I liked the setting, and felt like I learned quite a bit about 1907 England. The description was very good, and I could picture the old manor and castle ruins like I were actually there. I read this book in only a few hours, for it is a pretty short read at only 173 pages, but it was worth my time. Reading American Girl books reminds me of the joy I used to have whenever I got the opportunity to open a new one.
October 24, 2018
Really nice add for Samantha. This ties in with The Stolen Sapphire, starting just a few weeks after the events on the ship. Samantha and Nellie are also joined by two curious twin boys, the English version of Agnes and Agatha. A simple ghost story and a good hearted mystery. Great read for Samantha lovers.
January 11, 2025
This was so good! And what fun to check in with Samantha and Nellie three years after the main series.
February 15, 2019
I would give this book 4 out of 5 because there were so many people suspicious of stealing the books that it was confusing. Even later when I think of the book I think Mabel is the thief because she loved books, she even read Samantha’s books in her room and she was going to the library every day. But when I read the last pages I find out that Lady Stallsworth sold the books. And the title of this book should have been more descriptive. But it was still a really good book, it had a good vocabulary and it was very exciting. Since I like adventure and mystery books. This book was really good because it was a mix of adventure and mystery. How Samantha has to find the books and solve the twin's problem and make people especially Sir. Charles not worry. And it is very emotional when she goes for her daring plan and she sees a white figure in the library. But she finds out it was just Mabel.
September 13, 2020
A sweet, cozy mystery that takes place in an atmospheric castle and manner house in England. The Samantha stories were among my favorite American Girl books growing up, so I couldn’t resist buying this one when I found it at a used book shop last year. I wasn’t sure what I would think of the AG mysteries, but I’m so glad I picked this one up to read today. I’ll definitely be reading more of them in the future!
December 6, 2011
A good mystery, I tried to figure it out myself.
January 14, 2012
This book was not the best.
April 7, 2012
I LOVE THIS BOOK!!! SO FUN
June 4, 2013
A good mystery with many components. The story starts slow but then picks up rather quickly mid-book.
November 15, 2013
i like the part when they figure out what happened to the missing book
February 10, 2023
Samantha always interested me
October 15, 2020
A fun children's mystery with a simple, but happy ending.
May 24, 2021
3.5 stars
Note: Mentions of Greek/Roman statues and ghosts.
Note: Mentions of Greek/Roman statues and ghosts.
December 24, 2021
This seemed like almost the exact same book as "Ravenscourt", and as such I found it a little boringly repetitive.
January 24, 2024
This book is my favorite book so far of this series. Nellie and Samantha go to a castle and solve a mystery of missing books.
March 23, 2024
I read this in less than 2 hours. The mystery was a bit anticlimactic, but I’m still giving this 5 stars for the cozy nostalgia any American Girl historical book will give
February 4, 2024
I was a bit underwhelmed as an Anglophile with many similar, superior books under my belt but my kids enjoyed it.
Read
April 15, 2024yes miss nancy drew
June 18, 2023
So many suspensions of disbelief are necessary for this one. The library is fun though.
March 4, 2021
Re-read: Interesting change of scenery for Samantha and Nellie, set at an English country manor. This book is set immediately after The Stolen Sapphire, making this a sort of miniseries within a series. The mystery itself is pretty good, with a good good suspects and an unexpected conclusion. Nellie and Samantha make a good little detective team.
May 9, 2013
I didn't enjoy this book as much as the others...
March 30, 2016
I wish there was more to this. but it was a sweet story
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews