The Ghost in the Swing

by Janet Patton Smith

A girl who goes to stay with her aunt in the country discovers a ghost that lives on the property.

Genres: Horror Thriller, Fantasy, Horror, Childrens, Ghosts, Fiction, Young Adult

185 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

Reviews

[Stephanie A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked up randomly, turned out to have all the best ingredients for a childhood ghost story: an old country estate in the middle of nowhere, a pleasant 12-year-old with a puppy, a haunted portrait where one figure's expression changes, a mischievous but not malicious little girl ghost, a Creepy Old Caretaker, a maze of an apple orchard, and a mysterious disappearance 30 years ago all contribute to a kid-friendly but nonetheless thrilling murder (?) mystery.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first "adult" book I read in one sitting. I remember locking myself in the back bedroom and reading this all at once. After that I couldn't get enough chapter books. I was probably about 9 years old.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently read this as an adult. I drove over an hour to a library that still had a copy and read it there. 🤣 It holds up. Fun and scary preteen ghost story. I am happy it is being printed again and look forward to getting my own copy and adding it to the collection at my school library.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely LOVED this book as a young child! I would love to find it and read it again!

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a childhood favorite.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this long, long ago when I was a kid. Loved it. I wish it would go back into print.

[Bryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not read this properly because I started becoming impatient with the repetition about halfway through, but it was interesting both in itself and in that Janet Patton Smith's one other novel -- The Twisted Room -- was one of my favourite pieces of YA horror when I was growing up. The books definitely share some fascinations with badly behaved children from the past and the havoc they can wreak upon the present, although not in a way that suggests she was rewriting this one in the 1980s. I do wonder why she didn't write (publish?) more; she has a good way with sentences and characters, even if I did not love this the way I thought I might.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my all time favorite book when I was a kid! I loved it and read it over, and over. My "homerun" book as Jim Trelease calls them. It was also my sister's favorite book; she still has it and won't give it back! LOL!

[Shelby Castleberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book when I was in middle school, maybe 6th grade, it has stuck with me all these years. One day I will find it an reread it again.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book! Read it back in 1980 or so, and have never forgotten it. I've searched for it for years--- it turns out I remembered the title incorrectly. A friend helped me find it.

[Deloiseb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story and still think about after all these years.i first read it in 1976 and would love another copy of it.It's awesome and for some odd reason i felt very close to the ghost.

[Holly Harrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book when I was about 9 or 10 years old.. I just found my old copy so I'm going to read it again...

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not a celebrated classic, but I loved it when I was nine and it has stayed with me all these years. A "fraidy-cat"-approved ghost story.

[Danielle Bhatia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fave from my childhood - great ghost story for young girls.

[Michelle Ianiro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as a young girl back in the late 70s. One of my favorite books as a child.

[Dan Hyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably a favorite for 12-14 year old girls. I'm not the target audience, but I think that my girls will enjoy this when they are older.

[Katherine Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this as a child and still remember it! Fabulous story!

[Haley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Childhood favorite of mine

[Krystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my absolute favorite books as a child and I'm kicking myself for losing it. The Ghost was a perfect amount of troublesome and sympathetic. The book was funny. The mystery was well done. It is written for children but rereading it as an adult I still loved it.

[Jacqueline J · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember loving this book. I'd like to read it again someday.

[Margrete]

One of my favorites when I was young.

[Adele · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book I read as a child.