What Eric Knew

Sebastian Barth #1

by James Howe

The first of James Howe's popular mysteries featuring 13-year-old sleuth Sebastian Barth, now reformatted to reach the many fans of Howe's bestselling Bunnicula series. Sebastian must find the connection between an old friend's enigmatic notes and the apparent haunting of a local cemetary.

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Fiction, Childrens, Horror, Juvenile

Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

James Howe has written more than eighty books in the thirty-plus years he's been writing for young readers. It sometimes confuses people that the author of the humorous Bunnicula series also wrote the dark young adult novel, The Watcher, or such beginning reader series as Pinky and Rex and the E.B. White Read Aloud Award-winning Houndsley and Catina and its sequels. But from the beginning of his career (which came about somewhat by accident after asking himself what kind of vampire a rabbit might make), he has been most interested in letting his imagination take him in whatever direction it cared to. So far, his imagination has led him to picture books, such as I Wish I Were a Butterfly and Brontorina (about a dinosaur who dreams of being a ballerina), mysteries, poetry (in the upcoming Addie on the Inside), and fiction that deals with issues that matter deeply to him. He is especially proud of The Misfits, which inspired national No Name-Calling Week (www.nonamecallingweek.org) and its sequel Totally Joe. He does not know where his imagination will take him in the next thirty-plus years, but he is looking forward to finding out.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book from my childhood TBR is now read. It only too 32 years to read which is a real shame because this is a great little middle grade mystery. It was spooky with some grown-up subject about drugs. There is a ghost and murder and intrigue - what more can you ask for. Sebastian is a very great little detective. He thinks clearly and catches the small details that lead him forward.

This book also reminds me of the price of inflation. I got this book in 1986 and the price on this book is $2.50. This little book today would cost 8$ to 10$. It's weird to think how cheap books were back then.

There are two more books in this series with Sebastian. I have one and I will have to find the fourth. I look forward to read them. This was a fun read.

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 4 of O.B.I.O.

[C. (Don't blank click my reviews, comment please! · Rating 3 out of 5]

James Howe authored a big range of material but nobody likes novels suggesting they're paranormal if they aren't. Make a ghost story or don't. “Scooby Doo” denouements, when a narrative announces: “Psych! There was no ghost!”, tick people off because that is the kind of book we selected as far as we knew. I'm giving three stars to recognize several examples of excellent writing. We love Corrie's and Sebastian's families, including his cats, who spring to life affectionately. Asides are funny, like David pontificating on barn owls, when Sebastian was there to collect other research. Dialogue is fluid and modern, making 1985 feel recent.

James carved out personalities well enough that we come to know these characters, even if Sebastian says “hunch” too much and David's aversion to girls was overdone and false, when Corrie was such an instant friend. Her family replaced the previous minister's family next to a church; former home of the titular Eric we don't meet. There was a well-established town legend, with two boys related to this upper crust family contributing to the novel. However I see time and again that foundations of a well-honed ensemble come to nothing if focus is misplaced, is diluted with too many threads, or the conclusion lacks the éclat that other elements mustered.

The cover, title, and synopsis built up an ambiance the novel does not contain. “What Eric Knew” isn't about a ghost boy. He is alive and has nothing to do with the novel, nor the lady ghost's legend. The best part is happening to find out something new about that renowned Susan but the crux turns to a lacklustre investigation of two brothers. Authors, listen up: between old mysteries and modern activities.... readers are infinitely more excited about old mysteries! Please craft fiction focused on that!

[Daniel Gomez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have you ever recieved letters from a ghost? Well you could find out what Sebastian Barth did with the letters in the fiction book "What Eric Knew". This was good. It wasnt the best book i've read but it was intersecting.
"What Eric Knew" was about this kid Sebastian reiceving letters from a ghost. The letters reveiled what actually happened to his friend "Eric". Before his friend Eric moved he had fallen down a flight of stairs. Everyone thinks it was an accient and he tripped and fell, but Sebatian thinks it could of been something else. Or someone else. The books take place in a small town mostly down Chestnut st. Sebastion and his friends David and corrie figure what actually happened to Eric. Sebastion is very curious and mysterious.

This book was "okay". Their were some boring parts. Like the author would just write down unnecerary parts like coversations would be really long and pointless. I could compare this to my life by when i thought my neibors house was haunted. I could compare this book to Agathan Cristine to her mystery books.

Some parts that I really liked was when they told corrie about the ghost living near her and freaking her out. I don't know why they told her. (text to self) Another book I would compare to is 39 clues. I could relate this to my life because my friend broke his arm before just like "Eric" broke his leg.

Overall this book was bad, but wasnt the best. I would rate this book a 7 because it wasn't that good.I would recommand this book to younger kids because they would like it better then older kids.
You should read this book I think it would intrest you!

[Emma Helstrom · Rating 1 out of 5]

What Eric Knew was not that good of a book, sadly. The author was very at putting detail and the plot of the book was okay. But the end had no over wrap up, it didn’t even answer questions that you had. It was also very confusing. The book is about a young boy named Sebastian Barth and he goes through lots of experiences with ghosts. He meets a new friend and gets together with an old friend and goes and find out about the ghost. But the author never tells you what Sebastian is looking for. Along the way he finds letters from his friend Eric that gave him clues to what he is looking for. His new friend is Corrie who moved into Eric’s old house. David is Sebastian’s friend he mainly hangs out with. It didn’t sound like the author was trying to leave you with questions it sounded like he failed at wrapping the whole moral of the story together. I think this book would have been much better if he gave more thought to the ending and did not rush. This book was not that good of a book to me and I don’t recommend this book.

[Vicente Max · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was a mystery story. The mystery was who pushed Erick down the stairs? Why didn't he talk to his friends before he moved away? Sebastian was receiving mysterious notes and poems that explains the whole mystery was not an accident. During the mysteries, Sebastian has to deal with a ghost. Sebastian tried very hard to think and put the notes together and tried to figure out the hint that Erick was giving. " Erick didn't write the poems, someone else did because it's not Erick's handwriting.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Young adult mystery novel starring teen sleuth Sebastian Barth. Three friends try to interpret mysterious clues sent or left by their friend Eric who leaves town suddenly after falling down a set of stairs. Add a cemetery haunted by a woman who died in 1902, wife of the founder of the local college and you have yourself a mystery.

*spoiler alert*
Fun mystery w/ just enough spooky parts to keep the reader hooked. Interesting use of teen drug use.

[Madeleine Haltorp · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adored this book when I was younger, and never knew it was part of a series - the Swedish edition doesn't give a single hint about it. It was part of the collection of books my brother left behind, and I brought it everywhere. I can still cite large parts of it, for what it's worth, and it was definitely helped founding my love for mystery, riddles, rhymed verse and ghost stories.

[Jean Doolittle · Rating 3 out of 5]

What Eric knew is a children's novel Sebastian Barth is the teenage detective. It has some twists and turns. a quick enjoyable read. one of those synchronicity's my life the same time I am listening to the Dorothy Sayers tape the Nine Tailors which also has a belltower as part of the plot and setting

[Alyson Bowers · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't a fan of the Sebastian Barth Mysteries(which are a young-adult version of mystery story-telling, as opposed to the children's version- Bunnicula), but I really liked this book for some reason

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked reading this book to my kids. It was interesting and complex without being confusing. The kids were smart but approachable and fallible. It's a step up from some other kids' books out there.

[Olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good but disappointing. I expected more--I usually love this author.

[Cws]

JEAR3-How

[Marisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tight, well-written children's mystery.

[Sheila Brodhead · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the story up until the ending --- and then I felt like I was reading Agatha Christie. The ending seemed to come out of nowhere.

[Marjorie Ombao]

bhj

[Samantha Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this series

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice mystery with a satisfying ending. I recommend it to anyone (especially someone in grades 3 or 4) looking for a light read.

[Rich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though I first read this as an adult, I still remember the rush I got in the initial reading. It brought back all the memory and thrill of reading a YA mystery with a bedside lamp into the night. It holds up well. It used to be a classroom read aloud for me so I almost have portions of it memorized. Still a good read. Bravo.

[Danice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written and fun read!

[Rhonda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it. A cute mystery for younger kids. Quick read.

[Leah Angstman · Rating 2 out of 5]

God, I loved this book as a little kid. So freakin' much. I read it again lately, and it's terrible. It doesn't stand the test of time at all. It's all over the place, makes up "ghost rules" as it goes along, and doesn't have a good wrap-up. I must have been a very simple child. It's good for really little little ones.