A Haunting Air

by Barbara C. Freeman

What is the cause of the mysterious singing in an empty house?

Genres: Ghosts

158 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 1976

About the author

A gifted illustrator, particularly of fairy tales, by the 1960s, British born Freeman was writing and illustrating her own children's books. She particularly enjoyed incorporating fantasy and/or history into her work.

Reviews

[Louise Culmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Melissa lives with her father, a reclusive writer, in an old house in the village of Bellwood and is somewhat lonely. Then Helen, a young widow with a baby son, moves into the house next door, and she and Melissa become friends. Melissa looks after the baby, Bobson, while Helen has a rest and is disturbed to hear singing at the end of the garden, though no one is there. Melissa and Helen become absorbed in finding out the history of the house and the garden, and who the mysterious singer is. As in most of Barbara Freeman’s books, the past and the present overlap as more is discovered. This is an unusual and interesting ghost story, the characters could perhaps have been fleshed out a bit more, one would like to have known a bit more about Melissa’s father for instance, also about Miss Clayfield’s history. Although enjoyable, I was left wanting a bit more.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this years ago when I was a kid. Don't remember much about it, except that it was really good. I should check it out from Open Library and re-read it.