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The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall
Set in the '60s at a summer camp, The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall is a spooky, atmospheric middle-grade story for fans of classic ghost stories, unlikely friendships and intriguing mysteries.
Bee's mom has a job in New York City for the summer, so Bee is being sent to summer camp. She's not excited about it. Being around other people is hard for her, plus she knows nothing about campfires, she's not a good swimmer and she's never even been in a canoe.
When she first arrives, things go pretty much as she expected. The other girls either make fun of her or ignore her, and the woods surrounding the camp give her the she keeps hearing elusive music coming from somewhere in the distance, and there's something unearthly about it.
But then Zippy comes on the scene — an oddball like Bee, but with a lot more confidence and hard-won knowledge gleaned from many summers spent at this exact camp. And most importantly, Zippy has also discovered mysterious behavior going on at the the older girls from the Hawks cabin are sneaking out to do . . . something. They're always exhausted, and their flashlight batteries are running out at an alarming rate. But their counselors are never woken up by girls sneaking out, no one on staff doing nightly rounds ever sees them outside the cabin, and even when they start doing a bed check at night, the girls all seem to be in their bunks.
Zippy and Bee are on the case, and with the help of an unlikely ally, they try to figure out what the Hawks are up to. But they soon discover there's more going on than just the usual summer-camp hijinks. How are the Hawks getting out at night? What is the deal with the (very cute) mysterious boy who seems to be working with the groundskeeper? Where is the distant music coming from? And what does the reclusive camp founder know about all of it?
Bee's mom has a job in New York City for the summer, so Bee is being sent to summer camp. She's not excited about it. Being around other people is hard for her, plus she knows nothing about campfires, she's not a good swimmer and she's never even been in a canoe.
When she first arrives, things go pretty much as she expected. The other girls either make fun of her or ignore her, and the woods surrounding the camp give her the she keeps hearing elusive music coming from somewhere in the distance, and there's something unearthly about it.
But then Zippy comes on the scene — an oddball like Bee, but with a lot more confidence and hard-won knowledge gleaned from many summers spent at this exact camp. And most importantly, Zippy has also discovered mysterious behavior going on at the the older girls from the Hawks cabin are sneaking out to do . . . something. They're always exhausted, and their flashlight batteries are running out at an alarming rate. But their counselors are never woken up by girls sneaking out, no one on staff doing nightly rounds ever sees them outside the cabin, and even when they start doing a bed check at night, the girls all seem to be in their bunks.
Zippy and Bee are on the case, and with the help of an unlikely ally, they try to figure out what the Hawks are up to. But they soon discover there's more going on than just the usual summer-camp hijinks. How are the Hawks getting out at night? What is the deal with the (very cute) mysterious boy who seems to be working with the groundskeeper? Where is the distant music coming from? And what does the reclusive camp founder know about all of it?
391 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 13, 2025
13 people are currently reading
134 people want to read
About the author
Charis Cotter
14 books147 followersCharis Cotter is a writer, editor and storyteller living in Newfoundland. She grew up in Cabbagetown and Parkdale in downtown Toronto. After taking a degree in English at Glendon College, York University, she went on to study acting at The Drama Studio in London, England. After several years as an actor, she moved into publishing, where she has been working as a freelance editor and writer for more than 20 years.
In 2005 Charis won the Heritage Toronto Award of Excellence for her book, Toronto Between the Wars: Life in the City 1919–1939. Since then she has written several critically acclaimed children’s books, including a series of biographies about extraordinary children and an illustrated book about international ghosts. Born to Write: The Remarkable Lives of Six Famous Authors was a finalist for the 2010 Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-fiction.
Charis first toured schools as an actor in a Young People’s Theatre production of W. O. Mitchell’s "Jake and the Kid." Her favourite part of the show was interacting with the students during the question period after the play. Today Charis is known for her lively school presentations, based on her books. She has toured Canada from coast to coast, entertaining children with her alter egos: Queen Elizabeth II (complete with gown, crown and royal attitude) and the Scottish Silky Ghost, who dusts everything in sight, including children. Her fascination with ghosts has led her to many far corners of Newfoundland, looking for ghost stories.
In 2013 Charis founded her own publishing company, Baccalieu Books, to publish The Ghosts of Baccalieu. She created this book with the students from Tricon Elementary School in Bay de Verde, with funding from ArtsSmarts.* Students contributed drawings and traditional ghost stories collected from the community. Charis has sold The Ghosts of Baccalieu to libraries, bookstores and the general public, with a portion of the revenue going back to Tricon Elementary.
Charis continues to do ghost storytelling workshops at schools, community centres and book festivals. She reviews children’s books for the National Reading Campaign, Quill and Quire and The Canadian Children’s Book News.
The Swallow: A Ghost Story, was published by Tundra Books (Random House) in September 2014. This spooky gothic novel, set in Cabbagetown, Toronto, in the 1960s, is partially based on Charis’s childhood experiences living behind a cemetery. The German translation rights have been purchased by cbjVerlag/Random House Germany, who will publish it as Das Unsichtbare Mädchen (The Invisible Girl). The school presentation for The Swallow features a theatrical performance of an excerpt from the book and a ghost-story writing workshop.
*ArtsSmarts is sponsored by the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council and the Department of Education through the Cultural Connections Strategy.
In 2005 Charis won the Heritage Toronto Award of Excellence for her book, Toronto Between the Wars: Life in the City 1919–1939. Since then she has written several critically acclaimed children’s books, including a series of biographies about extraordinary children and an illustrated book about international ghosts. Born to Write: The Remarkable Lives of Six Famous Authors was a finalist for the 2010 Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-fiction.
Charis first toured schools as an actor in a Young People’s Theatre production of W. O. Mitchell’s "Jake and the Kid." Her favourite part of the show was interacting with the students during the question period after the play. Today Charis is known for her lively school presentations, based on her books. She has toured Canada from coast to coast, entertaining children with her alter egos: Queen Elizabeth II (complete with gown, crown and royal attitude) and the Scottish Silky Ghost, who dusts everything in sight, including children. Her fascination with ghosts has led her to many far corners of Newfoundland, looking for ghost stories.
In 2013 Charis founded her own publishing company, Baccalieu Books, to publish The Ghosts of Baccalieu. She created this book with the students from Tricon Elementary School in Bay de Verde, with funding from ArtsSmarts.* Students contributed drawings and traditional ghost stories collected from the community. Charis has sold The Ghosts of Baccalieu to libraries, bookstores and the general public, with a portion of the revenue going back to Tricon Elementary.
Charis continues to do ghost storytelling workshops at schools, community centres and book festivals. She reviews children’s books for the National Reading Campaign, Quill and Quire and The Canadian Children’s Book News.
The Swallow: A Ghost Story, was published by Tundra Books (Random House) in September 2014. This spooky gothic novel, set in Cabbagetown, Toronto, in the 1960s, is partially based on Charis’s childhood experiences living behind a cemetery. The German translation rights have been purchased by cbjVerlag/Random House Germany, who will publish it as Das Unsichtbare Mädchen (The Invisible Girl). The school presentation for The Swallow features a theatrical performance of an excerpt from the book and a ghost-story writing workshop.
*ArtsSmarts is sponsored by the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council and the Department of Education through the Cultural Connections Strategy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
August 13, 2025
A charming, albeit slow, retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses that will appeal to middle grade students. While this is set in the 1960s, it could have honestly been set in modern times. There wasn't much that made you think this was set six decades prior. Young girls are at a sleepaway birding camp and newcomer Bee (short for Phoebe) teams up with social pariah, Zippy, to discover what the older girls are up to. There is a mystery with the Hawks (the 15 year olds), every morning their batteries are completely drained. Are they sneaking out? Where are they going? Bee and Zippy make a great pair; Bee has ultra sensitive hearing and Zippy is really good at seeing in the dark. Together they will be unstoppable, when their little duo gets busted by popular and bossy Felicity, things take an interesting turn. A fun adventurous read. The length may deter some younger readers though.
May 26, 2025
Glacial pacing and some of the stuff that is deemed love makes me raise my eyebrows a bit, especially since this is listed as middle grade. This is more for young teens rather than elementary students. It is a solid retelling of The 12 Dancing Princesses set in the 60s until the last 1/4 of the book where the author would have been better served by not following it as closely as she did. The last 1/4 of the book goes off the rails. But at the end of the day, there is something off in how some of the relationships are written that rubs me the wrong way near the end. I just can't quite identify it. I think it ends up saying two characters really did love each other, but what we see doesn't back that up. Everything we see argues to the contrary. There were some other moments that I didn't know how to read either that were weird and off-putting. We also see adults endangering kids and teens because they (the adults) can't say no to someone and then come to bizarre conclusions on why they need to take action and why it worked the way it did.
The longer I sit here trying to figure out the last 1/4 of the book, the more I want to give this one star. The Camp really should be closed down after what happens in this book, but it all gets swept under the rug because the adults are scared they will be put in an insane asylum if the truth gets out.
I think part of the problem is that she went with the version of the fairytale that has the soldier marrying the youngest princess versus the eldest princess, and that to get to the number 12 some of the princesses technically also do the job of the soldier. So when one of the soldier stand-ins is revealed, she had to try to make it work for modern readers without it being about marriage but rather first crush, and it really doesn't work no matter how much mental gymnastics and time travel the author does to try and make it work. You could have just had it be the guy's grandson from the get go, not the 80 something year old dude the 12 year old immediately thinks is cute even when she knows he's not actually a teen because she saw him revert back to how he looked the night of the fire because time travel. She then immediately crushes on the grandson because of how similar he looks to his grandpa when introduced to him at the end of the book. As far as I can tell, the crush is not reciprocated nor encouraged, but it was still bizarre to read and weirdly written. Why you would make the choice to write the scene like that is beyond me. Given that the old guy is one of the main reasons everyone is in this mess, I already don't like him. Both he and Miss Linnet are so gaslit by the ghost of Miss Linnet's crush from when she was 15 at this point they can't even tell how messed up everything is, and they still insist that what they did was the only way to break the enchantment. You knew there was a threat and either did nothing about it or actively helped said threat to the kids and teens to get closure for yourselves. The definition of love shown in this book is toxic. Basically the ghost of a dead teen refuses to stop haunting the camp and begins targeting teens at said camp some fifty to 70 years after his death to force his former girlfriend to dance with him one last time as a do over of the night he broke her heart and then died in a fire. But no, he really did love her, we promise. What the heck kind of message is that to send to kids and teens?
The longer I sit here trying to figure out the last 1/4 of the book, the more I want to give this one star. The Camp really should be closed down after what happens in this book, but it all gets swept under the rug because the adults are scared they will be put in an insane asylum if the truth gets out.
I think part of the problem is that she went with the version of the fairytale that has the soldier marrying the youngest princess versus the eldest princess, and that to get to the number 12 some of the princesses technically also do the job of the soldier. So when one of the soldier stand-ins is revealed, she had to try to make it work for modern readers without it being about marriage but rather first crush, and it really doesn't work no matter how much mental gymnastics and time travel the author does to try and make it work. You could have just had it be the guy's grandson from the get go, not the 80 something year old dude the 12 year old immediately thinks is cute even when she knows he's not actually a teen because she saw him revert back to how he looked the night of the fire because time travel. She then immediately crushes on the grandson because of how similar he looks to his grandpa when introduced to him at the end of the book. As far as I can tell, the crush is not reciprocated nor encouraged, but it was still bizarre to read and weirdly written. Why you would make the choice to write the scene like that is beyond me. Given that the old guy is one of the main reasons everyone is in this mess, I already don't like him. Both he and Miss Linnet are so gaslit by the ghost of Miss Linnet's crush from when she was 15 at this point they can't even tell how messed up everything is, and they still insist that what they did was the only way to break the enchantment. You knew there was a threat and either did nothing about it or actively helped said threat to the kids and teens to get closure for yourselves. The definition of love shown in this book is toxic. Basically the ghost of a dead teen refuses to stop haunting the camp and begins targeting teens at said camp some fifty to 70 years after his death to force his former girlfriend to dance with him one last time as a do over of the night he broke her heart and then died in a fire. But no, he really did love her, we promise. What the heck kind of message is that to send to kids and teens?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2025
The author does a really great job of making Camp Blue Heron sound like a delight (even for a very indoor cat with allergies like me). The combination of summer camp, bird watching, camaraderie, fairy lore, ghost stories, and burgeoning romantic attraction is great!
Watching the main characters discover why the Hawks are running after boys - both romantically and in the mystery sense - was so well done. The reader going along with the characters as they discover their attraction to others is so natural. The shift from "eugh why boys" to "okay wait I think I get this now" to "who's the new guy?!" is great! The juxtaposition between the mundanity of their personal development and their "superpowers" and what's going on at the camp is so good. Using that same mundanity that they're teased for to save the day was just the cherry on top.
My only qualm is that the characters continually reference fairy music and there's a distinct lack of fairies! Fairy-lore is rich and deep and TERRIFYING and I keep waiting for an author to delve into that and I thought I'd found it in this one - boys luring young ladies away to dance, all of them mysteriously too good looking, the boys looking shiny when viewed from afar... I wanted them to be fairies SO BAD! And they were just ghosts!
Watching the main characters discover why the Hawks are running after boys - both romantically and in the mystery sense - was so well done. The reader going along with the characters as they discover their attraction to others is so natural. The shift from "eugh why boys" to "okay wait I think I get this now" to "who's the new guy?!" is great! The juxtaposition between the mundanity of their personal development and their "superpowers" and what's going on at the camp is so good. Using that same mundanity that they're teased for to save the day was just the cherry on top.
My only qualm is that the characters continually reference fairy music and there's a distinct lack of fairies! Fairy-lore is rich and deep and TERRIFYING and I keep waiting for an author to delve into that and I thought I'd found it in this one - boys luring young ladies away to dance, all of them mysteriously too good looking, the boys looking shiny when viewed from afar... I wanted them to be fairies SO BAD! And they were just ghosts!
June 3, 2025
I really loved Charis Cotter’s The Dollhouse, and was thus looking forward to this one. It has some things to recommend it, but on the whole it’s just okay.
It’s on the slow side for a kids book and overlong in the sense that there’s a lot of repetitiveness to the content and dialogue (and especially to Bee’s inner monologue) that didn’t need to be there. I liked the setting and thought it was a well-rendered and immersive summer camp experience.
There’s a lot about this that feels dated, and I do mean that somewhat pejoratively, as in different from old fashioned. It’s a bit out of touch and will thus probably resonate better with older adults than the target demographic, which appears to be the younger end of the middle reader age group.
I found Bee likeable, though a lot of the anxiety stuff felt like a bit much. I’m not sure it’s realistically handled, though I hope it resonates with young readers in the interest of building empathy.
The mystery itself is disappointingly predictable, though it’s well-structured. This feels a bit like a cross between a kiddie mystery and a spin on the 12 Dancing Princesses, which is a great idea in theory, but in execution didn’t quite feel like a fit for the intended audience. All the birdwatching stuff feels more targeted towards someone the author’s age than towards middle readers, evident in my kids asking me while we read this if anyone actually goes to birdwatching camp.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
It’s on the slow side for a kids book and overlong in the sense that there’s a lot of repetitiveness to the content and dialogue (and especially to Bee’s inner monologue) that didn’t need to be there. I liked the setting and thought it was a well-rendered and immersive summer camp experience.
There’s a lot about this that feels dated, and I do mean that somewhat pejoratively, as in different from old fashioned. It’s a bit out of touch and will thus probably resonate better with older adults than the target demographic, which appears to be the younger end of the middle reader age group.
I found Bee likeable, though a lot of the anxiety stuff felt like a bit much. I’m not sure it’s realistically handled, though I hope it resonates with young readers in the interest of building empathy.
The mystery itself is disappointingly predictable, though it’s well-structured. This feels a bit like a cross between a kiddie mystery and a spin on the 12 Dancing Princesses, which is a great idea in theory, but in execution didn’t quite feel like a fit for the intended audience. All the birdwatching stuff feels more targeted towards someone the author’s age than towards middle readers, evident in my kids asking me while we read this if anyone actually goes to birdwatching camp.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
October 18, 2025
3.75
I liked the mystery and the feel of this book. I think it could have used a tighter ending. I felt like the author just kept adding scenes to the end to wrap it up but instead it felt drawn out.
I liked the mystery and the feel of this book. I think it could have used a tighter ending. I felt like the author just kept adding scenes to the end to wrap it up but instead it felt drawn out.
October 24, 2025
Holy shit I loved this book. I absolutely love the tale of the 12 Dancing Princesses and this is such a delightful, creepy little retelling.
June 29, 2025
Set at a summer camp in 1960. Among the usual camp tropes of mean-girls, self-doubt, and homesickness, something weird is afoot with one of the tents of older girls. New camper Bea and her surprising alliances are on the trail to figure out what they are up to.
This was fine, it is a retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses. I had just hoped it to be scary. It was zero scary and I worry too long to hold the attention of most of my students searching for jump scares.
This was fine, it is a retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses. I had just hoped it to be scary. It was zero scary and I worry too long to hold the attention of most of my students searching for jump scares.
September 27, 2025
Mystery and Haunted? These are my 2 favorite genres!
September 2, 2025
From its retro name to its old-school summer camp setting, this mystery novel is a delight from start to finish. Bee is reluctantly attending summer camp. A bit of a loner, she becomes a target of her tentmates' teasing, and she's constantly guarding her secret: she has super-strength hearing. She’s developed a method of closing auditory “gates” that allow her to filter out some of a constant barrage of noise. At a camp that focuses on ornithology, she loves paying attention to the birdsong. Bee becomes friends with Zippy, a feisty girl who is also considered odd and is teased for her asthma, but who doesn’t take abuse from anyone and quickly stands up for Bee as well. Zippy has a super sensory power too: She can see clearly in the dark. The mystery involves a cabin of older girls – the Hawks – whose flashlight batteries are dead every morning. The girls appear exhausted but also are not seen leaving their cabin and appear to be in their bunks. Joined by fellow camper Felicity, who hasn't been very nice to Bee up until this point but wants to know what her older sister, who is a Hawk, is up to, Bee and Zippy follow the Hawks through a trap door inside the cabin and discover that they are meeting boys at a nearby island where they dance the night away. From there, the mystery takes a supernatural turn.
This novel is long for a middle grade novel and has a leisurely, but not too slow, pace, which allows the plot and the characters to develop nicely together. I felt fully invested and immersed in both the summer camp setting and the mystery. It was a delight to read, and I didn't want it to end.
This novel is long for a middle grade novel and has a leisurely, but not too slow, pace, which allows the plot and the characters to develop nicely together. I felt fully invested and immersed in both the summer camp setting and the mystery. It was a delight to read, and I didn't want it to end.
August 31, 2025
THE MYSTERY OF THE HAUNTED DANCE HALL was recommended to me by a friend who knows how much I enjoy books that are: mysteries, middle grade, and set at summer camp. This one ticked all those boxes and were key elements for me in my rating. The story is a slower pace than some other middle grade mysteries, but I think that works for it's setting in 1960 -- I also liked that this wasn't contemporary. That said, I did think the book was a bit long. However, that didn't stop me from enjoying it and wanting to keep turning pages as I was fully invested in the mystery.
June 8, 2025
Girls birding camp, 1950s, friendship and nature and mystery. Young readers who gravitate to the cover expecting chills may be disappointed - there is a haunting, but it’s never particularly frightening. This is more of a fairy tale retelling, smartly done and delightfully readable (chapters are blissfully short).
Good for smart middle schoolers who like ghost stories but also sleeping soundly.
Good for smart middle schoolers who like ghost stories but also sleeping soundly.
September 27, 2025
Giving this one a 3.5.
I never once considered what might happen if one mashed a camp ghost story with a fairytale, but that was quite enjoyable. Definitely recommend to those who like lightly spooky mysteries and fairytale with a twist (especially if you're a fan of The Twelve Dancing Princesses).
~~~~~~
Content Heads Up:
- Ghosts /Enchantment
- Bullying
I never once considered what might happen if one mashed a camp ghost story with a fairytale, but that was quite enjoyable. Definitely recommend to those who like lightly spooky mysteries and fairytale with a twist (especially if you're a fan of The Twelve Dancing Princesses).
~~~~~~
Content Heads Up:
- Ghosts /Enchantment
- Bullying
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2025
*SPOILERS*
Perhaps her most heartfelt book penned yet, Charis Cotter’s latest middle-grade, ghost-mystery extravaganza, The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall, fondles your fears, charms your curiosity, and humbles your heart with unique and unforgettable characters, a fowl-friendly setting, and an enchanting storyline that lives beyond the page. Dedicated to her late father, Graham Cotter, The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall, seeps within its pages, a deep yet loving loss, that immediately compels the heart to pay attention. I was moved to both laughter and tears as I read, embracing the embedded sadness and love that flutters like angel wings in the subtext of this beautiful story.
The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall is an ode to grief set in a kids’ camp during one enchanting summer in the 1960s. Cotter is able to masterfully layer grown-up feelings with magical moments that teach healing through friendship, trust, and the community that is chosen family (or campmates!). Even though this story tackles big topics like loss, fear, belonging and death, it is carried gently in the humourous, thoughtful and mildly spooky voice that is characteristic of a Cotter novel. Yes, there are ghosts! But there are also kids with distinct super-powers that, once embraced, enable a kind of bravery that makes a reader eager to turn to the page, to continue to the next adventure, to eagerly join Bee and her vivid cast of camp-going characters at Camp Blue Heron in discoveries that develop into a wonderful story.
Our heroine, Bee, is cautious yet intelligent and brave, and riddled with a curious desire for belonging that she nurtures through friendship, self-discovery, and a brilliantly curated leadership that Cotter creates through her incredible writing. Indeed, all of Cotter’s characters are bright, daring, wounded and wobbly yet they thrive in the development of character and plot that Cotter seamlessly weaves. This is one of Cotter’s superpowers! With Zippy, Felicity, Miss Linnet, and the robust cast of camp-going humans and birds, Bee is able to able to recognize where and why and when she is needed, using her superpowers and burgeoning bravery, toward inner healing, self-discovery and acceptance, and an elevated voice that continues to stick with me some weeks after joining Bee on her adventures.
There are several mysteries to discover and unravel in The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall, and it’s an exciting, delightful and goose-bump-inducing experience reading as the story and characters develop and divulge. You don’t have to have attended camp to appreciate the unique qualities of it because Cotter does an excellent job of describing both the landscape and the activities that occur in this nature-driven setting. Readers will get the added thrill of learning about birdwatching, table-setting, hiking and canoeing that are integral parts of the camping experience. And, the ‘play’ of both character and camp-connected names that are birds is a luxurious adage to the storytelling prowess that Cotter delivers.
Grief is a heavy topic, and an even heavier lived experience for both child and adult. What I love about this book is that it carries the weight of this universal emotional experience through exceptionally intuitive and compassionate character development. Whilst unraveling a ghostly, yet enchanting mystery that in itself exposes a tragedy that needs freedom from the strong grip of grief, Cotter opens and heals wounded hearts young and old, alive and dead.
This is Cotter’s fifth novel in the middle-grade, mystery, ghost story genre. Each of her previous novels has won multiple awards, and this will be no exception. What’s perhaps even better than an award is the heart of a young reader-turned-fan of which Cotter also has many! Readers write letters and emails, blogs and reviews sharing their delight and love of the Queen of Ghost Stories’ novels. These accolades exemplify Cotter’s creative writing abilities, and make her one of Canada’s greatest, most successful middle-grade writers alive today.
Let’s judge this book by its cover! It is an utterly striking, enchanting and inviting cover with artwork by Byron Eggenschwiler and jacket design by Kate Sinclair. Added artistic bonuses within the book include whimsical flares like the small leaves of ornamental section breaks, the loop-de-loops beside the chapter numbers and the little leaves beside the page numbers. Definite attention and care was put into the design and layout of this book. Published by Tundra, an imprint of Penguin Random House, The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall is a guaranteed summer-camp, ghost story success - on its way to being a Canadian classic!
Perhaps her most heartfelt book penned yet, Charis Cotter’s latest middle-grade, ghost-mystery extravaganza, The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall, fondles your fears, charms your curiosity, and humbles your heart with unique and unforgettable characters, a fowl-friendly setting, and an enchanting storyline that lives beyond the page. Dedicated to her late father, Graham Cotter, The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall, seeps within its pages, a deep yet loving loss, that immediately compels the heart to pay attention. I was moved to both laughter and tears as I read, embracing the embedded sadness and love that flutters like angel wings in the subtext of this beautiful story.
The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall is an ode to grief set in a kids’ camp during one enchanting summer in the 1960s. Cotter is able to masterfully layer grown-up feelings with magical moments that teach healing through friendship, trust, and the community that is chosen family (or campmates!). Even though this story tackles big topics like loss, fear, belonging and death, it is carried gently in the humourous, thoughtful and mildly spooky voice that is characteristic of a Cotter novel. Yes, there are ghosts! But there are also kids with distinct super-powers that, once embraced, enable a kind of bravery that makes a reader eager to turn to the page, to continue to the next adventure, to eagerly join Bee and her vivid cast of camp-going characters at Camp Blue Heron in discoveries that develop into a wonderful story.
Our heroine, Bee, is cautious yet intelligent and brave, and riddled with a curious desire for belonging that she nurtures through friendship, self-discovery, and a brilliantly curated leadership that Cotter creates through her incredible writing. Indeed, all of Cotter’s characters are bright, daring, wounded and wobbly yet they thrive in the development of character and plot that Cotter seamlessly weaves. This is one of Cotter’s superpowers! With Zippy, Felicity, Miss Linnet, and the robust cast of camp-going humans and birds, Bee is able to able to recognize where and why and when she is needed, using her superpowers and burgeoning bravery, toward inner healing, self-discovery and acceptance, and an elevated voice that continues to stick with me some weeks after joining Bee on her adventures.
There are several mysteries to discover and unravel in The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall, and it’s an exciting, delightful and goose-bump-inducing experience reading as the story and characters develop and divulge. You don’t have to have attended camp to appreciate the unique qualities of it because Cotter does an excellent job of describing both the landscape and the activities that occur in this nature-driven setting. Readers will get the added thrill of learning about birdwatching, table-setting, hiking and canoeing that are integral parts of the camping experience. And, the ‘play’ of both character and camp-connected names that are birds is a luxurious adage to the storytelling prowess that Cotter delivers.
Grief is a heavy topic, and an even heavier lived experience for both child and adult. What I love about this book is that it carries the weight of this universal emotional experience through exceptionally intuitive and compassionate character development. Whilst unraveling a ghostly, yet enchanting mystery that in itself exposes a tragedy that needs freedom from the strong grip of grief, Cotter opens and heals wounded hearts young and old, alive and dead.
This is Cotter’s fifth novel in the middle-grade, mystery, ghost story genre. Each of her previous novels has won multiple awards, and this will be no exception. What’s perhaps even better than an award is the heart of a young reader-turned-fan of which Cotter also has many! Readers write letters and emails, blogs and reviews sharing their delight and love of the Queen of Ghost Stories’ novels. These accolades exemplify Cotter’s creative writing abilities, and make her one of Canada’s greatest, most successful middle-grade writers alive today.
Let’s judge this book by its cover! It is an utterly striking, enchanting and inviting cover with artwork by Byron Eggenschwiler and jacket design by Kate Sinclair. Added artistic bonuses within the book include whimsical flares like the small leaves of ornamental section breaks, the loop-de-loops beside the chapter numbers and the little leaves beside the page numbers. Definite attention and care was put into the design and layout of this book. Published by Tundra, an imprint of Penguin Random House, The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall is a guaranteed summer-camp, ghost story success - on its way to being a Canadian classic!
November 3, 2025
The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall is a wonderfully eerie mystery that pulls you in without ever being too scary - just enough suspense to keep you turning pages and guessing.
Right from the beginning, the plot gave me echoes of the fairytale “The 12 Dancing Princesses,” even before the book itself hints at that connection. That added layer makes the mystery feel both classic and fresh.
The setting is summer camp, and Cotter captures those camp vibes perfectly. This would make for a fantastic summer evening read - picture yourself in a cabin or curled up in a sleeping bag, flashlights glowing, as you solve ghostly secrets with friends. The mystery feels like a campfire story, but with more heart and character depth behind it.
Bee, our main character, is rich in her backstory and a great female lead. Her difficulty being around others and her sensitivity to sound are portrayed in a way that readers can relate to and empathize with, though I’m not entirely sure where exactly her extraordinary ability to hear everything originates from. At times, I wondered if she might be neurodivergent, but that’s more of an interpretation than something clearly confirmed in the text.
The friendship between Bee and Zippy is one of my favourite elements. It feels authentic. Sometimes it takes time to find “your” people, and summer camps especially can be tough when you don’t fit the mould. The connection between them grows naturally, and it is very satisfying to see.
The 1960s setting surprised me - perhaps to avoid smartphones and modern tech making the mystery too easy? Either way, the story feels timeless enough that readers today won’t struggle to enter this world.
Ultimately, this is a fun, fast-paced, and atmospheric middle-grade mystery. The stakes are never too frightening, making it perfect for younger readers who like a bit of goosebumps but don’t want nightmares. Cotter builds an intriguing world full of secret passages, strange music, and unexplained late-night escapades - and I had a great time trying to piece it all together.
A perfect pick for mystery lovers, summer camp dreamers, and anyone who likes their spooky with zero jump-scares and lots of fun.
Right from the beginning, the plot gave me echoes of the fairytale “The 12 Dancing Princesses,” even before the book itself hints at that connection. That added layer makes the mystery feel both classic and fresh.
The setting is summer camp, and Cotter captures those camp vibes perfectly. This would make for a fantastic summer evening read - picture yourself in a cabin or curled up in a sleeping bag, flashlights glowing, as you solve ghostly secrets with friends. The mystery feels like a campfire story, but with more heart and character depth behind it.
Bee, our main character, is rich in her backstory and a great female lead. Her difficulty being around others and her sensitivity to sound are portrayed in a way that readers can relate to and empathize with, though I’m not entirely sure where exactly her extraordinary ability to hear everything originates from. At times, I wondered if she might be neurodivergent, but that’s more of an interpretation than something clearly confirmed in the text.
The friendship between Bee and Zippy is one of my favourite elements. It feels authentic. Sometimes it takes time to find “your” people, and summer camps especially can be tough when you don’t fit the mould. The connection between them grows naturally, and it is very satisfying to see.
The 1960s setting surprised me - perhaps to avoid smartphones and modern tech making the mystery too easy? Either way, the story feels timeless enough that readers today won’t struggle to enter this world.
Ultimately, this is a fun, fast-paced, and atmospheric middle-grade mystery. The stakes are never too frightening, making it perfect for younger readers who like a bit of goosebumps but don’t want nightmares. Cotter builds an intriguing world full of secret passages, strange music, and unexplained late-night escapades - and I had a great time trying to piece it all together.
A perfect pick for mystery lovers, summer camp dreamers, and anyone who likes their spooky with zero jump-scares and lots of fun.
November 1, 2025
Shout-out to BookPeople for having the best selection of middle-grade and YA mysteries! This store is one of the few reasons I could never leave Austin.
I haven’t seen this book anywhere else, which is a shame because it’s such a great little magical mystery for young readers and... ahem... the young at heart. Finally, I found a book written by an author who clearly went to sleepaway summer camp! Everything about it reminded me of my sweet memories of camp in the Southern California mountains. So many scenes took me back to those carefree summers with my cabin of trouble-making friends.
I loved the main character, Bee, who deals with A LOT of BS from the mean girls—both at home and at camp. Ugh, this girl can’t catch a break. She has a “hearing problem,” meaning she can hear everything and anything from miles away. To cope, she uses internal walls and gates to block out the noise. When the girls catch on that something’s a little off with her, they make her life miserable. Mean girls are like sharks—once they smell blood in the water, they attack!
Anyhoo, things take a turn when Bee finds a new friend, Zippy, who doesn’t care about fitting in. And once Zippy enters the scene, the story takes off! They soon find themselves in a mystery. Why are the older girls (the Hawks) sneaking out every night? Where are they going, and why are their flashlights always dead?
Soon, Bee and Zippy discover hidden tunnels and a whole new world outside their beloved bird-watching summer camp. Somehow, the enigmatic camp owner catches on to their investigations—and she seems to have some secrets of her own. Oh, the intrigue!
Although this book wasn’t scary, I absolutely adored the summer camp atmosphere, the lovable characters, and the magical world-building. It’s an original, creative story set in the 1960s—a time before gadgets, bizarre teenage slang, and text talk. I loved everything about it and can’t wait to read another Charis Cotter!
I haven’t seen this book anywhere else, which is a shame because it’s such a great little magical mystery for young readers and... ahem... the young at heart. Finally, I found a book written by an author who clearly went to sleepaway summer camp! Everything about it reminded me of my sweet memories of camp in the Southern California mountains. So many scenes took me back to those carefree summers with my cabin of trouble-making friends.
I loved the main character, Bee, who deals with A LOT of BS from the mean girls—both at home and at camp. Ugh, this girl can’t catch a break. She has a “hearing problem,” meaning she can hear everything and anything from miles away. To cope, she uses internal walls and gates to block out the noise. When the girls catch on that something’s a little off with her, they make her life miserable. Mean girls are like sharks—once they smell blood in the water, they attack!
Anyhoo, things take a turn when Bee finds a new friend, Zippy, who doesn’t care about fitting in. And once Zippy enters the scene, the story takes off! They soon find themselves in a mystery. Why are the older girls (the Hawks) sneaking out every night? Where are they going, and why are their flashlights always dead?
Soon, Bee and Zippy discover hidden tunnels and a whole new world outside their beloved bird-watching summer camp. Somehow, the enigmatic camp owner catches on to their investigations—and she seems to have some secrets of her own. Oh, the intrigue!
Although this book wasn’t scary, I absolutely adored the summer camp atmosphere, the lovable characters, and the magical world-building. It’s an original, creative story set in the 1960s—a time before gadgets, bizarre teenage slang, and text talk. I loved everything about it and can’t wait to read another Charis Cotter!
May 26, 2025
1960s. Bee is a nervous kid. Her father died when she was little, she's never been good at the "making friends" or "being around people" thing, and she has such sensitive hearing she's constantly having to filter things out to not be overwhelmed. But when her mother gets a summer job in New York, she signs Bee up for the birdwatching summer camp she herself loved, and Bee has to go. It's awful at first. She has zero skills and the girls make fun of her or outright bully her. But then she meets Zippy, a long-time camper who is also an outsider, but doesn't seem to care as much. And, she can see in the dark, and is thrilled to learn about Bee's talent. It will help them investigate the mystery of the Hawks, the oldest girls' group. Every morning, their flashlight batteries are dead and the girls are exhausted, but watchers have confirmed they never leave their tent. What is going on? And does it have something to do with the elusive, oddly compelling music Bee can hear when no one else can?
I really loved this. The Twelve Dancing Princesses is one of my favorite childhood fairy tales, so I was automatically predisposed to like a variant set at summer camp, which is my happy place (even if a birdwatching camp seems a little niche for the 1960s). The descriptions are wonderful and really build the world, and the characters are all distinct and interesting. The explorers get in a reasonable amount of trouble with the camp leaders for their efforts, when caught (not often), which makes their exploits more believable. Having read some of Cotter's earlier books, I was not afraid this would be scary--it's not a horror story, but there are some eerie supernatural elements and some suspense. Overall, a great adventure, and just really fun to read! Thanks to Libro.FM for a free educator copy of the audiobook.
I really loved this. The Twelve Dancing Princesses is one of my favorite childhood fairy tales, so I was automatically predisposed to like a variant set at summer camp, which is my happy place (even if a birdwatching camp seems a little niche for the 1960s). The descriptions are wonderful and really build the world, and the characters are all distinct and interesting. The explorers get in a reasonable amount of trouble with the camp leaders for their efforts, when caught (not often), which makes their exploits more believable. Having read some of Cotter's earlier books, I was not afraid this would be scary--it's not a horror story, but there are some eerie supernatural elements and some suspense. Overall, a great adventure, and just really fun to read! Thanks to Libro.FM for a free educator copy of the audiobook.
May 21, 2025
If you like a YA/ Middle grade story about summer camp, new friends, and a mystery to solve, this one could be one to pick up. It's not perfect, but it was an enjoyable, light read. I think my biggest issue was pacing as the story does not progress very quickly with regards to the mystery we are supposed to focus on.
this is Bee's first year at summer camp and she already hates it. She is an inside girl who sees her rom as her sanctuary and also has a bit of anxiety with regards to strangers. However, her mom has a job in New York for a month and feels as though Bee needs to socialize with some girls her own age and try to make friends. On one of her first evenings, some girls steal her flashlight and she has to try and stumble back to her cabin in the dark. A girl named Zippy finds her and they become quick friends as they both seem a bit unique and quirky.
Each age of girls (i.e. 13, 14, 15 etc.) are housed in their own cabins and have their own names, so when Bee and Zippy uncover the mystery of the Hawk cabin girls always being exhausted and their flashlights running out of battery every night, they are eager to find out what is going on. I do wish we had gotten to the mystery a bit more quickly. I think it took about 50% of the book to actually get somewhere with the story. Much of the dialogue is juvenile but since it's a middle grade, I didn't bother myself about it too much. All in all a decent summer read with low stakes and music in the night.
this is Bee's first year at summer camp and she already hates it. She is an inside girl who sees her rom as her sanctuary and also has a bit of anxiety with regards to strangers. However, her mom has a job in New York for a month and feels as though Bee needs to socialize with some girls her own age and try to make friends. On one of her first evenings, some girls steal her flashlight and she has to try and stumble back to her cabin in the dark. A girl named Zippy finds her and they become quick friends as they both seem a bit unique and quirky.
Each age of girls (i.e. 13, 14, 15 etc.) are housed in their own cabins and have their own names, so when Bee and Zippy uncover the mystery of the Hawk cabin girls always being exhausted and their flashlights running out of battery every night, they are eager to find out what is going on. I do wish we had gotten to the mystery a bit more quickly. I think it took about 50% of the book to actually get somewhere with the story. Much of the dialogue is juvenile but since it's a middle grade, I didn't bother myself about it too much. All in all a decent summer read with low stakes and music in the night.
August 13, 2025
Twelve year-old Bee has been sent to summer camp against her wishes--she thinks she could easily spend ten hours a day in the New York apartment she shares with her mother while her mother teaches summer courses at college. But her mother attended Blue Heron Camp, a noted girls camp for the study of ornithology, and so Bee is sent, too. Bee is worried that she will stand out with her fear of the dark, her claustrophobia, and her extraordinarily sensitive hearing, and she is right, she does. However, a girl named Zippy befriends her and she begins to have fun. Her fun summer is jeopardized, though, by mysterious music from far away and the nightly escapades of the Hawks, the fifteen-year-old campers. There is a mystery about a boy named Cooper, who only some girls, Bee included, can see. Zippy and Bee set out to solve the mystery of the Hawks' hijinks and Felicity, a cabin-mate of Bee's and Zippy's is drawn in as well since her older sister is one of the Hawks. Is it a case of enchanted evenings at a dance hall, or is there real danger? Do the dances happen in the past or the present, and why? Cotter writes with amazing detail about Bee's inner fears and strengths as well as in loving detail of the activities of summer camp.
April 10, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. Bee’s sent to summer camp for the first time and the theme for the summer camp is birds. The scenery of nature and the different types of birds in this book made me want to attend this camp. It sounded peaceful and relaxing. Especially when it’s set in the 1960s with no phones no devices that’s what I love about the book. It’s necessary to just be one with nature and take a digital detox. Another thing I loved about this book is the author takes something ordinary and makes its into an extraordinary in a unique way that I never read about. The mystery is what had me reading the book in two days. Secret passages, memorizing dance music, exhausted campers from the older girls who’s batteries drained every night. It unfolds in a way where you just want to keep reading because you have many questions till the end. Bee finding a friend Zippy for the first time who made her feel like her uniqueness was amazing not weird was a friendship we all need. Someone who won’t judge us. It’s a great summer type mystery book.
July 16, 2025
I could not put this book down and stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to finish it. I really enjoyed the main characters Bee and Zippy and how they overcame their challenges and not fitting in. I thought their characters really complemented each other and Zippy really helped Bee to grow as a person. I also liked that Felicity never really overcame her mean girl behavior because I think it would have been really unrealistic if they were best friends at the end.
I liked the 1960's setting although it often felt more like present day.
I loved the whole storyline and the journey to solve the mystery and I think I would give this book 4.5. I wouldn't give it a 5 because I don't know that I would re-read it now that I know the ending.
It wasn't a really spooky book which I liked, there was just enough for me.
I think there were a couple uses of blasphemy but I can't say for sure as I finished it a week ago.
There is also a bit of the paranormal in it which I am sensitive to but it didn't bother me in this book the way it was done.
I liked the 1960's setting although it often felt more like present day.
I loved the whole storyline and the journey to solve the mystery and I think I would give this book 4.5. I wouldn't give it a 5 because I don't know that I would re-read it now that I know the ending.
It wasn't a really spooky book which I liked, there was just enough for me.
I think there were a couple uses of blasphemy but I can't say for sure as I finished it a week ago.
There is also a bit of the paranormal in it which I am sensitive to but it didn't bother me in this book the way it was done.
August 17, 2025
Set in the 60s at a summer camp, the middle grade novel is a reimagined version of the fairy tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Bee, the main character is a loner and somewhat odd girl that is sent to the camp for the first time. She befriends Zippy and together, they discover a mystery involving strange music and other girls taking off to dance. It is not spooky or mysterious and although slow moving, the story plays well and was a good read.
August 18, 2025
Some of the campers' flashlights go dead every day. Bee and Zippy decide to investigate, and they find that the campers are sneaking out of camp to go to a dance hall and dance each night. But the dance hall isn't just a regular dance hall, and the boys they are dancing with died many years before. It reminded me a bit of The Twelve Dancing Princesses (which is referenced in the book) and is a fun, mysterious ghost story with some fun twists.
August 4, 2025
I really liked the first 3/4 of this book, although it was slow and repetitive I thought the mystery and the characters had merit. And then the last 1/4 of the book was just awful, the people acted completely unrealistically and inappropriately for a children's book.
October 3, 2025
The pace travels slower than a snail. Cotter is very descriptive with what happens in the story. No rock unturned, which leads to such a slow pace. The setting & characters remind me of my times at summer camp with the Boy Scouts.
June 2, 2025
A nostalgic ode to summer camp.
August 19, 2025
3.5 stars
September 14, 2025
Wonderfully paced tale of magic, summer camp, birds, and danger. The characters were fully developed and the whole tale was wrapped up nicely.
September 20, 2025
A middle-grade novel especially for nature lovers, especially bird-watchers. Much of the mystery is fairly obvious to an adult reader.
October 16, 2025
There are certainly some new and entertaining ideas in this sleep away camp mystery. From Bee's strange talent, to the camp founder's strange behavior, and the whole cabin of girls that seems to disappear but never go anywhere. There are some interesting characters, some strong back stories and an antagonist that may or may not be the bad guy. I liked all the fresh ideas, but I did feel like certain loose thread's like Bee herself, were quick sewn up in the end. Still, young readers will likely enjoy the mystery and I don't think they'll be able to solve it too early on.
August 18, 2025
I unfortunately DNF this book close to the 25% mark. I didn't find the voice compelling and it was too slow-paced for a book described as "spooky" and "atmospheric." I would not recommend it for kids who like to jump right into the action from the first few chapters, or those who enjoy descriptive prose. Perhaps it would be more suitable for those who prefer writing that is very concise and bare-bones.
Thank you to NetGalley Random House for this ARC!
Thank you to NetGalley Random House for this ARC!
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