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Prison of the Dolls: The Grinning Lad
Dear reader, I must warn you about the horrifying events happening in a small town in the middle of nowhere.
Have you heard of the Grinning Lad? Perhaps you haven't. You're still sane.What if a doll could turn you into a vampire?
Due to the mysterious disappearance of her grandmother, thirteen-year-old Abby Adler and her family have unwittingly inherited the Dollhouse—a creepy old toy shop packed from floor to ceiling with, you guessed it, dolls.
But these aren't ordinary, cuddly dolls.
When one of them, a grinning doll with a mouthful of real human teeth, is sold to the local dentist, strange things begin happening to the townsfolk. Soon, Abby discovers the impossible the Grinning Lad has let loose a vampire virus!
With her friends and family in terrible danger, Abby must go from middle school bookworm to battle-ready vampire hunter to stop the doll before the entire town falls under its bloodthirsty spell.
Welcome to the Dollhouse. It's going to get messy.
And... we're only getting started.
Have you heard of the Grinning Lad? Perhaps you haven't. You're still sane.What if a doll could turn you into a vampire?
Due to the mysterious disappearance of her grandmother, thirteen-year-old Abby Adler and her family have unwittingly inherited the Dollhouse—a creepy old toy shop packed from floor to ceiling with, you guessed it, dolls.
But these aren't ordinary, cuddly dolls.
When one of them, a grinning doll with a mouthful of real human teeth, is sold to the local dentist, strange things begin happening to the townsfolk. Soon, Abby discovers the impossible the Grinning Lad has let loose a vampire virus!
With her friends and family in terrible danger, Abby must go from middle school bookworm to battle-ready vampire hunter to stop the doll before the entire town falls under its bloodthirsty spell.
Welcome to the Dollhouse. It's going to get messy.
And... we're only getting started.
146 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 8, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 16, 2026
Author J.P. Candlewood enters the middle grade horror ring with a fang-tastic debut novel! Without going too much into spoilers, the first entry in the Prison of the Dolls series introduces protagonist Abby Adler, an adventurous 13-year-old who finds out that her beloved Grandma Selma has unfortunately gone missing.
It turns out this grandma owned a mysterious toy store called the Dollhouse, which Abby and her parents take over to help clean up as they prepare for Grandma Selma’s hopeful return. There’s a lot of mystery as to this store and the creepy dolls within, and Candlewood takes his time setting things up and teasing until the reveal of what this story and the titular Grinning Lad are all about.
This was a very fun read with a lot of humor, creepy moments and some surprisingly dark elements for a kids’ horror novel. The story also has some good reveals and builds to a satisfying conclusion that left me ready to find out what sort of doll-related trouble Abby and her friends get into next.
If you’re in the mood to discover a brand-new middle grade horror series this spooky season, be sure to order yourself a copy of The Grinning Lad!
It turns out this grandma owned a mysterious toy store called the Dollhouse, which Abby and her parents take over to help clean up as they prepare for Grandma Selma’s hopeful return. There’s a lot of mystery as to this store and the creepy dolls within, and Candlewood takes his time setting things up and teasing until the reveal of what this story and the titular Grinning Lad are all about.
This was a very fun read with a lot of humor, creepy moments and some surprisingly dark elements for a kids’ horror novel. The story also has some good reveals and builds to a satisfying conclusion that left me ready to find out what sort of doll-related trouble Abby and her friends get into next.
If you’re in the mood to discover a brand-new middle grade horror series this spooky season, be sure to order yourself a copy of The Grinning Lad!
October 19, 2026
The book was very reminiscent of middle grade horrors from the 90s. (e.g. R.L. Stine's Goosebumps). The book starts with thirteen year old Abby Adler attempting to sleep when she begins hearing a bone cracking noise in her room while trying to sleep. The book escalates from their cranking up the creepiness until the very last page. The book maintains an uneasy pacing for the protagonist throughout. The creepiness and horror isn't overt, but more implied. There are no deaths in the book, but there are a few close calls.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews