Relic

by Roberta Worthington

Twelve-year-old Samantha Whitaker isn't too happy about her parents' decision to fulfill their dream of opening a country inn. She despises the inn, calling it "the Ick." And she's not too fond of anything else in the small village either, including the antique shop, where she purchases a strange relic just to annoy her mother.

Her defiance comes to a head when she steals her parents' car-and crashes it after almost running over a strange chestnut-haired girl. As she regains consciousness, she wonders what happened to the girl, who'd been staring at her so unsettlingly. Had Samantha managed to avoid hitting her?

Strangely, no one knows anything about the mysterious girl. Samantha's search for answers leads her to learn about the history of the old inn, which was once inhabited by a local legend, a colorful woman who had been a benefactor of the town, inviting artists, musicians, poets, and great minds of the time to hold lectures and classes there. Some believe her spirit still haunts the inn.

Uncovering a paranormal puzzle with a few missing pieces, Samantha's journey takes her to surprising new places in this middle-grade mystery inspired by a real historical mansion.

204 pages, Paperback

Published October 22, 2015

About the author

Roberta Worthington holds a bachelor's degree in print journalism, a bachelor's degree in secondary English education, and a master's degree as a reading specialist.
She love adventures, from long ones to China to short ones to local parks. A frustrated architect wanna-be, she is inspired by architecture and the history it often houses. She is drawn to antiques, classic musicals, board games and chocolate. She is an avid whistler.
She has been telling stories for as long as she can remember, sometimes others' while working as a newspaper reporter, and often her own to entertain her English students. Her newest novel, Eye of the Peacock, is a YA supernatural time travel story. Her first novel is Relic, a supernatural mystery.
Roberta lives in Western New York with her husband and their two daughters.

Reviews

[Martin Wilsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to start off saying that I don't usually read Young Adult fiction. With that said, I really enjoyed this book. I grew up enjoying books like this with mysteries, ghosts, relics, teen angst and adventure.

I hope someone makes a movie of this story!

I’ll confess. I even made myself tea this afternoon. Great story. Highly recommended for all ages.