The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street

by Lindsay Currie

A girl unravels a centuries-old mystery after moving into a haunted house in this deliciously suspenseful read that Kirkus Reviews calls “just the ticket for a cold autumn night.”

Tessa Woodward isn’t exactly thrilled to move to rainy, cold Chicago from her home in sunny Florida. But homesickness turns to icy fear when unexplainable things start happening in her new house. Things like flickering lights, mysterious drawings appearing out of nowhere, and a crackling noise she can feel in her bones.

When her little brother’s doll starts crying real tears, Tessa realizes that someone—or something—is trying to communicate with her. And it involves a secret that’s been shrouded in mystery for more than one hundred years.

With the help of three new friends, Tessa begins unraveling the mystery of what happened in the house on Shady Street—and more importantly, what it has to do with her!

Genres: Middle Grade, Mystery, Horror, Paranormal, Fantasy, Ghosts, Fiction

304 pages, Paperback

First published October 10, 2017

About the author

Lindsay Currie is a #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of mysteries for young readers, including the Delta Games series and It's Watching, She grew up on Nancy Drew and loves a good twisty tale. When she's not writing, Lindsay can generally be found looking for an adventure of her own. She loves researching forgotten history and recently relocated from Chicago to a 220 acre farm in downstate Illinois where she finally gets to see stars every night, and take hikes every day.


Coming soon: X Marks the Haunt (January 2026) and The Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society (October 2026)!​​ For more details on Lindsay's upcoming books, please visit the My Books tab at the top of the page.

To find out more about Lindsay, please visit her website at www.lindsaycurrie.com. Instagram: @lindsayncurrie

Reviews

[Lindsay Currie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so, so grateful to be able to share this book - the book of my heart - with you! THE PECULIAR INCIDENT ON SHADY STREET is Chicago history, strong girls, clever boys, first crushes & ghost legends. I couldn't be happier and I hope you all love it!

UPDATE: The PECULIAR INCIDENT pre-order incentive is live!!! I have some epic swag to give away, so don't miss out. There's a gift for everyone, plus three amazing grand-prizes :) Details here: https://www.lindsaycurrie.com/pre-ord...

[Kelly (and the Book Boar) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here’s an interesting little tidbit. I went to high school with this author. An even more interesting tidbit might be the fact that I had already read a couple of her books before I even realized it. You see, back in the dizzle she co-authored YA horror stories with Trisha Leaver so it wasn’t until I had already gobbled up both Creed and Silo that I noticed the second name in the byline and we made the connection via Facebook (ahhhhh, remember the Faceplace back in the day where you simply reconnected with old friends and it wasn’t a raging dumpster fire of political rants and drama llama nonsense????). That being said, if you think me knowing her in a former life has any impact whatsoever on my ratings/reviews, you are surely mistaken.

The story here is about Tessa, who has been uprooted from her life in Florida for the cold and rainy Chicago Fall due to her dad getting his dream job as first chair violin in the Chicago Symphony. As if leaving her best pal and the Sunshine State behind wasn’t enough, Tessa thinks she now might be living in a haunted house! With the help of a few new friends, Tessa is determined to get to the bottom of what is making things go bump in the night.

Obviously Middle-Grade is not my typical genre. Not only am I an old geezer, my kids are well past this age as well. But I know a good story when I read one and this little book was GOOD. The creep factor wasn’t shied away from for fear of scarring the children . . . .



And the mystery was solid as well. Not to mention the atmosphere. Stormy weather makes my robot heart go pitter patter and a greystone in Lincoln Park is my dream home . . . .



So the setting was “chef’s kiss” perfect. I’ll definitely be tracking down a copy of What Lives in the Woods.

4.5 Stars

[Cam (Lana Belova) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Mom once told me she sees a story in everything. She sees the stories, then uses them to decide what she wants to paint ."

The observations on art were interesting and very helpful. As about Inez - a ghost of a little girl - she reminded me of Elly from Elly & Jools, an Australian tv mini series, where "the spirit of a young girl named Elly Lockett haunts (like Inez) an old hotel in the small town of Waterloo Creek in Australia. Elly passed away mysteriously in the 19th century (like Inez) and is seeking to discover why she was killed." A ghost of Inez wanted something different from Tessa, but like Elly she was in need of a helper. 
I loved that picture of Inez Tessa had drawn, there wasn't an actual one, but the image my mind had conjured up from the author's descriptions was warm and beautiful.

"There's a clearing, a cluster of trees so beautiful it takes my breath away. Bright oranges and reds light up the cloudy sky like another planet shimmering off in the distance. I continue toward them, the first rays of hope welling inside me. The air smells crisp and a little sweet, like fresh sketchpad paper. I like it."

Good read for middle graders :)


An Ai Generated Art

[Belles Middle Grade Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was phenomenal! Totally creepy & spooky, & filled w/an amazing friendship & setting! Tessa isn’t exactly thrilled to move to rainy, cold Chicago from her home in sunny Florida. But homesickness turns to icy fear when unexplainable things start happening in her new house. Things like flickering lights, mysterious drawings appearing out of nowhere, & a crackling noise she can feel in her bones. When her little brother’s doll starts crying real tears, Tessa realizes that someone—or something—is trying to communicate w/her. A secret that’s been shrouded in mystery for more than 100 years.

Tessa is an amazing character. So are her parents-who she is somewhat embarrassed by, b/c they are different from other parents-“free range” parents lol The reason her mom gives for “hating” phones is so on point, & couldn’t agree more w/what she said also. She makes new friends soon after moving to Chicago-Andrew, Nina, & Richie. But the main friend group trying to solve the mystery is Tessa, Nina, & Andrew. Andrew was the 1st friend she made, & he introduced her to the rest, which is lucky for her-Nina is obsessed w/all things paranormal. I loved seeing this friendship development, & the dynamic b/n them. These are kids I would’ve been friends w/in school. The awesome thing is not only do Tessa’s new friends help her adjust & help w/the mystery, but she helps them too. You see a big change in Nina for example, & it was amazing.

The author is so talented at being able to give you goosebumps from being creeped out, & all the heartwarming feels at the same time all in the same book. I love that-because I love a good creepy story, & I also love a good friend group story full of heart. She gives me all that and more. This was so atmospheric as well, w/the hauntings, the creepy old house(loved the picture I had in my head of that house!), & of the city itself. I felt like I was there in Chicago too.

There were so many mysteries inside the main mystery of the haunting, & no matter how hard I tried to figure it all out, I couldn’t. Loved that too. I absolutely loved how it ended, how it all came together, & what Tessa figured out in the end. Her character development was superb. I was grinning ear to ear. This is a suspenseful mystery full of spooky/creepy vibes that keep you on the edge of your seat(I am even more terrified of old ventriloquist dolls now thank you! Lol), so it’s a very fast-paced read. I read the last 75% in 1 sitting yesterday. So good. Highly recommend! Amazing cover by Jessica Handelman too!💜

[Mehsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

"It's a face. A small... very young.. very little-girlish face is reflected in the mirror. I bring a hand to my mouth to keep horrible four-letter words from spilling out. Unlike the soft smile on the statue of Inez Clarke, this face is dark. Frightening. Pitch-black eyes like the night are set against porcelain skin, and her lips are pale. She doesn't look happy. She doesn't look alive."

So I was really excited when one of my libraries had this book in their collection! I have been hoping to read this one for some time. And this was just as good, no, it was even better than I had hoped. It was creepy, spooky, gave me serious nope feelings (see quote above), and I definitely loved the ending and how everything was resolved in the ghost case.

Tessa, a girl who has to leave everything behind when her dad gets a great offer in Chicago. You can imagine she is not a happy girl. She has to leave her best friend behind, the sunny weather, a beautiful home, the beach and has to trade that with being the new girl at a school, droopy weather, and add to that a house that is haunted! As you can imagine it isn't going to be easy for Tessa.

But Tessa thankfully quickly makes friends with a boy she met during her first day, and following that friends with his friends. I also loved that they believed her when she told them about the haunting. Well, OK, Nina especially was totally delighted with the ghost stuff, and it took Andrew a bit longer to fully believe (or he was just telling himself everything had a science explanation).

I loved how she got a bit braver with each night, yes, she was frightened as hell, but still was trying to help out Inez. Many others would probably have run away, or cried and hid.

Plus I liked how creative she was. I would have loved to see her art. It was quite a nice touch that this connected her with Inez.

I did think it was a bit weird how hard she was pushing for a cellphone. You have one landline and don't want to hog that? I am sure that no one will mind if you use it at times. Especially since the internet isn't going to block that one line. You have email on the laptop, and you can even install whatsapp on there without having a phone (it just takes some work). A flashlight? You can easily bring a small light yourself (you have such cute little ones). As for getting lost, seriously, how did everyone manage before a phone *rolls with her eyes*. And then there is leaving messages, yes, it didn't work with a ghost around, but come on. Can't you just wait until your mom/dad come home to tell them? Does it need to be done instantly? I feel sorry if I ever get a kid, because me and my boyfriend both agree that there will be no cellphones until the kid is at least 13 and going to high school. :P And then it will be just a simple phone. RIP my kid.

The haunting was truly frightening. Good grief, and then it doesn't help I was alone and it was slowly getting dark as night settled in. There were times I was just NOPING my way out of the book as it just got a bit too much for me. Like that bathroom scene, or the mirror scene, that puppet also doesn't help (I hate dolls/puppets), and well, tons of others. The author really wrote the haunting perfectly. Just the right amount of NOPE and creepy and frightening, while also making it slightly sad when you find out what is going on with Inez.

Inez/Amos, I just knew from the start what was going on, and was amazed that the kids didn't know. Still it was fun to see the kids figure it out, and get to the bottom of what was going on.

The pacing was generally OK, though I have to say that I had to flip back a few times because it felt like much more time passed by. For instance often it didn't feel like 4 days just passed, instead I thought it was 2 weeks. The Cassidy situation was handled a bit too easily in my opinion. It just felt a bit too much like an afterthought, like something that still had to be solved (as it happened in the last 50 or so pages, and also around the time the ghost mystery was coming to a close).

Then I noticed this. At one point Andrew says to Tessa: "Today is Thursday, your fourth day here", yet when Nina comes to our duo just a bit later on that day, she says: "Mr. Bossy Pants here dragged me out of Film Club. It only happens once a week - on Wednesdays-....."
I also noticed that Richie was misspelled as Ritchie at least once (but it may have happened more).

The ending was pretty sweet. On the one hand I would have seen an ending with chaos, but this one fitted even better with the situation. I loved the realisation that Tessa had (I didn't see it, but now that it is said, I can look back and indeed, she did all that), and I loved what Tessa (and her new friends) did for Inez.

All in all, if you are looking for a creepy book with some great friendship and a sweet ending, be sure to add this one to your list.

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tessa is in 7th grade and just moved from sunny Florida to cold, windy and rainy Chicago. This was a good read.

[Jessica Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like spooky? Like history? Love great characters? Then wowza, you're in for a treat with this book. You guys, I got SO many chills reading this book~ Lindsay Currie has already made a name in YA Horror, and this MG book will satisfy readers young and old. There's atmosphere from the very first page and more than that, the characters read like authentic kids you'd want to hang out with (okay, well, maybe not since I'm a graveyard weenie). Just the right balance of scary and heart! Can't wait for this one to officially hit shelves :)

[Scott Fillner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engaging novel which has a little bit of everything. Students will enjoy this spooky mystery.

[Ghazaleh · Rating 2 out of 5]

خیلی سانسور داشت!!!

[Kendra Ayers · Rating 5 out of 5]

As soon as I started reading The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street, it took me back to my younger self, the one who ingested books more than food on many occasions. I felt like twelve year old Kendra again, attempting to solve the mystery that was laid out before me. I got chills, I felt giddy, and I enjoyed every second of this journey into Tessa’s world.

I am not a huge fan of ghost stories, per say, but this particular one was different. Lindsay Currie created a fictional world full of characters that surrounded real people, places, and situations. Tessa Woodward, the book's main character, is already having a hard time accepting her new surroundings after a drastic move from Florida to Illinois. Adding a mystery like a ghost hunt to the mix, seemed like it would only make things worse for her. But Tessa was able to meet her first friends from Chicago and draw them in to her current situation that involved a unique opportunity for friendship.

Tessa and Andrew were my favorite characters because you could sense a slow growing vibe between them that felt different from the rest of the friendships. In my imagination, they will continue their relationship and become each other’s first serious crush. As for Cassidy….I wanted to know more about her right from the start. I had hoped to learn more throughout the book but Currie was able to share her story at the end, which brought closure to my curiosity.

This book was particularly special to me because I understood how drastic a move five states away can be. My sister (her family) and my dad live on either side of where Tessa is from and I thought this connection was sort of neat. Watching them move away was difficult to adjust to, which is why I felt for both Tessa and her Florida best friend, Rachel.

As for the mystery lurking behind the doors of Tessa’s home on Shady Street, I believe Lindsay was really able to “spook” her readers but also make the connections believable. You could finish the book seeing a lot of coincidences coming together or you could finish it believing in the ghost herself. I liked that. I didn’t feel like she was forcing us to believe but allowing us to draw our own conclusions.

I highly recommend this book for middle grade children but I also had such a great time reading it myself. I think Currie’s writing draws such an interest; we don’t have to stick with the age guideline and can read her work no matter how old we are! I am also incredibly interested in doing my own research on “Tessa’s ghost” and plan to visit Lindsay’s website to check out the research she did for this book.

[Darla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Scary and spooky are not my jam, so this book was not my favorite of the 2019-20 Mark Twain nominees. Our heroine (Tessa) has just moved to Chicago with her family and finds her new house seems to be haunted by a ghost only she and her brother's creepy ventriloquist dummy are aware of. The ghost mystery is satisfactorily solved by Tessa and her new friends with a little science to explain some of the occurrences. The line parents draw on exposure to the paranormal varies by family. This title may not be an option for some middle graders. I will hesitate to recommend this title to young middle grade students despite the themes that shine through on adjusting to new environments and making friends.

[Meisha (ALittleReader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lindsay Currie is an excellent writer! This is the second book I've read by her and I actually prefer this one to Scritch Scratch. (Though both are great middle grade horror.) I genuinely would have been freaked out by this as a kid. As an adult, it was pretty mild and the ending was predictable. But the characters in this are so sweet and wholesome. And the character growth is great. If you don't read this for anything else, at least read it for the characters! I also appreciated the fact that thr parents played a role in the MC life/story. I see so many books in MG and YA that the parents are non existent and the kids do what ever they want or are able to pull off very unbelievable things. This book however had very believable characters and have believable actions for a middle grader. I think if you like horror or your child likes horror (specifically ghosts) this one would be a great to read with your child during Halloween!:)

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Lindsay Currie and the KidLitExchange network for providing me with a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own. This book will be released 10.10.17

Wow!!! What a great book. This might be set as a middle grade paranormal mystery, but it definitely kept this mama intrigued and stumped throughout the entire story. This book centers around a real Chicago legend and is a full on ghost story that will leave you giddy with excitement as well as a tad creeped out.

"She was missing her home. Her place. Just. Like. Me."

The main character, Tessa Woodward, is relocating from Florida to Chicago with her family. She's in 7th grade and not happy about leaving her life behind and starting over in a different city. It doesn't help when they move into a haunted house on Shady Street where peculiar things keep happening - strange noises, mysterious drawings, changing artwork and hidden belongings. There's also a ventriloquist dummy that actually sheds tears and a vanishing cemetery statue too. Eek!! The author did a wonderful job of describing various spooky scenes. Many times I would finish a chapter and continue onto the next because she set up a perfect cliffhanger. I love the fact that these incidents were creepy, but that the kids questioned the occurrences. They researched and even used science to dispel a theory. That's a brilliant idea to introduce young readers to as a way to cope with fear!!! It was also great to hear a few characters realize that they were thankful to have something so crazy to focus on because it distracted them from their own problems for just a moment.

The characters are so great in this book. They are innocent and come from various backgrounds. Yet they all accept each other's flaws and work together to solve the mystery. On the surface, this may appear to be just a ghost story, but the characters add a whole new dimension and teach the reader some valuable lessons about friendship and acceptance. Tessa is a wonderful lead. We watch her deal with a lot of emotions as the story progresses. Many kids will find it easy to relate to her character. She is not happy about moving out of her beloved state, sad about leaving her best friend, anxious to attend a new school, embarrassed by her parent's quirky behavior, desperate for a phone and hesitant to let everyone see her true self. We watch her deal with all of that and finally find peace in the end. There's a wonderful paragraph where she realizes that everyone is different and complicated, but if you take the time to get to know someone that's what makes them unique. The side characters are just as great. I absolutely loved Andrew and Nina. I also adored the free range parents. Their antics had me giggling on several occasions. I appreciate the conversation Tessa has with her mother about phones and how they interfere with experiences!!! So true.

I love books that introduce me to local legends and send me scurrying to the internet once done to look up a few more facts and real life pictures. That's exactly what I did! This book is inspired by the real life ghost legend of Inez Clarke from Chicago. Seeing photos of the actual cemetery and grave monument did give me chills. I learned a new term - coimetrophobia. I've never had an issue with death or graveyards. In fact, I enjoy walking around cemeteries. The older the better. I love reading all of the names you typically don't hear anymore or finding emblems for various guilds. However, I know that's not the case for many. Hopefully, this will help others view grave sites and ghost stories a bit differently.

I highly recommend this book for middle grade readers and fans of R.L. Stine. It's an unique story that you can view many different ways and would make a great selection for book clubs!!!!

[S. M. Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhhhh! This book is PHENOMENAL. It’s a middle grade ghost story so you should read it just for that! Currie will creep you out in the best way. But even though there’s a two-hundred-year-old mystery and dusty, hidden secrets and LOTS of scary stuff (the kind of scary stuff that gave me gooseflesh and all over chills), there is also tenderness and kindness and SO MANY BEAUTIFUL MESSAGES ABOUT FREINDSHIP AND BELONGING AND ACCEPTANCE. The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street is the rare gem of a book that interlaces strong family support, budding friendships, brilliant jump-off-the-page kids, history and mystery. I commend Currie for this beautiful story. This story that would not let me go. I devoured it in a day because it is wholly devourable (not a word, but still). It is. Devourable. Currie’s characters are a group of kids that will make you laugh out loud while you’re rooting for them to solve century’s old mystery. And Jonah and his ventriloquist doll (and his spill of Legos) have my whole heart. The characters are real and pulsing and filled with the beautiful spirit of warm innocence and tender curiosity. I want to read each of their stories so, L Currie, please write a story for each one of them. Please and thank you. And sweet Inez, the ghost. Sigh. I’m so glad you met the kids at Shady Street. Brava, L Currie! This book is magical and haunting in the most tender way. I am so grateful to have received an early ARC of this book. Thank you, thank you!!!

[Lisa Maxwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you know Lindsay Currie's other work, you know that she does creepy tension really, really, really well, and TPIOSS is no exception. It is a creeptastic page turner that will thrill people who love MG horror, like R. L. Stine. Peculiar Incident is delightfully creepy. I mean, there is a ventriloquist dummy...and that's not even the creepy part of the story. The ghostly scenes are awesome--they give you chills, while still being tame enough for a younger crowd. (To be honest, I'm kind of looking forward to watching my kiddos get freaked out by them).
But in addition to the spine-tingling parts, this book is all heart. Tessa is a smart, resourceful character who finds friendship in a new and spooky place. Those friendships are the heart of the story, and they'll win over kids who don't necessarily like their stories spooky. Loved this one!

[royaevereads · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brilliant spooky middle grade read. Some parts really gave me the heebie-jeebies, it was genuinely scary at times! A nice little mystery as well, with memorable characters. If you like stories about hauntings you’ll love this one.

[Trina · Rating 1 out of 5]

It seems marketing took precedence over proofreading. This might have been a great story if not for all of the editing errors. By page 15, I had to call it quits.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was really fun paranormal middle grade! It's the perfect atmospheric and spooky read for anyone who wants spooky vibes without being out right scary!

This entire book was really fun and mysterious. I loved the main character and following her through her struggles to adapt to not only a new city and house - but a haunted one! This book has all the haunted house vibes and pretty creepy scenes! But it also has amazing friendships and family dynamics. This mixed with the chilly Chicago setting, make it a perfect fall/Halloween read!

I also loved that this was a mix of paranormal and mystery. I was definitely invested in figuring out who the ghost was and why they were haunting the house. Overall this was just a really fun middle grade! I highly recommend picking this up during the fall/spooky season!

[jennyreadit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd like to thank the author, Lindsay Currie, and Kid Lit exchange for providing an e-book ARC. All opinions are my own.

Tessa and her family have moved from Florida where everything is bright, sunny and warm to gray, cold Chicago. Her father has gotten his dream job with the Chicago symphony, but with that has come sacrifices. Tess has had to leave her friends and school, her mother is not going to be able to sell beach scene art in Chicago and now they've moved into a creaky old house. There's spooky sounds and suddenly cold air at night.... not to mention a painting in the hallway keeps getting darker and darker and her little brother's antique ventriloquist dummy keeps appearing in Tess's room. Suddenly, a mysterious symbol begins appearing in Tess's sketchbook and Tess knows SHE isn't drawing it.
Tess's worries are legitimate to a middle schooler that has to move to a totally new environment one month after school has already begun. But, she keeps telling herself it's for her dad, even though Tess can't imagine how she's going to make friends AND survive her haunted house.
When Tess blurts out her house is haunted to her new classmates on her first day of school, she thinks she will never make friends.In addition, Tess' parents are different than "normal parents" so Tess doesn't have a phone, computer or TV. However, Andrew, an athletic boy she met at a nearby pond, not only wants to befriend Tess, he's intrigued about her haunted house. With him, comes Nina, the shy nerd that loves the paranormal, Cassidy, the mysterious "mean girl" and Richie, Nina's twin, who is really smart, but doesn't want people to know.
Middle grade readers will identify with the characters--- Currie develops them so well, they seem real. Hey, I wanted to hang out with Tess and her new friends and go searching Graceland Cemetery for answers to who was the mysterious Inez Clarke myself!
There's just enough spookiness and weird goings-on to keep readers intrigued as well as the pace. Currie keeps the plot moving along without appearing to "teach" something to the reader... nor give too much information or history.
While Tess and her new friends work as a team to discover the connection between what is going on at her house and the mystery of six year old Inez Clarke, who supposedly was locked outside her home and struck by lightning during a storm, she learns change is different, but it can also turn out ok because things aren't always as they seem.
Lindsay Currie did an excellent job creating her very relatable characters and placing them in a situation to work together to solve the mystery. They all learned something about themselves and each other without it being preachy or slowing the pace of the storyline, and the historical references and suspensefulness of the strange things at Tess's house and Graceland kept this adult reader immersed in the story and wanting more when it ended. I hope this is the first in a series of books about Chicago and Tess and her new friends.
Maybe the next one will be about the Chicago Symphony??

[Valerie McEnroe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tessa's family has just moved from sunny Florida to rainy Chicago and Tessa's not happy. Adding to her frustration is their new house, which she swears is haunted. Strange drawings appear in her sketch book. Her mother's watercolors disappear. Her brother's ventriloquist doll cries. She just wants to go back to Florida. But all is not lost. She meets a nice boy named Andrew who happens to have a friend who knows a lot about Chicago ghosts. The mystery surrounding the ghost in Tessa's house ends up being the glue that bonds their friendship. Andrew and his friends are determined to help Tessa uncover the truth behind the ghost they call Inez.

This is your basic haunted house story. It's cliched and predictable. The ending is hokey. It has no imagination what-so-ever. For a haunted house story that is better written I recommend either Spirit Hunters or The Night Gardener. That said, I do think kids will like this book and I will be on the look out for it to add to my library. My rating evaluates the quality of the work, not whether it will be popular. This book has a catchy title and cover, and since kids don't have many haunted house stories in their reading history, this will be unique to them.

[Brooks Benjamin · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was given an ARC of The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street I was actually in the mood for a creepy MG ghost story so my expectations were high. I'm so glad to say that this book met every single on of them and still had more to offer! Tessa is such an incredible character and her friends, their teamwork, the city, its rich history, and even the ghost were all just as spectacular. I can't recommend this book enough!

[Jenna Lehne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read an earlier version of this book and was blown away. The voice, the setting, the plot is all so creepily wonderful. You'll want to add this one to your TBR pile. Trust.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to read this through an ARC on Net Galley.

The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street presents like a creepy MG thriller and it delivers on this promise with a moderately scary plot that will be suitable for almost all middle grade readers. It’s certainly creepy but young children are not likely to be too scared. In addition, like other creepy books that my grade 5-7 students have enjoyed such as The Nest by Kenneth Oppel or The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier, the book has many other important messages and themes that are delivered in a subtle fashion through engaging characters.

Tessa is a young middle school aged girl whose life is in a state of upheaval when her family moves from Florida to Chicago. She misses her best friend, Rachel, and is not sure how she will thrive in the Windy City without her. Matters are compounded when strange things begin to happen in the old house the family moves into, which her parents got for a “steal”. With her parents busy sorting out their new job and unpacking, Tessa is not sure who to turn to. Luckily, Tessa stumbles upon Andrew and the two form a friendship that gives Tessa some of the support she needs to puzzle through what is really going on and find the courage to survive increasingly freaky events.

The possibility of a ghost being in her house provides a mystery that readers will love trying to solve with Tessa and her friends, making the story both spooky and thoughtful. Tessa benefits from the help of Nina, who loves researching the paranormal and knows that Tessa is “having a bad time and… need(s) help right now.” The kids in this book know that part of being a friend is giving someone what they really need. Friendship is key to characters in this book. When they have it, things are positive and hopeful, and the characters that are unable or unwilling to lean on friends at certain points are shown to struggle.

Young readers are often attracted to spooky plot lines and it’s here in abundance with ghosts, creepy noises in an old house and a walk in a cemetery, but readers will also be engaged by the characters working together and overcoming fear. The message that family and friends should support each other is also perfect for MG readers. This would be a good addition to any library around Halloween, but also throughout the year.

[Laura Mossa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prepare to be spooked! Tessa moves from sunny and sandy Florida to rainy and cold Chicago. She is not happy about starting over at a new school and desperately misses her best friend Rachel. Not long after her family moves into their new home, Tessa notices strange things happening. Could her house really be haunted? With the help of new friends, Tessa begins to uncover a mystery involving a young girl who died many, many years ago. Highly recommend this #mglit book for its seamlessly blending of suspense, humor and most importantly the power of friendship.

Thank you to the author, Lindsay Currie, the publisher, Simon and Schuster Children's and NetGalley, for providing me with an advanced reader copy of Peculiar Incident on Shady Street.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute, not too creepy or spooky story, about a young girl pulled from her life in sunny Florida to a haunted house in the cold Chicago suburbs.

It involves a long held urban legend, a haunted house, the mysterious death of a child, and how to adjust to a new school, city, and friends. The ghost haunting Tessa after her family moves to Chicago is actually the best thing to happen to her. It helps her meet and make new friends, have exiting adventures and learn the history of her new home and the surrounding area. I do like that it pulled from real places and things in the Chicago area.

It was a fun story, showing how the bonds of friendship can be formed at a time in life where having to start over can be especially rough.

[Gouri Verma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I expected atleast a single twist in the whole book but NAH! There wasn’t any😂😭 Though this was a mystery book😭

But I liked this book’s atmosphere💕It was soooo good!!!!!❤️ I loved our main character-Tessa!!! She was so sweet and intelligent and friendly!!! I loved the part where Tessa makes three new friends at once❤️ I loved this character-Andrew!!! He was pretty funny😂

This book was REALLY creepy and it freaked me out many times! Also, this was pretttyyyy funny!!! I laughed like 50 times🤣 It was FULL of sarcasm!!!!! There were some jokes which were hard to get!!!!😂 I was like reading a funny joke in the book and then laughing after five minutes because I wasn’t able to figure them out😂

The ending was really FLAT and there weren’t twists and turns😭 But that was a good ending for Tessa😊 I loved how she celebrated Halloween with all her friends! I also loved Tessa writing letters to her friend-Rachel😊

I liked it💕
Go for it....

[Marci Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to snag an early copy of this book and HOLY CATS, people, this story has All the Things:

Friendship.
Humor.
Suspense.
Feels.
Family.
Heart.
Fright. (Yup. You read that correctly--FRIGHT. This story is like the Swiss army knife of books...it does it all.)

Beautifully written and expertly crafted. One of my fave MGs of all time.
Wholeheartedly recommend.

[Amber Kuehler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fans of Mary Downing Hahn are going to eat this up! This book had just the right amount of spookiness to it for middle grade readers. I was on the edge of my seat without being too scared and I think my 9 year old readers (and up) will feel the same way. This would make an amazing read aloud ins the fall and I'm definitely adding it to our Mock Newbery collection.

[Kathie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not have picked a better book to launch my October readathon. This book is scary, yet still manageable for its target audience, and is so much more than just a ghost story. My favorite quote, where Tessa’s mom gives advice about enjoying nature without needing social media to validate our experience, is one I’m going to write down. This book is well-deserving of it’s buzz.

[Karina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully spooky! A fun middle grade book with a great cast of characters. Sure to delight fans who love ghost stories.