Beware the Pirate Ghost

Casebusters #7

by Joan Lowery Nixon

Seven-year-old Lester Hopper is ill and missing, and the Casebusters must find him in time for his lifesaving medication while avoiding the pirate ghost who shadows their every move

Genres: Fiction

87 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Author of more than one hundred books, Joan Lowery Nixon is the only writer to have won four Edgar Allan Poe Awards for Juvenile Mysteries (and been nominated several other times) from the Mystery Writers of America. Creating contemporary teenage characters who have both a personal problem and a mystery to solve, Nixon captured the attention of legions of teenage readers since the publication of her first YA novel more than twenty years ago. In addition to mystery/suspense novels, she wrote nonfiction and fiction for children and middle graders, as well as several short stories. Nixon was the first person to write novels for teens about the orphan trains of the nineteenth century. She followed those with historical novels about Ellis Island and, more recently for younger readers, Colonial Williamsburg. Joan Lowery Nixon died on June 28, 2003—a great loss for all of us.

Reviews

[Pop Bop · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent Early-Middle Grade Adventure Mystery

This book is available as a Kindle reissue of a book that was part of the Disney Adventures Casebusters series published in the late 90's. Joan Lowery Nixon, (who died in 2003), wrote over 100 books, almost all of which were mysteries or historical fiction for middle graders and young adults.

This particular book seems intended for a younger reader within that age range. It has a simple mystery, a touch of adventure, a hint of ghostiness, and a clear linear plot. The heroes are two brothers who work well together as "detectives", and who are helped by other neighborhood kids.

The stories reflect a world where adults are helpful and reliable, hero kids are adventurous but careful, and usually all ends well. (Think "Hardy Boys" for the younger crowd.)

These are fine books for readers moving beyond chapter books, who want a bit of imaginative adventure. There are always caves and fun things like that, and often some sort of potential menace and some hint of scary stuff, (like pirate ghosts). The writing is clear and forthright, but not childish, and so presents a bit of a challenge without being daunting.

I don't know if you'll want a lot of Nixon books on the family shelf, since they do tend to blend together a bit, but a couple of them would be just fine.

Please note that I received a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a frank review.