Ghosts Come Rising

by Adam Perry

In the mid 19th century, a religious movement called Spiritualism spread across America. Spiritualists believe that the living could communicate with the dead. Complete with ghostly black-and-white photographs, this suspenseful book tells the story of twelve-year-old Liza Carroll and her little brother as they try to find answers and hide a secret while staying at a spooky Spiritualist commune.

"So much more than a ghost story! Adam Perry's Ghosts Come Rising is a beautifully crafted historical novel about the lengths human hearts will go to in coming to terms with loss, and the ways love continues, even from the other side of the thin place between life and death." --Kate Albus, author of A Place to Hang the Moon

"This gripping paranormal story should be an easy sell for R. J. Palacio's Pony (2021) and future fans of the Miss Peregrine series." -- Booklist

"Well paced and well plotted . . . Ghost-story fans will stay up reading past their bedtimes." -- Kirkus Reviews


After twelve-year-old Liza Carroll and her ten-year-old brother John's parents die, they are placed in the custody of their uncle, a traveling photographer named Mr. Spencer. Mr. Spencer, realizing the gift he has in his young relatives, uses them to help create fraudulent spirit photographs, which he sells to the grieving.

Chased from one town to another, they arrive at a settlement that is different than the others they've been to-a Spiritualist commune in Pennsylvania named the Silver Star Society. Things feel different here. They are told they are at a Thin Place between the worlds of the living and the spirits. Shadows haunt the halls, and strange forms appear in Liza's photographs. Is this real, or is she the one being tricked this time? As Liza and her brother begin to investigate, the Thin Place begins to break, threatening everyone at the society. Can they fix it in time? And will their secret they've been hiding be revealed?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Horror, Mystery, Fiction, Childrens

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2022

About the author

Adam Perry is the author of The Magicians of Elephant County and The Thieving Collectors of Fine Children's Books. The son of an elementary school librarian, he discovered a love of stories at an early age. He lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with his wife, children, and a growing collection of children’s books. To the best of his knowledge, none of them are stolen. Find out more at adamperrybooks.com.

Reviews

[Erin Entrada Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The ending surprised me. (In a good way.) I read it in one sitting. I love the photographs too.

[Ben Gartner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely one of those books you can tell your kids and students, "It's probably too scary for you." And, as we all know, that will attract the kind of upper middle grade reader who will love this story!

Liza is 12 and her brother John is 10. At the end of the prologue, Liza immediately paints herself as an unreliable narrator by saying "Don’t believe anything I say." She makes up stories to many people she meets, so that the reader questions what is true and what's not. Even when Liza tells you she's telling the truth, or when she tells you she's lying, both make you wonder about what truly is her reality.

After losing her parents to the flu, Liza's guardian becomes Mr. Spencer: A scam artist who photographs people with ghosts of their loved ones for $10 a pop. Based in 1920, that's a significant fee and attests to the value these people place on seeing their departed loved ones. Liza is conflicted about this, but dutifully aids in the deceit.

What I enjoyed about this book is that it continues to build and add layers upon layers. You think you know what’s going on, but then things change, then things change again. It might be called "Stephen King for kids" with some delightfully spooky, freaky scenes. Toward the end, the storm escalates, matching the tension and rhythm in the story which just ceaselessly builds, whipping into a final frenzy. And the ride down from that tension is equally satisfying and tender.

This book deals with the complex topic of one girl's grief, set against the backdrop of the Spiritualist movement in America, and is peppered with realistic historical details that provide for an engrossing, otherworldly adventure.

[Kathie]

Review to follow

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

What an intricate, gripping, emotional, & just overall hauntingly beautiful story! Absolutely LOVED this! This story involves something I’ve heard of before, & been very fascinated by-as I love history so much. That people figured out how to make it look like a ghost was showing in a photograph. The depths & lengths our hearts will go to when we’re trying to deal with grief, & a major loss..Was it a comfort to this people truly, or the worst type of humanity praying on the heartbroken to make money off their pain? My opinion lies with both choices really. There’s so much loss, heartbreak, grief, denial & more in here..but there’s also hope, faith in something more, & holding on to whatever you believe is true & right. This story is like an onion, with many layers-such great story building. & it might make you teary eyed. lol But all the layers build a beautiful story, & you end with an amazing & hopeful outcome. The suspense starts from the get go at a gentle hum, & builds steadily to the chaos of huge storm by the climax of the story, & then when the storm calms you have the beautiful rainbow. Sorry lol this book made me sappy. Loved it. Amazing over all plot that effortlessly ties into the core messages/heart of the story. There’s the story of grief & so much surrounding it, historical aspects of the time, including the Spiritualist movement happening here. It’s also set in PA, & since I now live here, I really enjoyed that as well. HIGHLY recommend. STUNNING cover & pictures inside, which it credits: “Photo illustrations were created using a mix of original
photography, assets from BigStockPhoto.com & historical images from the Library of Congress."💜

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a loved one passes on, it is common to wish to speak with them across the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead. The flu pandemic of 1918 has just ravaged the globe, and twelve-year-old Liza and her younger brother John have been left parentless and in the custody of their unscrupulous relative, Mr. Spencer. Capitalizing on the resurgence of peoples’ belief in Spiritualism, Mr. Spencer teaches Liza and John how to make “ghosts” appear in the photographs he takes. When the trio finds itself at the headquarters of the infamous Silver Star Society, they will discover once and for all where the line between fiction and reality truly lies.

This compelling middle grade novel will have readers of all ages engrossed from the first pages. Written like a historical fiction account of life in the early 1920s in America, the book incorporates widely held beliefs of the time, the technology and clothing available to people, and true events that help place the story in a real-life context. Beautiful descriptions make the story come to life, and readers will frequently wonder what is true and what is a clever illusion. Liza’s first person account limits what readers are able to observe, providing another means of placing mysterious circumstances into their imaginations.

Though this is written for a middle grade audience, older readers with an interest in the paranormal will also enjoy this suspense-driven story as it unfolds. Liza claims from the very beginning that the reader should believe nothing she says, so the remainder of the book plants seeds of doubt as far as what she claims to see and experience. Colorful characters find their way into Liza’s surroundings, and these enhance the otherworldliness of the plot while giving readers even more elements to question. Images appear occasionally throughout the narrative to enhance the visual component of this story, further anchoring the intended time frame in readers’ minds. Captivating in its delivery, this book is one that will resonate with readers thanks to both its design and subject matter. This is an excellent addition to library collections for middle grade readers who enjoy paranormal mysteries.

I received a copy of this book from the author and I chose to leave this review.

[Lee Födi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bit of historical fiction, a bit of mystery, and whole lot of spook, this book is perfect for young readers who have an appetite for horror.

It’s the 1900s, after the Influenza epidemic, and twelve-year-old Liza and her younger brother have been put into their uncle’s custody after their parents have passed away. Their uncle is a con-man who uses photographic sleights of hands to trick people into thinking they can see their loved ones through pictures. But when they arrive at a Spiritualist commune, their enterprise is at risk of being exposed—though the delightful premise of the story is that there are even bigger secrets at work.

Ghosts Come Rising features a strong narrative, interesting characterizations, and a slow burn to a BIG moment—one that I think a lot of readers will delight in discovering.

[Fleur Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the perfect blend of historical and mystery--and then there are ghosts, of course. Adam Perry knows how to balance each story element without losing a reader's interest.

The characters and prose were rich and had me completely lost in the story for an entire weekend. Highly recommend for that kid reader who wants a good scary book.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved how twisty a ride this story is! I had almost immediately forgotten that Liza told us not to believe her, and I got sucked into her story. I worried for Liza and John. I wanted them to be free of their alcoholic uncle and I wanted them to find a home. I liked the supernatural elements that were combined with the history of the Spiritualists. It was very well done! The Epilogue was the perfect ending too.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this middle grade ghost story. I don’t typically read ghost stories, but I liked the historical aspect of this one that takes place in the 1920s. It was filled with suspense and atmosphere. Liza is a strong 12 year old protagonist that you can’t help but root for, especially considering her unfortunate circumstances with the death of her parents and being forced to be raised by an uncle who is extremely shady. There were detailed descriptions of the spiritual realm that Liza was up against, and the big twist at the end caught me by surprise. Overall, a great read that I will enjoy recommending to my middle schoolers!

[Laura P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ghosts come rising is full of ambiance, mystery, and heart. Readers will be swept into this story of a young girl whose one purpose in life is to keep her brother safe at all costs. To do so, she must sneak around, cheat, and lie. Set in the 1920s, Liza, her brother, and her morally questionable guardian pass themselves off as spiritual photographers claiming to connect people with their departed loved ones. Their secret is a method of double exposure involving photographic plates, images clipped from newspapers, and wisps of cotton. But their lies catch up with them eventually, and Liza has no choice but to face the truth. A thrilling and spooky read with family love and bonds at the heart of it.

[G Daniels · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slow and dragging.
Attempted to be suspenseful but failed.
Nice twist at the end, though not the "gasp" moment that the author may have intended. And it has been done prior and executed a lot better in previous works and by other authors such as "The Other" by Thomas Tryon.
Ending was good and suspenseful but took too long to get to it. The story was flat until about the last 50-75 pages, only then did it get intriguing and more engaging.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 4 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

When Liza and John's parents both die in the 1918 flu epidemic, the only relative who can care for them is Mr. Spencer. He's a photographer who is barely hanging on, but when he finds that Liza has some skills, he ramps up his business of manufacturing photographs for people who have lost relatives. Liza, with the help of scissors, glue, cotton, and photgraphic plates, has a system where she can make it look like the spirits of the deceased are appearing in the pictures. Mr. Spencer has been invited to take pictures at the Silver Star Society, but the owner, Ms. Eldridge, is rather skeptical about many of the mediums she invites to perform. Liza is sent ahead, to pretend that she is a runaway and to be taken in. She befriends Charles, Ms. Eldridge's helper, and manages to get assigned to help him guard the photographic plates from Mr. Spencer. This is perfect, of course, since she has a camera and all of her tools hidden in her valise, and is able to doctor the plates. Mr. Spencer makes a great show that he won't be touching or developign the plates, and Charles is surprised when ghostly images appear on the photographs. Liza is also surprised that the school does seem to be in a "thin place" between the spirit world and our own, and she has several frightening experiences when she thinks she sees ghosts. She's not allowed to talk to John, who is still sickly, but worries about him. The ghosts seem to be calling her to turn him over to them, which she does not intend to do! On her way to the house, she met a local boy named George who ends up checking on her. He believes her when she tells him about the scams she and Mr. Spencer pull, and after a brief moment of being scandalized, supports her because they are friends. When an investigator who has followed Mr. Spencer from the city shows up at the Silver Star Society, Liza is afraid that they will be discovered. Her life is so stressful and unreliable that this might not be a bad thing. She tries to switch the plates so that Mr. Spencer's lack of ability is revealed... but the photographs still contain ghostly images. Liza fears that the ghosts are real, and worries that they will come for her and John. Will they be able to survive?
Strengths: I read a few books, so it takes a lot to surprise me... and this definitely did. After a start a bit reminiscent of A Drowned Maiden's Hair, but with lots of interest in watching Liza both put up with Mr. Spencer and fool Ms. Eldridge, Liza's story took a lot of turns that I absolutely did not see coming. I don't want to ruin it, but the Silver Star Society wasn't all charlatans with speaking tubes and people hidden in cabinets rapping on the floor. There are some scary spirits floating about, and there are some nicely frightening scenes where Liza has to escape them. Mr. Spencer is awful and reminded me a little of Dr. Kingsbury is Rose's new Miraculous. Charles and Ms. Eldridge are very kind to Liza when she needs someone to be, and are there for her when she finds out even more secrets about her past. George is a good character as well. Spirtualism is an odd and interesting belief, and has been used to good effect in books like Smith's 2017 The Mesmerist and Harvey's 2011 Haunting Violet.
Weaknesses: I would have liked a few more details about the flu pandemic, although I'm not sure where they would have best been worked in without slowly down the ghost story. Perhaps an epilogue? I keep meaning to hunt down a copy of Porter's 1939 Pale Horse, Pale Rider because it covers the 1918 flu epidemic, and considering what we all lived through with Covid, I think readers would be interested in knowing more about how Liza's parents died.
What I really think: Admittedly, I picked up this book with a bit of dread, thinking that it would be similar to another popular middle grade book that utilizes vintage photographs, but it wasn't like that one at all! Definitely purchasing, and the cover will make this a book that flies off the shelf. I may have to tell readers to hang on; this starts out as a historical novel and takes a while to catapult Liza into the spirit world, but when it does, it is a wild ride full of twists and turns that I certainly didn't anticipate.

[Paige V · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review from my daughter Paige (12yo):

Her summary: Liza Carroll and her brother, John Carroll, have lived miserable lives with their con artist guardian, Mr. Spencer after their parents died of influenza. The siblings are forced to make fake ghost photos to get money, and they always have to move from town to town to con people. One day, they come upon the Silver Star Society, home to many spiritualists. Liza knows that something is not right there, but what?

Her thoughts: Ghosts Come Rising is an excellent mix of Historical Fiction and Horror Fiction.
Don't judge a book by its cover (or should I say, don't be scared by its cover!); the story has more real-life problems than paranormal elements.
This novel is a real page-turner and very informative. I loved the description of the background and the old photographs. I learned much about this religious movement, spiritualism, and life, which I found very interesting.
Without spoiling anything, the end is sad but excellent.
Brand-new published book: A perfect Halloween read!

Happy winner of an exclusive signed copy (on Instagram)! Thank you, Little Bee Books, and the author Mr. Perry, for sharing with me this incredible book!

[Jamie Henry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unreliable narrator, Liza, tells readers very early on not believe anything she says, but she herself is grounded in the stories she tells, knowing when she tells lies. When her parents did from the Spanish Flu, she and her younger brother, John, are entrusted to Mr. Spencer, a photographer that makes a living convincing others, now with Liza's help, that his photographs reveal their dead loved ones. They find their way to a spiritualism society, Silver Star Society, in rural Pennsylvania, where Liza and Mr. Spencer convince the spiritualists and their visitors the photos are real. Then, things slide into the truly paranormal as Liza begins to see shadows that are after her brother John and she will do anything, including sabotaging the photos, to save them both. The book is set in a rare historical period, 1920, for a middle grade book which gives it a little something different. However, the ending and the truths revealed felt flat to me, no real emotion behind them. The acceptance Liza finds from those of the Society also feels a bit off. Fans of ghost stories and creepy photos will likely enjoy this book.

[Jessica Sinn (Books and Trouble) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a fan of classic ghost stories—especially if they take place in age of spiritualism and charlatans with crystal balls! Set in the 1920s, this story takes readers back to a time when "spiritualists" were commonly employed by grieving family members. Enter the Silver Star Society, a spiritualism commune that offers an array of cosmic services—from telekinetic ghost writing to psychic mediums to ghost photography. Some are legit, the others not so much. Mr. Spencer is among the many con artists who are looking to benefit from other people’s pain—and he’s dragging his orphaned niece and nephew into his money-grubbing schemes. While staying at the estate, they must do his bidding to avoid getting the boot. All the while, the spookies are coming out to haunt the children in dark, shadowy halls of the mansion—and somehow, they no longer need to doctor their camera plates to make ghosts appear on film! Oh, such spooky fun! I enjoyed every minute of this book and highly recommend it to readers young and old!

[Mandy Laferriere · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two siblings, brother and sister, have lost their parents. They're stuck in the custody of their gross uncle who forces them to take photographs and doctor them to make it look like their dead loved ones are in the picture. A fascinating process, and a real thing that shady people used to do. When they end up at a spiritualist settlement, the kids start to have real supernatural experiences. While there were some creepy moments, I just struggled from the beginning to connect to the characters and the story, and the big twist at the end was something we've all seen before. Maybe it will be fresh for kids, though? This book was on the Texas Lone Star List, and I've had several people recommend it, so it could be that it just wasn't the right book for me.

[Alysa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oooh, this story is so rich and unexpected and full of heart and mystery, and ghosts it will keep you up late reading!
Part historical, part mystery, and several parts ghost story, I was completely swept up in this gripping tale about love, loss, and the heart's determination to hold on to those we love.
Thank you to the author for the honor of reading an arc, this story, much like the ghosts it portrays, will stay with me!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liza and her brother are orphans. They are reluctantly taken in by their con-man uncle who tricks mourners into believing he can photograph their deceased loved ones, but it's really Liza's skill at adulterating the pictures. They travel to a spiritualist community called 'The Silver Star Society' to make big bucks, but find the Society to be more than just an easy con.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book but knowing it’s for kids, I don’t know what the perfect age would be … maybe 12-14? My daughter is 10 and she found the ghosts to be pretty disturbing, so we started it together but I finished it on my own. I’m glad i finished it, the payoff was worth it. No spoilers here.

[Brantley Towns · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book is so meh it not good at all but it's not the worst. the story is so boring, and the plot is good, but the actual story is trash, and I like what it is about, but I don't think they did it that good. No hate the writer I mean I couldn't wright this, but it's not really smith I like but if Ur into stuff like this you should get it!

[Myranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book perfectly fine for the most part, and was going to rate it three stars, but there was a twist that I'd hadn't quite seen coming, and that bumps it up to 4 stars from me. I think this might be a good middle grade book to give to young readers for the Hallowe'en season.

[Angela Sandoval · Rating 5 out of 5]

A captivating paranormal tale that weaves layers of the story while gradually building suspense. There are twists and turns and the ending actually surprised me. I cannot wait to get this one into the hands of our middle school readers!

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great ghost story with a historical feel. I enjoyed it!

[Lee Kaestner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Middle school me would have been OBSESSED with this.

[Lexi · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Ghosts Come Rising” sent me through many twists and turns. I enjoyed every moment of the spookiness that filled it’s pages.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is delightfully spooky and mysterious. It kept my attention and kept me guessing! I can’t wait to hand this one to my students!

[Deirdre Lohrmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Just read it. I do not want to have any spoiler alerts at all.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book so much a spooky read for sure ..

[Rae-Lynne Byerley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great read and would keep any young reader who likes ghosts interested. As an adult a enjoyed the story and the twist of the story was well developed. Thank you for sharing Adam Perry.

[Joy Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable page turner. Probably not for the reluctant reader.