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It Found Us
From the author of Scritch Scratch and The Girl in White comes a new spooky mystery about a girl detective who must decode a series of ominous clues tied to a century-old tragedy to find a missing teenager before it’s too late…
Twelve-year-old Hazel Woods has always had an unusual knack for sleuthing. Some may call it snooping, but all she really wants is to solve mysteries around town. So, when she not-so-accidentally overhears her brother Den planning to sneak into the cemetery at night for an epic game of hide-and-seek, she decides to secretly tag along. This seems like the perfect opportunity to investigate the claims that the cemetery is haunted.
But the moment the game ends, Hazel realizes something is very, very wrong. From her hiding spot in the bushes, she overhears that her brother’s best friend, Everett, is missing. Everyone else was found by the seeker but there’s no sign of Everett anywhere. It’s as if he just . . . vanished
Hazel and Den are determined to find Everett before it’s too late. But as they begin to unravel the terrifying clues that started appearing since that night in the graveyard–eerie whispers that sound like someone counting, the intermittent smell of smoke, and the cold, lost presence that follows them everywhere, she’s not sure what they are dealing with. But Everett needs more than search parties and scent-tracking dogs to find him, especially if his disappearance is tied to the history of the cemetery, and the lost, century-old spirits that might still be trapped there.
Twelve-year-old Hazel Woods has always had an unusual knack for sleuthing. Some may call it snooping, but all she really wants is to solve mysteries around town. So, when she not-so-accidentally overhears her brother Den planning to sneak into the cemetery at night for an epic game of hide-and-seek, she decides to secretly tag along. This seems like the perfect opportunity to investigate the claims that the cemetery is haunted.
But the moment the game ends, Hazel realizes something is very, very wrong. From her hiding spot in the bushes, she overhears that her brother’s best friend, Everett, is missing. Everyone else was found by the seeker but there’s no sign of Everett anywhere. It’s as if he just . . . vanished
Hazel and Den are determined to find Everett before it’s too late. But as they begin to unravel the terrifying clues that started appearing since that night in the graveyard–eerie whispers that sound like someone counting, the intermittent smell of smoke, and the cold, lost presence that follows them everywhere, she’s not sure what they are dealing with. But Everett needs more than search parties and scent-tracking dogs to find him, especially if his disappearance is tied to the history of the cemetery, and the lost, century-old spirits that might still be trapped there.
274 pages, Unknown Binding
First published September 5, 2023
77 people are currently reading
2034 people want to read
About the author
Lindsay Currie
18 books983 followersLindsay 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
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
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 289 reviews
May 10, 2025
**4.5-stars**
It Found Us is the latest release from my personal Queen of Spooky Middle Grade, Lindsay Currie.
Upon seeing this cover, I knew I would need to get my hands on this ASAP. I mean, look how creepy it is. It's stunning!
In this story we meet 12-year old, Hazel Woods, an aspiring detective, who puts her skills to the test while trying to solve the case of a missing teenager.
Hazel has always wanted to be a detective, but her biggest dream currently is to start her own podcast focusing on cases she'll solve. So far, her cases have been small. That's really all her neighborhood has to offer.
That is until the night her brother's best friend, Everett, mysteriously disappears.
On the night Everett disappeared, he'd been at the local cemetery, playing an epic game of hide-and-seek with Hazel's older brother, Den, and some other kids.
Hazel, who had overheard the boys plans, had sneaked after her brother, unbeknownst to him to observe what would happen in the purportedly-haunted cemetery. She saw it as the perfect opportunity to do some sleuthing on whether or not it is actually haunted.
At the conclusion of the game, all the other hiders were found by the seeker, but Everett seemed to have just vanished. As scared as they were, the kids knew they had to let some adults know and an investigation begins.
Hazel and Den believe the police aren't looking in the right places though, so they decide to undergo their own investigation, along with Hazel's best friend, Maggie.
The kids dive into the history of the cemetery and the lives of some the souls that may be buried there. Will their chilling search for evidence reveal what happened to Everett? And will they be able to get him back before it's too late?
This was so cute and fun. It reminded me a lot of Scritch Scratch as far as the mystery elements went, so if you enjoyed that one, you should definitely check this one out.
Hazel was a fabulous MC. She's so determined to start her podcast and even though she hasn't been able to convince her parents to allow her to do it yet, she's not giving up.
I love watching characters work hard toward a goal and Hazel was overflowing with grit and optimism. I also loved her sleuthing skills. The way she tackled the mystery and her clue journal were impressive.
Her clue journal was also a great device for helping to track the progression of the story. Hazel would go through the list of clues they had discovered so far in relation to the mystery. I thought this was a really fun aspect, particularly for the younger readers.
I also appreciated how Currie connected the history of this town and cemetery into the story. She always brings some interesting historical aspects to her stories that are so fun and compelling.
There's also great atmosphere and healthy relationships amongst the characters. I loved the kids working together, particularly Hazel and Den. It's always refreshing to see siblings get along and support one another.
Overall, I found this to be well-written, engaging and lot of fun. I would definitely recommend this to all readers of Spooky Middle Grade, regardless of age.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Sourcebooks Young Readers, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I will pick up anything Lindsay Currie writes and this book is a perfect example of why.
It Found Us is the latest release from my personal Queen of Spooky Middle Grade, Lindsay Currie.
Upon seeing this cover, I knew I would need to get my hands on this ASAP. I mean, look how creepy it is. It's stunning!
In this story we meet 12-year old, Hazel Woods, an aspiring detective, who puts her skills to the test while trying to solve the case of a missing teenager.
Hazel has always wanted to be a detective, but her biggest dream currently is to start her own podcast focusing on cases she'll solve. So far, her cases have been small. That's really all her neighborhood has to offer.
That is until the night her brother's best friend, Everett, mysteriously disappears.
On the night Everett disappeared, he'd been at the local cemetery, playing an epic game of hide-and-seek with Hazel's older brother, Den, and some other kids.
Hazel, who had overheard the boys plans, had sneaked after her brother, unbeknownst to him to observe what would happen in the purportedly-haunted cemetery. She saw it as the perfect opportunity to do some sleuthing on whether or not it is actually haunted.
At the conclusion of the game, all the other hiders were found by the seeker, but Everett seemed to have just vanished. As scared as they were, the kids knew they had to let some adults know and an investigation begins.
Hazel and Den believe the police aren't looking in the right places though, so they decide to undergo their own investigation, along with Hazel's best friend, Maggie.
The kids dive into the history of the cemetery and the lives of some the souls that may be buried there. Will their chilling search for evidence reveal what happened to Everett? And will they be able to get him back before it's too late?
This was so cute and fun. It reminded me a lot of Scritch Scratch as far as the mystery elements went, so if you enjoyed that one, you should definitely check this one out.
Hazel was a fabulous MC. She's so determined to start her podcast and even though she hasn't been able to convince her parents to allow her to do it yet, she's not giving up.
I love watching characters work hard toward a goal and Hazel was overflowing with grit and optimism. I also loved her sleuthing skills. The way she tackled the mystery and her clue journal were impressive.
Her clue journal was also a great device for helping to track the progression of the story. Hazel would go through the list of clues they had discovered so far in relation to the mystery. I thought this was a really fun aspect, particularly for the younger readers.
I also appreciated how Currie connected the history of this town and cemetery into the story. She always brings some interesting historical aspects to her stories that are so fun and compelling.
There's also great atmosphere and healthy relationships amongst the characters. I loved the kids working together, particularly Hazel and Den. It's always refreshing to see siblings get along and support one another.
Overall, I found this to be well-written, engaging and lot of fun. I would definitely recommend this to all readers of Spooky Middle Grade, regardless of age.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Sourcebooks Young Readers, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I will pick up anything Lindsay Currie writes and this book is a perfect example of why.
March 8, 2023
This book is special to me, friends. Like many of my books, it features ghosts (yay!), but it also features themes of family, friendship, and bravery. In addition, it has solid roots in Chicagoland history that I'm excited to shine a light on. Request a digital ARC on Edelweisss here: https://www.edelweiss.plus/#sku=17282...
December 9, 2023
One of my favorite things about Lindsay Currie's books is that she covers parts of history that are "lost" or "forgotten" and maybe you haven't heard of before. However, I don't want to share which part of history this covers because I feel like it would spoil the book. And I think it's better going into this one blind. I will say that this sent me into a research frenzy afterwards and am extremely interested in the topic. I have a feeling many others will be intrigued by it also.
This was by far my favorite out of the 3 books I've read of hers. And although I'd recommend any of her writings, if you haven't read anything from her before, give this one a try.
If Found Us was thoroughly creepy. Had I read this as a kid I would have been extremely spooked and I loved it! It has tons of spooky scenes filled with vivid imagery that genuinely sent shivers down my spine.
The only issue I had with this one is that there was a minor plot hole. The ghost is described as not having eyes and his mouth sewn shut. I waited the whole book for an answer as to why he would appear that way and nothing... maybe I missed something there? And if I did, please feel free to clear that up for me because I'm a little lost with it haha. It admittedly made for some down right spine tingling imagery. But there was just no explanation for why he appears like that or how it happened and I was a little bummed out by that. Because most of the intrigue for me was fueled by that in particular. 🤷🏼♀️ Thus, bumping it down a star.
Over all though, like I said, I really enjoyed this one and would recommend it if you're looking for something eerie to settle down with. :)
This was by far my favorite out of the 3 books I've read of hers. And although I'd recommend any of her writings, if you haven't read anything from her before, give this one a try.
If Found Us was thoroughly creepy. Had I read this as a kid I would have been extremely spooked and I loved it! It has tons of spooky scenes filled with vivid imagery that genuinely sent shivers down my spine.
The only issue I had with this one is that there was a minor plot hole. The ghost is described as not having eyes and his mouth sewn shut. I waited the whole book for an answer as to why he would appear that way and nothing... maybe I missed something there? And if I did, please feel free to clear that up for me because I'm a little lost with it haha. It admittedly made for some down right spine tingling imagery. But there was just no explanation for why he appears like that or how it happened and I was a little bummed out by that. Because most of the intrigue for me was fueled by that in particular. 🤷🏼♀️ Thus, bumping it down a star.
Over all though, like I said, I really enjoyed this one and would recommend it if you're looking for something eerie to settle down with. :)
May 29, 2023
It Found Us was my first book by Lindsay Currie and I really enjoyed it! I liked the mystery being set around a graveyard, The atmosphere was wonderful!. I also liked the reveal and learning a bit of history, as this was based on a true event. I recommend this one for fans of spooky middle grade!
December 22, 2023
I love Currie’s middle grade work and this was another great example. Spooky and atmospheric this was a great tale; friendship, loyalty and grief filled the pages and at times it was downright scary. I love the slow burn of a Currie ghost story and this was pretty immense.
September 5, 2023
Hazel is 12 years old and loves to solve any mysteries she can find. Some people might call it spying but she would rather consider it a talent for investigation and solving mysterious cases.
One night she follows her brother to the cemetery where he is going to play a classic game of Hide and Seek. It all seems to be an innocent children's game until one of the kids that was hiding, mysteriously disappears.
As the police start an investigation but are unable to find any solid clues, Hazel knows it is her responsibility to use her skills to find the missing kid.
But she always needs to do this in secret and with the help of some good friends.
This was such a solid middle grade. It was creepy,it was intriguing, it had great pacing and it will keep you guessing. A true mystery that needs to be solved and will take us to a creepy cemetery with a very dark past.
One night she follows her brother to the cemetery where he is going to play a classic game of Hide and Seek. It all seems to be an innocent children's game until one of the kids that was hiding, mysteriously disappears.
As the police start an investigation but are unable to find any solid clues, Hazel knows it is her responsibility to use her skills to find the missing kid.
But she always needs to do this in secret and with the help of some good friends.
This was such a solid middle grade. It was creepy,it was intriguing, it had great pacing and it will keep you guessing. A true mystery that needs to be solved and will take us to a creepy cemetery with a very dark past.
June 29, 2024
3.5 stars, Hazel's voice is what makes this ghost story within a mystery shine. When Hazel's older brother Den and his friends are playing hide-and-seek at a local cemetery, his friend Everett disappears. Hazel who considers herself an amateur detective decides to investigate. Along with Den and her friend Maggie who Hazel reluctantly lets join her, can the three solve the case? Who took Everett? And why? Can he be found?
The story starts creepy as Everett's disappearance happens almost immediately. There is sadness to the story as Hazel learns more about the history of the local cemetery and comes closer to solving the case.
Give this one to those who have Mary Downing Hahn's works or those who are looking for something a little scarier than the typical tween ghost/horror story.
The story starts creepy as Everett's disappearance happens almost immediately. There is sadness to the story as Hazel learns more about the history of the local cemetery and comes closer to solving the case.
Give this one to those who have Mary Downing Hahn's works or those who are looking for something a little scarier than the typical tween ghost/horror story.
September 10, 2024
Though I didn't quite love this as much as most people seem to, this was pretty fun throughout. The story follows a girl named Hazel (sometimes referred to as simply "Haze"), who loves a good mystery and aspires to do a podcast about her spooky detective stuff. When a kid goes missing in the nearby graveyard, it's up to young Hazel to solve the mystery and keep more kids from disappearing. I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a good time with this, but I didn't like the main character much at all. And her brother being named 'Den' was quite the distraction. I appreciate the author's willingness to incorporate some actual haunted history in this book, but this wasn't my favorite by any means. This gets a high 3/5 from me, but would easily be a 4 if I enjoyed the main character and didn't hate constantly hearing about her podcast aspirations. Oh, and it could have been a bit shoter.
January 24, 2024
3.5 stars.
July 6, 2023
This is the 4th book I've read by Lindsay Currie, and it might be my favorite of hers. I'll have to re-read Scritch Scratch to solidify that though. Lindsay is great at writing "heartwarming horror" stories that are steeped in history. There are terrifying moments, but there are always moments that make you want to say the story was also sweet. If that sounds up your alley, then I'd say give this one a shot.
I loved that our main character, Hazel, was like a little Nancy Drew or Harriet the Spy. I also enjoyed Den & Maggie's characters. They made a great team of sleuths. This was a very atmospheric story with a spooky graveyard, storms, and a sinister game of hide and seek. Definitely a lot to enjoy here!
Trigger Warning for possession if that kind of things bothers you. It was in this story twice towards the end.
I loved that our main character, Hazel, was like a little Nancy Drew or Harriet the Spy. I also enjoyed Den & Maggie's characters. They made a great team of sleuths. This was a very atmospheric story with a spooky graveyard, storms, and a sinister game of hide and seek. Definitely a lot to enjoy here!
Trigger Warning for possession if that kind of things bothers you. It was in this story twice towards the end.
July 2, 2023
A creepy story for MG readers and beyond. While this book does have some creepy elements, don’t pass it by! It is not terrifying and you will love it! The best part is it’s based on true historical events. Readers will have a hard time putting it down and once they finish they’ll want to research and learn more about the true events that took place. I highly recommend all books by Lindsay Currie!
November 11, 2023
Possible Triggers for death of a child/children, circus, elephants, cemetary setting, missing child/children, trains
Ok so Lindsay Currie redeems herself with this one. I was on tenterhooks starting this one having just come off of Peculiar Incident on Shady St and while this still has her formulaic young sleuth & "Scooby" gang, the details matter. Hazel has discovered the culprit of the Lawn Pooper for her neighbor & now she's taking her brother's sneaking out as a prime opportunity to investigate the "haunted" cemetary that he will be joining friends in for a game of hide & seek. Bad weather and a missing best friend later, she is on the case because adults overlook the littlest things. Joining her investigation are her brother Den & her bff Maggie. Together they sneak away from highly alert parental units, follow leads & dead ends and solve the mystery of the Great Showman Cemetary. I highly recommend for a lite spooky read that will keep you hooked with its excellent pacing of unsettling mishaps and episodes plus heartwarming family and friendship moments sprinkled throughout.
Ok so Lindsay Currie redeems herself with this one. I was on tenterhooks starting this one having just come off of Peculiar Incident on Shady St and while this still has her formulaic young sleuth & "Scooby" gang, the details matter. Hazel has discovered the culprit of the Lawn Pooper for her neighbor & now she's taking her brother's sneaking out as a prime opportunity to investigate the "haunted" cemetary that he will be joining friends in for a game of hide & seek. Bad weather and a missing best friend later, she is on the case because adults overlook the littlest things. Joining her investigation are her brother Den & her bff Maggie. Together they sneak away from highly alert parental units, follow leads & dead ends and solve the mystery of the Great Showman Cemetary. I highly recommend for a lite spooky read that will keep you hooked with its excellent pacing of unsettling mishaps and episodes plus heartwarming family and friendship moments sprinkled throughout.
September 5, 2023
i really enjoyed this book! this is my third book from this author and i am hoping to get to her other two middle grade horror books this spooky season. i didn’t love it *as* much as Scritch Scratch, but still really enjoyed it.
i enjoyed Hazel as a main character trying to solve the disappearance of her brother’s friend with her brother, Den, and her best friend, Maggie. i loved the dynamic in the group and how the brother/sister relationship got stronger as they continued investigating the case together.
as usual, Lindsay Currie includes just the right amount of mystery and horror in her books. i especially love the “unknown history” from real life that she includes, and this book is no exception. i read this book in just a few hours and it definitely creeped me out! the Halloween vibes were perfection, so definitely pick it up this fall!
thank you to Sourcebooks Young Readers, Netgalley, and Lindsay Currie for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. It Found Us is out now!
i enjoyed Hazel as a main character trying to solve the disappearance of her brother’s friend with her brother, Den, and her best friend, Maggie. i loved the dynamic in the group and how the brother/sister relationship got stronger as they continued investigating the case together.
as usual, Lindsay Currie includes just the right amount of mystery and horror in her books. i especially love the “unknown history” from real life that she includes, and this book is no exception. i read this book in just a few hours and it definitely creeped me out! the Halloween vibes were perfection, so definitely pick it up this fall!
thank you to Sourcebooks Young Readers, Netgalley, and Lindsay Currie for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. It Found Us is out now!
September 13, 2024
4.5 stars on audio! Started this because of the cover and it didn’t disappoint. Super cute YA mystery for spooky season!
August 23, 2023
Hazel is a girl who loves solving mysteries and getting to the bottom of things. She tends to get in trouble for “snooping” but she just wants to uncover the truth! She’s been begging her parents to let her start a podcast about her mysteries. When she hears her brother sneak out to go to the graveyard for a game of hide and seek, she sneaks out to try and see this haunted graveyard for her podcast. However, things go wrong when her brothers friend goes missing and Hazel teams up with her brother and best friend to find the missing boy. What unfolds is a paranormal mystery about a real life graveyard.
I really liked this book and I think it will be a great read for this upcoming spooky season. Hazel, Maggie, and Den were all great characters to follow and were really lovable. I think the mystery was great as well. It threw in some paranormal aspects that were pretty spooky and scary (for a middle grade.) I loved that the graveyard is a real graveyard (one close to my hometown!) and reading about the actual story behind this graveyard was very interesting. It was a quick read and I kept wanting to read more so I could figure out the mystery. Also, like how creepy is this cover? I think it’s perfect for this book!
I highly recommend this book and I will be reading more by this author! Thanks so much to netgalley and sourcebooks for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I really liked this book and I think it will be a great read for this upcoming spooky season. Hazel, Maggie, and Den were all great characters to follow and were really lovable. I think the mystery was great as well. It threw in some paranormal aspects that were pretty spooky and scary (for a middle grade.) I loved that the graveyard is a real graveyard (one close to my hometown!) and reading about the actual story behind this graveyard was very interesting. It was a quick read and I kept wanting to read more so I could figure out the mystery. Also, like how creepy is this cover? I think it’s perfect for this book!
I highly recommend this book and I will be reading more by this author! Thanks so much to netgalley and sourcebooks for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!
January 7, 2025
A spooky scary book, but also with a dash of sadness in it!
🥰 I just LOVE it when a horror book is all about a game. In this case the ghosts love to be part of a ghostly hide and seek. You definitely don’t want to hide and seek with them though, you may just vanish.
🥰 What happened when the ghost(s) got near was so fun and made it all the spookier. First it would rain, then thunder would sound, and then storm time! And in the mean time there are giggles, scary words, and oh yes, a ghost that you can see on the book cover.
🥰 The ghost was terrifying. Even later when we learn more about them, I am sorry, ghost with black eyes and a stitched up mouth? That is just scary no matter what. Thanks for the nightmares, especially since we did get a few small pictures featuring the ghost’s face throughout the book.
🥰 Seeing the MC and her brother (and also her best friend in some parts) try to solve the mystery and work together on a plan. Because yes, we need to get the brother’s best friend back… but we also need to survive the ghost + figure out all the things that are going on. And with ghosts, nothing is easy.
🥰 The ghost not just staying in the graveyard but also popping up in other places. WELP. There is no place to hide.
🥰 I loved seeing the MC and her brother get closer. At the beginning you can see there is quite a bit of tension between them but as the story continues we see them bond and get closer which I just found so sweet.
🥰 It was great fun to see the crew try to figure out what was going on with the ghost and who he was and why he was haunting the graveyard + why he wanted to take along kids.
🥰 The backstory though was just heart-breaking.
🥰 The ending was both scary and made me cry!
🥰 The cover is just perfection. It is terrifying. It really brings along the vibes of the book.
🤔 I was happy that we got to learn about the elephants, HOWEVER, it is mentioned in the story that all the elephants have down-turned trunks because of the tragedy. Yet on the cover there is one just having a ball.
🥱 Sorry to Hazel, but you are a freaking snoop. And her constant OMG I want to be a detective/I need to do a podcast.. well frankly it got quite old quite soon. It was fun at first, but it really took over the story at times and I just wanted her to act normal.
But all in all, I am very happy with this spooky book, Lindsay Currie did it again! She really is becoming my favourite MG horror writer and I cannot wait to see what more spooky tales she has to tell!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
🥰 I just LOVE it when a horror book is all about a game. In this case the ghosts love to be part of a ghostly hide and seek. You definitely don’t want to hide and seek with them though, you may just vanish.
🥰 What happened when the ghost(s) got near was so fun and made it all the spookier. First it would rain, then thunder would sound, and then storm time! And in the mean time there are giggles, scary words, and oh yes, a ghost that you can see on the book cover.
🥰 The ghost was terrifying. Even later when we learn more about them, I am sorry, ghost with black eyes and a stitched up mouth? That is just scary no matter what. Thanks for the nightmares, especially since we did get a few small pictures featuring the ghost’s face throughout the book.
🥰 Seeing the MC and her brother (and also her best friend in some parts) try to solve the mystery and work together on a plan. Because yes, we need to get the brother’s best friend back… but we also need to survive the ghost + figure out all the things that are going on. And with ghosts, nothing is easy.
🥰 The ghost not just staying in the graveyard but also popping up in other places. WELP. There is no place to hide.
🥰 I loved seeing the MC and her brother get closer. At the beginning you can see there is quite a bit of tension between them but as the story continues we see them bond and get closer which I just found so sweet.
🥰 It was great fun to see the crew try to figure out what was going on with the ghost and who he was and why he was haunting the graveyard + why he wanted to take along kids.
🥰 The backstory though was just heart-breaking.
🥰 The ending was both scary and made me cry!
🥰 The cover is just perfection. It is terrifying. It really brings along the vibes of the book.
🤔 I was happy that we got to learn about the elephants, HOWEVER, it is mentioned in the story that all the elephants have down-turned trunks because of the tragedy. Yet on the cover there is one just having a ball.
🥱 Sorry to Hazel, but you are a freaking snoop. And her constant OMG I want to be a detective/I need to do a podcast.. well frankly it got quite old quite soon. It was fun at first, but it really took over the story at times and I just wanted her to act normal.
But all in all, I am very happy with this spooky book, Lindsay Currie did it again! She really is becoming my favourite MG horror writer and I cannot wait to see what more spooky tales she has to tell!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
April 6, 2023
IT FOUND US is an engrossing, fast-paced, Paranormal Thriller with a very scary cover and spooky character. Aimed at middle graders, I found it very enjoyable [and scary], but also heartwarming as the twelve-year-old amateur sleuth works with her older brother and best friend to solve a multilayered mystery, including a vanishing. The author skillfully weaves in an actual early 20th-century tragedy as the basis for the contemporary events. Just as important are the characters' evolution, and the process by which families are solidified by recognizing the worth of each family member and of the family as a totality. Totally worth reading: give it a go!
Read
April 19, 2023Reading Lindsay’s books has everything I loved about reading spooky as a kid, and so much more: Beautiful prose, realistic dialogue, the insight into characters thoughts and motivations, heart and human connection.
This book has
- A strong female character who has sleuthing skills and grit
- Sibling teamwork
- A spooky cemetery setting with local legends and hearsay enshrouding it
- History, friendship and intrigue
I know I can put these books into reader’s hands for a surefire hit time and time again, and I feel confident that they are getting so much more than a fright out of the story, (although the fright is quite fun too).
This book has
- A strong female character who has sleuthing skills and grit
- Sibling teamwork
- A spooky cemetery setting with local legends and hearsay enshrouding it
- History, friendship and intrigue
I know I can put these books into reader’s hands for a surefire hit time and time again, and I feel confident that they are getting so much more than a fright out of the story, (although the fright is quite fun too).
August 30, 2023
thank you to netgalley for the e-arc! this was an okay read for me.
August 25, 2023
I definitely had a great time with IT FOUND US by Lindsay Currie. It follows Hazel, a girl who embraces her inner sleuth from the beginning, trying to identify what they are calling "The Night Pooper." She just wants to help solve neighborhood crimes, okay?! But while this is being introduced, her brother, Den, decides to get a game of hide and seek together and lots of friends are invited. During this game, Den's best friend, Everett, is never found. So let's enlist Hazel to help!
If hide and seek WASN'T creepy enough as a kid... then they add this element of disappearing in a graveyard!? Sign me... not up. It was always so creepy for me just sitting around waiting to be found... I always got in trouble because I would want to hide in pairs.
We spend a lot of time investigating this graveyard and if there could be a ghost at the root of all this. A lot of it gave me serious vibes from the séance graveyard scene in the 90s movie, NOW AND THEN. Now, we just have to keep reading and find out if we have a true Dear Johnny situation on our hands or not. The rest of the book is totally like Ghost Whisperer for juniors. I had the absolute best time following Hazel and Den, watching them sneak around and try to avoid their parents catching them, investigating, keeping a journal of clues, etc.
There are also some historical elements at play here, but I won't go into them explicitly because it might venture into spoiler territory. But rest assured all can be explained in the Author's Note at the end. So it just made the story even better for me.
AND THIS COVER?! UM HELLO?? I absolutely recommend this for any lover of MG horror.
If hide and seek WASN'T creepy enough as a kid... then they add this element of disappearing in a graveyard!? Sign me... not up. It was always so creepy for me just sitting around waiting to be found... I always got in trouble because I would want to hide in pairs.
We spend a lot of time investigating this graveyard and if there could be a ghost at the root of all this. A lot of it gave me serious vibes from the séance graveyard scene in the 90s movie, NOW AND THEN. Now, we just have to keep reading and find out if we have a true Dear Johnny situation on our hands or not. The rest of the book is totally like Ghost Whisperer for juniors. I had the absolute best time following Hazel and Den, watching them sneak around and try to avoid their parents catching them, investigating, keeping a journal of clues, etc.
There are also some historical elements at play here, but I won't go into them explicitly because it might venture into spoiler territory. But rest assured all can be explained in the Author's Note at the end. So it just made the story even better for me.
AND THIS COVER?! UM HELLO?? I absolutely recommend this for any lover of MG horror.
April 22, 2023
On top of being one of my students' favorite authors, Lindsay Currie continues to knock middle-grade horror out of the park. With soul and thoughtfulness for the age group she writes for, these stories are spine-tingling spooky. When Hazel Woods, 12-year-old detective who reminded me so much of Harriet the Spy, steps up to help find her brother's missing best friend, they end up finding more ghosts than clues in the cemetery where he went missing. Get ready to have double copies on your library bookshelves!
September 6, 2023
This was a wonderful story that incorporated an actual tragedy into the story beautifully. The characters are well written and the story moves at a perfect pace. I also want to take a moment and talk about my appreciation of the book cover. It's awesome and a perfect fit for the content in the story! Special Thank You to Lindsay Currie, SOURCEBOOKS Kids, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy prior to publication in exchange for an honest review.
June 1, 2025
This was a fun read that Indie recommended to me! The book built up the tension really well and was genuinely creepy. I liked how the story was told as a mystery and the characters gathered a list of clues for the reader to help solve it alongside them. It was crazy to find out that the main piece of the story was based on an actual event that happened in the early 1900s. It was tied in really creatively
February 25, 2025
My daughter loved this book and wanted me to read it too. Fun kids mystery with some basis in truth :)
May 21, 2025
این روزها رابطهم با کتابهای نوجوان، عشق و نفرته. میخونم و ناامید میشم و غمگین، یا میخونم و هیجانزده میشم و آروم.
این کتاب تو دستهی دوم قرار میگیره.
علاوه بر اون، باعث شد بفهمم من با کتابهای گونهی وحشت مشکل ندارم، بلکه با کتابهای ضعیف مشکل دارم. اگر کتابی بتونه اینطوری میخکوبم کنه، مخلصش هم هستم. تقریبا تمام ۹۰ صفحه آخر هی به دستم نگاه میکردم و میدیدم مو به تنم سیخ شده از بس که داستان برام نزدیک بود.
خیلی ازش خوشم اومد. بزرگترین مشکلم با طرح جلدش بود... چرا اینقدر زشته؟ :')
این کتاب تو دستهی دوم قرار میگیره.
علاوه بر اون، باعث شد بفهمم من با کتابهای گونهی وحشت مشکل ندارم، بلکه با کتابهای ضعیف مشکل دارم. اگر کتابی بتونه اینطوری میخکوبم کنه، مخلصش هم هستم. تقریبا تمام ۹۰ صفحه آخر هی به دستم نگاه میکردم و میدیدم مو به تنم سیخ شده از بس که داستان برام نزدیک بود.
خیلی ازش خوشم اومد. بزرگترین مشکلم با طرح جلدش بود... چرا اینقدر زشته؟ :')
January 8, 2024
First, I would like to point out that I'm 30 years too old for this book so please have that in mind. My review and opinions are not age appropriate for the book.
It started out really good and I was very fond of this story (and really good narrator!) until the whole thing with Hazel being/wanting to be "an investigator" (and her being "better" than the police) started to rub me the wrong way.
That's probably a very adult reaction of me, but still.
I felt like I was reading a kid constructed by an adult mind. As if some thoughts crossing Hazel's mind were a bit "too big" for her. I can usually let that slide, but then the author chose to repeat those ideas over and over as if to drive them home with younger readers and that annoyed me too - because I found such things annoying even as a child, to be honest. I've never liked when authors underestimate my mental capacity to understand something.
The story started out great, but became more and more contrived.
I really liked it to begin with, I can't stress this enough, but the longer it kept going, and the more far-fetched the "ghost logic" became, the more my brain started to nope out.
Ghosts kidnapping a kid and that kid not ... well ... dying from exposure, to be honest, after two days in a graveyard was just so far from reasonable, even within the frame of a ghost story, that I could barely focus, the closer to the ending we got.
I also got a bit tired of Hazel (a.k.a. the author) trying to push the first female detective in fiction onto me because she felt like the "Everyone wants to be Sherlock Holmes!" trope was overused and "too male", or something.
I mean... Uhm... I've been that kid. Forget it.
EVERY detective interested kid wants to be Sherlock Holmes. Period.
There is no greater detective. That's just how it is and probably will be for plenty of 100 years to come. So, yeah, while I get the why of shoehorning a "first female detective" into the narration, it brought me out of the story rather than into it.
(By the way, in spite of her being mentioned plenty of times, I can't for the life of me remember her name. My mind started blocking it after a while in pure protest and I'm sure I deserve a Shame Nun for that.)
Sure, kids can have their very specific heroes and such, but it was still over-used.
The solution was simple, yet with the logic of child play (that is to say, anything can happen simply because someone says so), and that also worked less well with my now adult brain.
I'm pretty sure I would have liked this book quite a lot as a kid though. It was maybe not as creepy as I hoped from the cover. Very detective and investigation heavy, rather than filled with horror.
(According to this seasoned horror buff, that is. Maybe this will freak most kids out. I don't know!) 😂
It started out really good and I was very fond of this story (and really good narrator!) until the whole thing with Hazel being/wanting to be "an investigator" (and her being "better" than the police) started to rub me the wrong way.
That's probably a very adult reaction of me, but still.
I felt like I was reading a kid constructed by an adult mind. As if some thoughts crossing Hazel's mind were a bit "too big" for her. I can usually let that slide, but then the author chose to repeat those ideas over and over as if to drive them home with younger readers and that annoyed me too - because I found such things annoying even as a child, to be honest. I've never liked when authors underestimate my mental capacity to understand something.
The story started out great, but became more and more contrived.
I really liked it to begin with, I can't stress this enough, but the longer it kept going, and the more far-fetched the "ghost logic" became, the more my brain started to nope out.
Ghosts kidnapping a kid and that kid not ... well ... dying from exposure, to be honest, after two days in a graveyard was just so far from reasonable, even within the frame of a ghost story, that I could barely focus, the closer to the ending we got.
I also got a bit tired of Hazel (a.k.a. the author) trying to push the first female detective in fiction onto me because she felt like the "Everyone wants to be Sherlock Holmes!" trope was overused and "too male", or something.
I mean... Uhm... I've been that kid. Forget it.
EVERY detective interested kid wants to be Sherlock Holmes. Period.
There is no greater detective. That's just how it is and probably will be for plenty of 100 years to come. So, yeah, while I get the why of shoehorning a "first female detective" into the narration, it brought me out of the story rather than into it.
(By the way, in spite of her being mentioned plenty of times, I can't for the life of me remember her name. My mind started blocking it after a while in pure protest and I'm sure I deserve a Shame Nun for that.)
Sure, kids can have their very specific heroes and such, but it was still over-used.
The solution was simple, yet with the logic of child play (that is to say, anything can happen simply because someone says so), and that also worked less well with my now adult brain.
I'm pretty sure I would have liked this book quite a lot as a kid though. It was maybe not as creepy as I hoped from the cover. Very detective and investigation heavy, rather than filled with horror.
(According to this seasoned horror buff, that is. Maybe this will freak most kids out. I don't know!) 😂
November 7, 2023
Hazel Woods is an amateur sleuth who hopes to have her own mystery podcast, but the biggest case she's cracked involves dog poop. Unexpectedly, she faces a very real challenge when her brothers friend vanishes after a game of hide and seek in the nearby cemetery. Solving this mystery might be a matter of life and death.
For middle graders who love to get creeped out they will definitely get that here. All the ghosty parts are legitimately spooky--even chilling at times.
As someone with Forest Park connections, I enjoyed seeing iit featured. FP has so many large cemeteries, it's known for boasting more dead residents than live ones, and the cemeteries themselves have *stories.* This includes the tragic tale behind Showman's Rest, which figures heavily in this book. It's almost shocking it hasn't inspired more ghost stories, really.
All that said, as someone with FP connections, it.seems weird that middle graders who live in town, near enough Woodlawn Cemetery to walk to it, would not know at all about one of the biggest, most dramatic local ghost stories That took me out of it a bit. I also would have liked to see more development with the kids' characters. Still, this could help fill that void in middle grade fiction for the kids interested in true crime and the darker side of mysteries.
For middle graders who love to get creeped out they will definitely get that here. All the ghosty parts are legitimately spooky--even chilling at times.
As someone with Forest Park connections, I enjoyed seeing iit featured. FP has so many large cemeteries, it's known for boasting more dead residents than live ones, and the cemeteries themselves have *stories.* This includes the tragic tale behind Showman's Rest, which figures heavily in this book. It's almost shocking it hasn't inspired more ghost stories, really.
All that said, as someone with FP connections, it.seems weird that middle graders who live in town, near enough Woodlawn Cemetery to walk to it, would not know at all about one of the biggest, most dramatic local ghost stories That took me out of it a bit. I also would have liked to see more development with the kids' characters. Still, this could help fill that void in middle grade fiction for the kids interested in true crime and the darker side of mysteries.
Want to read
April 5, 2023Oooh, spooky! 👻🪦 I've heard SUCH wonderful things about Lindsay Currie's books, and I gotta say, the cover on this one sealed the deal for me! I do enjoy a good middle-grade horror. Ready for this fright!
Thanks to Sourcebooks Young Readers and NetGalley for this ARC! It Found Us by Lindsay Currie comes out on September 5, 2023!
Thanks to Sourcebooks Young Readers and NetGalley for this ARC! It Found Us by Lindsay Currie comes out on September 5, 2023!
May 28, 2023
Hazel’s budding sleuthing skills will be put to the test when her brother Den’s best friend goes missing while playing a nighttime game of Hide and Seek in the town’s cemetery. The brother and sister team up to “help” the adults who are searching and despite practically being on lock down until Everett is found, the duo joins with Hazel’s best friend Maggie and does some sneaking around to solve the disappearance. As the clues mount, it becomes clear to Hazel, Den and Maggie that this is no kidnapping or a runaway situation but at least one ghost whose home has been disturbed and is out for….well, something. Like several of Lindsay Currie’s previous books, this haunting is based on historical fact, in this case, the horrific loss of life when a circus train is rear ended by a train controlled by a sleeping engineer plus the area in an Indiana cemetery called Showmen’s Rest where the nearly 60 circus people are buried. That basis in real events and places always gives Currie’s work a bit of extra eeriness and, combined with her talent in creating settings with details that you can see, hear, feel, and sometimes even smell, makes the reading of her works thoroughly satisfying. I will admit to some hesitancy in reading “It Found Us” because of the particularly gruesome cover, however. I recognize the look of the book marks it clearly as being in the scary/horror genre, but for me, the creepy ghost child resembles a Goosebumps, serial type creepy book rather than the non-cookie cutter, absolutely “real” feeling ghosty books that have made Lindsay Currie as well circulated in my middle grade libraries as Mary Downing Hahn’s books.
Currie continues to keep her books free of profanity and sexual content and any violence that is included is key to the plot progression and is never overly graphic or only placed there for shock value. Highly recommended for all libraries (home, school, public) serving grades 4-8.
Thanks for the digital arc, NetGalley and Sourcebooks and thanks to Sourcebooks for also providing a print copy to #BookAllies.
Currie continues to keep her books free of profanity and sexual content and any violence that is included is key to the plot progression and is never overly graphic or only placed there for shock value. Highly recommended for all libraries (home, school, public) serving grades 4-8.
Thanks for the digital arc, NetGalley and Sourcebooks and thanks to Sourcebooks for also providing a print copy to #BookAllies.
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