The Smoky Corridor

Haunted Mystery #3

by Chris Grabenstein

From the New York Times bestselling author of Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library comes a series of spine-tingling mysteries to keep you up long after the lights go out.

Zack is about to start at his new school, and his dad, who went there years before, tells Zack the stories of the haunted janitor’s closet, the specter of a dead crossing guard, and the Donnelly brothers, who perished in a suspicious fire. Dad doesn’t know that Zack has already met the Donnellys’ ghosts, who have warned Zack that there is an evil zombie under the school. Zack also learns that while zombies are usually content eating corpses, if they happen to bite someone who isn’t dead, that person also becomes a zombie.

Before midterms, Zack is dealing with two zombies, while trying to protect a friend whose curiosity has put him on the zombies’ menu. 

Once again Chris Grabenstein proves his mastery of frightening and funny tales. Young readers, especially reluctant ones, have found inspiration in his quirky characters and deadly situations.

Genres: Mystery, Horror, Middle Grade, Paranormal, Young Adult, Ghosts, Juvenile

336 pages, Hardcover

First published August 19, 2010

About the author

CHRIS GRABENSTEIN is a #1 New York Times bestselling author. His books include the LEMONCELLO, WONDERLAND, HAUNTED MYSTERY, DOG SQUAD, and SMARTEST KID IN THE UNIVERSE series, and many fun and funny page-turners co-authored with James Patterson. You can visit Chris at ChrisGrabenstein.com.

Reviews

[Janie Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series gets better with every book.

[MK ( MaKayla) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't be deceived by the cover !
I picked this book out with hopes that it would be scary . Although it did have a creepy vibe it was more humorous than scary !
There are zombies ,ghosts,and other creepy factors its still a middle readers book so it wasn't nearly as scary as I'd hoped .
I'm usually not that into full on horror anyways so I enjoyed this .

[Lydia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like a good spooky ghost story.

This book had a lot of things going on. There are ghosts, zombies, school bullies, weird teachers/administration, a very enthusiastic dog, a like 100 year old voodoo feud, and a very angry confederate solider (sore loser, amirite).

Most of the twists were predictable from very early on, but there was one I definitely did not see coming.

I'd recommend this for middle grade readers who enjoy a spooky read or mysteries. There is some violence which might not be appropriate for much younger readers.

[Georgann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I dunno - I ho hummed my way through 3/4ths of this story. The ending was exciting tho. Plus it was disconcerting to have such casual murder in what I would otherwise consider a middle grade book.

[KL · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another funny and hartwarming ending although it was quite a draw in the beginning.

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reason for Reading: Next in the series.

Ahh, it was such a blast sitting down with this next book about Zack Jennings, the boy who sees ghosts. Summer is over and Zack is finally starting at his new school. This Middle School has been around since the end of the Civil War when the mansion was donated as such and over the years parts have been added onto it making it a maze of hallways and classrooms. As soon as Zack arrives, he's visited by a ghost from book one who tells him something major is going down at the school; a zombie in the depths of the basement below has reawakened and Zack needs to deal with it and the evil spirit that controls it before he takes over the body of an unknown student in the school.

This has all the ingredients for a great horror story! Two ghost children from 1910 who died in a fire in the school under mysterious circumstances and are out for revenge, a zombie (or two), ghost stories, a few gruesome deaths and children's souls in peril. Zack has been warned that adults cannot be involved so he can't tell his stepmother, Judy, who also sees ghosts, and has been his supernatural sleuthing partner for the first two books. Instead Zack makes friends with two loner/outcast-type kids and they are pulled into the events with Zack. But not only does Zack have to deal with the supernatural, he also has two very alive people on his trail and trying to get into the basements as well, for the original owner of the mansion is said to have stolen a sizable treasure of Confederate gold during the war and hidden it somewhere on the property. These two baddies are related to a soldier buried in the nearby Civil War Cemetery and they know all about people who can communicate with the dead.

I really enjoyed Zack and Judy working together in the first books, so I did miss her presence in this book, but happily she does remain as a minor character. Zack's new friends are both very interesting characters and will make a welcome addition to the cast in future books. Malik is black with a recently out of work dad and an ailing mother who needs a kidney transplant but is currently confined to a wheelchair because they have no insurance and can't afford dialysis at the moment; Azalea appears to be your typical Goth girl on the outside with a morbid interest in death but she and her mom are living with an aunt because her army father is in Afghanistan (I think?) again and she knows once he's back they'll pick up and move again like always.

This is my favourite of the first three books! A great story with interesting ghosts who have creepy backgrounds, and an evil spirit trained in the arts of voodoo and of course the zombie (or two) to make things a little more gruesome. The new characters add elements to the book that is making Zack's personal world more real over the course of the three books. I rarely make definite age suggestions but I think this series will be most appreciated by 10-14's. Older teens will find it too tame and younger than ten may find it too gruesome (unless they are used to that sort of thing). A great horror read for MGs. Highly recommended.

While the books are independent of each other; there is not a continuing story line. Each consecutive book does contain ghostly characters met in previous books, so while not necessary, it does make it more fun to read them in order.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is technically the third book in Grabenstein's Haunted Places series but wholly stands alone without a problem (as evidence to this, I have not read the previous two). The series follows a boy named Zach Jennings who can see and communicate with spirits. In this book, Zach is just entering a new private school for sixth grade, the Horace P. Pettimore school. What he doesn't know is that Captain Pettimore was a thief who stole Confederate gold during the Civil War and built the school on top of his hiding spot, waiting for decades as a spirit for his sole descendant to be draw to the school using a voodoo charm so he could inhabit their body and regain his fortune. Things get a bit more complicated when the school's bumbling janitor finds Pettimore's secret entrance way and accidentally gets bitten by his guard zombie. Meanwhile, Zach's lovely new history teacher is acting a little funny and seems awfully eager to get Zach and his friends together alone. Also, this school is INSANELY haunted. Can Zach and the spirits work together to save the school?

This is a cute paranormal mystery for a younger age set. It reads quick and is written well. It's a nice segue into the genre for younger readers.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another delightful addition to the Zack Jennings series. This one finds Zack starting at a new school, which is, OF COURSE, haunted. By several ghosts. Including a voodoo high priest. And, there are zombies.

Once again, Grabenstein has crafted a fun, fast-paced and interesting paranormal mystery for young readers. I just love reading these. I devour them. They are such a good time when you're reading and they go by so quickly. Grabenstein is delightful in this series. I love seeing Zack's character develop as he struggles with his abilities. I consistently look forward to reading these! I can't wait to read the next - I have an ARC sitting at home!

One little quirk with this one - it's cataloged and shelved in the young adult section here at my library, while the rest are in junior fiction. Not sure why - there is nothing more mature about this one compared to the other titles in the series, so it may just be a fluke. Regardless, I will continue to adore these as long as he continues to write them.

[Brett · Rating 4 out of 5]

As far as I'm concerned, Chris Grabenstein can just keep writing as many books starring Zack Jennings as he wants, & I'll gladly keep reading them - & recommending them, especially to middle-grade kids who like their reading creepy.
Zack's new house has been repaired from the damage sustained in some earlier adventures, & now he's going to be starting 6th grade at the school his dad went to. He's hoping to make a lot of new friends & have a fresh start - but the friends he had in mind weren't dead. Unfortunately, this is one very haunted middle school. But Zack does make some new (living) friends to help him out in solving what has caused the awakening of a zombie on school property, as well as his beloved stepmother & some old (non-living) friends. The scary is well-tinged with humor, & the characters are great. It's impossible not to like Zack.

[Ronda · Rating 5 out of 5]

With a fresh start at a new school, Zack isn't really surprised when his ghostly pal Davy shows up in his new locker. He is a bit surprised when more and more ghosts show up with dire warnings of zombies, ghosts and the lure of stolen Confederate gold--and warnings not to tell any adults-for their own safety. Much fun--though maybe not for those squeamish about zombie dining habits. :D Looking forward to more!

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightfully entertaining romp through Middle School! Zack can see and communicate with ghosts and sees two mischievous boys the first day! Zack has to try and help the ghosts protect the kids in school, find the zombie and try to keep him from eating brains (zombie favorite), find the treasure and keep the vodoo king from stealing a soul! Average day, right???
Zack is a likeable character and I found myself caught up in his adventures. Well done.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked all these books in this series. At first they seem hard to follow because so many characters are introduced so fast, and they don't seem related at all. But after a while you start to see how everything is woven together, and you might just learn something along the way. These books move fast and are a fun read. Not crazy about the pop culture references, but it's not a big deal. I hope Chris Grabenstein writes more in this series. It's hard to find a good ghost story these days.

[WhatShouldIRead · Rating 4 out of 5]

These stories with Zack and his little dog Zipper keep getting better and better! Another fun entry in this series but I can't help but think this one was more graphic than the past few. I'm sure the boys would love it, but wonder if younger girls would get grossed out but the frequent mentioning of zombies eating human brains?!? Look forward to the next.

[Manny · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third and so far final book of the amazing haunted series, and it was great!!! I was on the edge of my seat (or bed) the whole book just wanting to know what happens next. Every chapter is something spooky. LOVE IT. :)

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book for 8-12 year olds -- zombies, voodoo, ghosts, boy who sees and chats with ghosts, and a dog named Zipper! Reminded me a lot of The Graveyard Book, because the ghosts all chat with the main character and help and protect him. A neat book.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read and a very good one. I can picture kids insisting on reading "just one more chapter!"

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seeing ghosts, solving their problems and setting things right in his world is one thing, but now Zack has to battle zombies, too? As long as they're only eating the brains of the bad guys...

[Lorelie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another action packed adventure! I am a big fan. These are great books to recommend to the non-reader in hopes of getting them hooked. Great story, good characters. Very enjoyable read.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this before my son could get to it and I really enjoyed it. Thought it was good, quick read.

[Robert Kent · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Smoky Corridor is actually the third book in The Haunted Places Series. Though references are made to events that obviously occurred in previous books, The Smoky Corridor is a standalone tale and I had no problem jumping in without having read the first two books. Nor do I feel that the first two books have been ruined by my reading the third first, so I can go back and read them as well, which I plan to. The upside is that some of the major exposition is streamlined going into this third tale. For example, here is an excerpt from page 3:

Zack knew a thing or two about haunted places, because he had a special gift: He could see all sorts of dearly departed souls (even the ones who popped into paintings) whom other people, especially adults like his dad, could not. He always figured it was the kind of gift that should’ve come with a gift receipt so he could take it back for something better, like athletic ability or super-powers.

The fact that our main character has a sixth sense is sort of a big deal plotwise and if this were the first book in the series I would expect Grabenstein to take some time and really establish Zack Jennings’ ability to chat with the dead. There are certain obligatory scenes that go along with discovering a gift/curse like this one: Zack’s first chat with a dead person, the scene where Zack freaks out and is convinced he’s losing his mind, the scene where Zack accepts his ability and heads out to the graveyard to do some chatting the way Bruce Willis walks around bumping people in the crowded train station at the end of Unbreakable (a Ninja favorite). Having not yet read the first book in the series, I can’t be sure what variation Grabenstein took on these obligatory scenes, but I’m sure some version of them was employed.

That business is all good and well, but it’s a little bit like a superhero origin story, which are my least favorite superhero stories. It’s kind of fun to watch Spider-man learn to wall crawl and websling, but I prefer to watch him when he’s already figured all that out and is headed into a serious battle with Doc Ock. Once the obligatory origin is taken care of, a writer can really open up a story and show us what his protagonist can do with his powers.

Good thing too. The Smoky Corridor goes to some crazy places it probably wouldn’t have time for if Grabenstein had to spend a great deal of time establishing Zack’s ability. Instead, that one little paragraph from page 3 is pretty much all we get and then Zach is off and chatting with dead people he meets. Sweet.

The Smoky Corridor is a wholly original work. I honestly can’t recall reading anything just like it. There are familiar story elements throughout (zombies are more or less zombie regardless of the tale at hand), but I’ve never seen them arranged in quite this way. I know I should provide some sort of plot summary, but I’m afraid I can’t do Grabenstein's far-reaching plot much justice in a few lines. Even so, I'll give it a go: Zack Jennings has just started at a new middle school he believes to be haunted. As Zack’s specialty is ghosts, there wouldn’t be much of a story if it weren’t.

The school’s founder was Horace P. Pettimore, once a Captain in the confederate army—are any former confederate army members ever the good guys? Before he died, Pettimore stole a whole bunch of money from the confederate army and stashed it at the school. He was also a voodoo master with a particular skill in creating zombies (of course he was). Pettimore is still hanging around in ghost form, naturally, and he’s got himself a zombie hidden within the school to protect his treasure (awesome). It turns out Pettimore’s grand scheme is to come back to life so he can finally spend his gold. Thank goodness he kept it hidden at the school rather than investing it in the stock market or he might be stuck waiting for an economic recovery before resurrecting:)

Upon his death, Pettimore donated his estate to the community as a school. Why would such a dastartdly fellow do this? So that every year a crop of fresh children will come near enough that he can inspect them until he finds the one blood relative suitable for him to take over and return from the grave. He’s even set up voodoo charms to attract such a child:

All he needed was one very special child.

The one he had been seeking for more than a century. The one he had used a voodoo charm of magic powder, herbs, dove feathers, and a pint of his own blood to attract to this place.


A blood relative.


Just one!

Could this blood relative Pettimore so desires be our Zack? Maybe yes, maybe no. But wait! There is even more plot I haven’t touched on. And as I see we’re running out of room I suppose I’ll have to leave most of the plot for you to discover on your own. But there are two ghosts, the Donnely boys, who died in a smoky corridor (wink, wink) because they were playing with matches. Even in death they long to burn the school down and I had a good long laugh when plot elements (I won’t spoil them) conspired to give these boys their own zombie to do their bidding.

Okay, I’m signing off. Check out The Smoky Corridor. I guarantee you’ll have a few good laughs and you might just get a little scared. I’m going to leave you with a passage of dialogue from The Smoky Corridor that made me grin from ear to ear:

"...a voodoo zombie has recently awoken in his nearby hidey-hole. I know this because, well, mine was the first corpse he feasted upon when waking."

Zack Urped. Almost tossed his cookies.

"Sorry," said Mr. Willoughby.

"I'm okay."

"Me too! Fortunately, being dead has one benefit: I didn't feel a thing while the beast ripped me apart
and gobbled down my brain."

This time when he urped, Zack had to put his hand over his mouth.

To read an interview with author Chris Grabenstein or to read more book reviews, author interviews, and literary agent interviews, check out my blog at www.middlegradeninja.blogspot.com

[Spook Sulek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even better! I love how not all ghosts are trustworthy, and that there are varying degrees of 'evil'. I love that some adults are two faced and some are truly wonderful, and how Zach makes friends. I love the puzzles Malik does and figures out! You can see some foreshadowing there with the puzzles for the whole Lemoncello series, smile. Not sure how I feel about the dad suddenly being able to see ghosts too...but we'll wait and see how it plays out. The series doesn't disappoint!

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not a horror fan but really like the other books I've read by Chris Grabenstein, so I found this series at the library. Still not a fan of the genre, but also really like these books. Way to confuse myself. Suspense is about as far as I usually go and since this is a kid's book, I can live with it, though I still had to be a little careful about when I read it.

[Sasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got to see this author do a talk at the National Book Festival and the children were mesmerized by him. He was funny and personable. I can now understand why he made a living doing improv comedy in NYC. I did not like this as much as Mr. Lemoncillo’s Library but it was amusing. I actually enjoyed his dedication more than the actual story.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here I am three-quarters of the way through this spooky series, and I'm still enjoying it. Really, I don't read scary, and I certainly don't read multiple volumes of scary stories. But the characters here are great and the story is so engaging that I can't help myself. Sign me up for book #4!

[Gstrser]

This book is awesome I love how it talks about zombies and other stuff that are in the book.The
Crossroads series is the Best book I ever read.I would like to thank the author for creating this book because I can't stop reading this book non-stop .😀😍😎

[Vampiress · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the books that left a long-standing impression on me as a preteen. My mind always seems to wander back to it occasionally. The eerie story telling, setting, lore, and characters had me so enamored and drawn in, even now at adulthood!

[Lisa Houston · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some students may be a good fit for this book. It wasn't one of my favorite spooky stories.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fun and creepy!

[Hallie]

l like the book the it was good have a lot chararaters it was so funny

[Erie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommended for kids, This is totally great book ^^