July 13, 2020
Moving to Bells Hollow, Maine, from Los Angeles is a shock to Jane, but after her father dies and her mother reveals they are broke, North Manor, formerly home to Jane’s late grandmother, Emilia, is all they have left. Named “creep house” by the locals, North Manor has been shuttered for years, but its mysterious quirks (the pervasive smell of roses, doors opening on their own) are enough to unnerve Agatha Christie aficionado Jane. Despite new friends Alana and Susie, plus an after-school bookstore job, Jane is troubled by anger-fueled blackouts and out-of-body experiences, a high school bully who knows more about Jane’s family than she does, and a mother oblivious to North Manor’s peculiarities. Just as Jane starts to make peace with her home and new life, a shocking secret changes her. Leno (You Must Not Miss) permeates each scene with delicious frights: a piano plays by itself, unseen hands write words on a foggy mirror. Poetic descriptions create an uncanny atmosphere, and nods to cozy bookstores and classic mysteries will charm bibliophiles as Leno effectively mixes terror with grief. Ages 14–up. Agent: Wendy Schmalz, Wendy Schmalz Agency.