Monday, February 7, 2011

Book review: The Midnight Tunnel by Angie Frazier

The Midnight Tunnel: A Suzanna Snow Mystery by Angie Frazier (Published by Scholastic, March 1, 2011)

Eleven year old Suzanna Snow, who prefers to be called Zanna, lives in the tiny seaside village of Loch Harbor, New Brunswick, in 1904. Her parents are the managers of an elegant hotel, the Rosemount. Ever summer, wealthy guests come to stay at the hotel. Zanna's parents have insisted that she begin to work in the hotel so that she can learn about it, hoping she will want to manage the hotel someday. But Zanna would much rather be a famous detective like her Uncle Bruce, who lives in Boston.

As the summer season starts, Zanna expects that as usual nothing much will happen, so she practices her detective skills by observing the guests. Then, during a terrible thunderstorm, Maddie, a little girl staying at the hotel with her family disappears. Zanna is sure she saw Maddie being led out of the hotel during the storm, but because she is a child, no one will believe her - not even her idolized Uncle Bruce, whi arrives from Boston to investigate the case. So Zanna decides she must investigate on her own, to try to solve the mystery and save Maddie.

I don't read quite as many middle grade books anymore, though I do read some, but I had to read this one because I loved Angie Frazier's debut young adult novel, Everlasting. And I am so glad I decided to! Zanna is such a fun and determined heroine and the unusual historical setting was described so well. If you know a young girl who loves historical fiction or mysteries this would be a great book to recommend, and even if you are older, you might enjoy it too, just like I did!

2 comments:

Melissa (i swim for oceans) said...

I wouldn't have really thought about reading this one because of the cover, but the heroine sounds like she more than makes up for that! Great review! :)

Erica said...

I can't wait to read this one - I'm not a big MG reader but since it's by Angie Frazier I must do so!

 
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