This was a solid kids supernatural horror mystery. There were several times reading it when I was surprised at how menacing the tone of the ghost seemed to be. For a kids' book, it actually did get fairly creepy a few times. (Though that could be because there is a ventriloquist doll in it. Aren't they creepy naturally?) 

The main character, Tessa, was a well-written young girl. She definitely seemed real and relatable. The other kids that get introduced are similarly likable, although we definitely never really get to know them. The parents, on the other hand.... I'm too much of a helicopter parent apparently, because I just could not believe any parents in this day and age would tell their kids to 'go explore' alone in a new city without even a cellphone on them. I know that they were supposed to be free spirited and easy going, but I just couldn't like them. No matter how nice they seemed in The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street. (It was obvious they loved their kids, though.)

The pacing of The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street was good. Things started happening almost immediately. Tension kept ratcheting up. The dialogue was similarly well done. I loved some of the incidents that happened in the book. The thing with the painting was especially creepy. The scene in the graveyard had me a bit on edge, I'll admit! The author is very good at creating great atmosphere.  And she does a great job, too, at laying out all the threads in an interesting manner. I found myself puzzling over some of the clues right along with Tessa.

Now, although nothing bad really happens in this book, I would tell parents to be careful. Its very well written, and gets resolved nicely, but it has scenes that could give some more impressionable kids nightmares. (Like that ventriloquist dummy!) So, just be sure your kids aren't easy to scare before letting them pick up the book.  (Or at least don't let them read The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street at bedtime.)

Overall, I really liked The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street. Lindsay Currie knows how to write and this was enjoyable from start to finish. I might be checking out more books from her in the future!

What a fun book to read! The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street had all the elements of a scary ghost story: an old house, a ventriloquist's dummy, windy/rainy afternoons and evenings, and one dead little girl. Tessa and her family moves to Chicago from Florida and Tessa is forced to begin a new school as a seventh grader knowing absolutely no one. A chance meeting in the park introduces the reader to Tessa's new friend Andrew. He is a kind and funny kid who helps Tessa on day one in her new school, inviting her to eat lunch with his friends Richie, Nina, and Cassidy. Although things aren't always perfect for the ghost hunting buddies, they learn a lot about themselves and in each in their quest to determine who is haunting Tessa and why. This novel has a great plot and most of the characters are well developed. I am curious about Cass, and I hope author Lindsay Currie will bring all the kids back for more Chicago ghost hunts. I am thankful to NetGalley for the opportunity to be an early reader of this novel in exchange for my fair and unbiased review.

Before getting to the review of this book, I have to mention how much I enjoyed the geographically correct Chicago setting. So many books get it wrong, and when I realized that this one was not going to do that to me, I settled into the couch ready for this adventure.

Is the paranormal peculiar? I'd say, yes. Real peculiar. Think Goosebumps with a believable plot.

Tessa Woodward and her family move from Florida to a real old house in Chicago. Immediately strange things start happening, and Tessa has to deal with that alongside all the regular moving to a new place and school issues.

Luckily she meets a friend from her neighborhood, and when she starts school she meets his circle of friends, and they all end up working together to solve the mystery of what is going on in her new "old" house.

Her brother's doll is particularly creepy as are the rest of the disturbances at her house. This story is perfect for the middle school aged reader who loves being scared and solving a mystery. Those parents with kids who aren't sure about that kind of thing should probably pre-read this one before handing it over. It's mostly a mystery, but there are maybe three scenes that stand out as ones I wouldn't want to read alone in the dark. Highly recommended for those kids who love that spooky feeling of wanting and not wanting to know what's going to happen all at once.

Peculiar Incident grabbed my attention from the first page and held it to the very last page of the epilogue. I quickly feel in love with Tessa and her challenges and grew to love the other characters as well. Dealing with change can be challenging for any kid, but when you have a mystery to solve at the same time it is a game changer. The book was intense, fun and an easy read. I look forward to more from Lindsay Currie!

Oh my gosh!! There are just so many things that are right about this book.
From the first page, this story held my attention and pulled me into the tangled web of mysteries.
I loved seeing the main character "Florida" emerge from an upset young girl who is being torn from a home she loved and moved to a dreary, toilet-smelling city. She was brave, and instead of hiding from the entity that haunted her home, she banded together with her new found friends and searched for clues to solve the mystery that surrounds her new home. The story was really intense, and there were even times when I was a bit freaked out but the ending was SO good and showed that sometimes, there is a reasonable explanation for some crazy things happening