Another winner from the queen of middle grade scary books, Lindsay Currie. She provides just enough chill and shivers to make you question reading it at night but not to the point that I am going to bed with all the lights on! (or that is just me)
Seriously, read this book. Even if you are a grown-up, read it. It is a spooky story with heart.

I also think it would make for an awesome read aloud for fourth grade and up.
So good.
Highly recommend!

Another great one from Linday Currie. I love how she weaves history and thrills together. My only complaint is that this one wrapped up a little too neatly too quickly.

This is by far my favorite of Lindsay’s books yet! A creepy, haunted mansion, local legends, and a summer getaway… all components for a super fun summer read. I definitely will be purchasing a copy when it comes out in Sept.! My only criticism is that I felt like the title and cover were disconnected from the story since the “creatures” really didn’t play a role in the mystery at all, and everything scary was happening inside the house rather than in the woods. Other than that, I would have given it 5 stars. I truly did enjoy it!

I really, really enjoyed What Lives in the Woods. There has been a surge in horror/thriller children's fiction recently and this is up there with the best of them. Mystery + history + horror - what's not to like?

I loved the setting for this story; Lindsay Currie paints such a vivid picture that you feel like you're in this quaint little town with the characters. Talking about characters, I thoroughly enjoyed the development of the friendship between two of the them- very sweet, not overdone, and definitely relatable for the intended age group who will be reading this book.

I have to say that some of the scary parts of this book were just that: very scary! I was both surprised and pleased with how creeped out they made me, a 34 year old! The author committed and the result is deliciously ominous.

This book twists and turns and takes you off on an unexpected journey from what you may have predicted. What Lives in the Woods is sure to be a hit!

This was my first book to read by this author and I can't wait to read more! The characters are amazing and the story flows so well. Really cannot recommend this one enough!!

Couldn’t read this one fast enough! Fans of Scritch, Scratch will love Currie’s latest.

Ginny Anderson has her summer all planned out. She and her best friend are going to attend a writing workshop and then she’ll be well on her way to being the next Agatha Christie. Her plans are changed drastically when her dad announces that they will be leaving Chicago to spend the next month at Woodmoor Manor so that he can renovate it. Ginny can’t imagine anything she wants to do less, especially once she starts hearing the legends — and ghost stories — surrounding the property. Can Ginny convince her parents they need to leave before it’s too late?

In the last five years I’ve seen a significant increase in students look for scary books. I’ll definitely add this one to my go-to recommendations.

What Lives in the Woods is a book full of mystery, spooks, chills, atmosphere, great story telling, and lovable characters. I really enjoyed my time reading this book, and fell in love with the characters and mystery. There really was not one character I disliked, and thought all of them had good development. I did enjoy the mystery aspect of this book, however I will say the ending was a tiny bit disappointing with the reveal because it did not seem as grand as it was going to be but I do get that this is middle grade. Although the ending wasn’t everything I was hoping for, I did like the all together happy emotions it elicited. One of the things I really loved about this book is the atmosphere was so ominous and creepy but also weirdly cozy. I do hope that there will be a sequel because if not, I feel that a certain aspect of this book should have been left out completely because the whole time I was wondering when the other legend would come into play. All in all, I think this is a fun and creepy read that all ages will enjoy!

What Lives in the Woods is a fast-paced, atmospheric middle-grade horror novel that is sure to leave you with goosebumps after reading. The book sucks you in right away, keeping you hooked with scenes of mystery and suspense. Once I started, I found It hard to put this book down. The main character, Ginny, is an avid lover of all things Agatha Christie. So, who better to solve the mystery of the spooky woods the Ginny.

This book was amazing! The perfect level of creepy for the recommended age group.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.

Being stuck in a spooky mansion for one month cant be too bad right? Ginny Anderson just wants to spend her summer working on her mystery writing workshop and hanging out with her best friend, too bad her parents suddenly spring a research family trip that they are all going on and now have to move into a mansion for one month for her dad’s research. The mansion they are moving into is called Woodmoor Manor and it supposedly haunted. Strange things start happening around Ginny in the mansion and soon she is convinced that she is being haunted. Now its up to her and her new bookworm friend Will to investigate the strange things happening around Woodmoor Manor before something bad happens to Ginny... This was a fun spooky little read! I really liked the whole atmosphere created from the story and I do adore a good ol spooky house story!

*Thanks Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Kids for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

A fun, creepy, ghost story about overcoming your fears in order to help your family.
Ginny thought she was going to a writing camp with her best friend. Instead, she and her family are staying in a creepy old house her father is going to restore. There, she finds strange things happening. At first her parents don't believe her. Once her brother realizes she is telling the truth, he helps. Ginny also meets a local boy who had a bad experience at the house and he offers to help as well.
There is just enough suspense and creepiness to keep readers engaged and wanting to find out what happens.

My fifth graders are going to be creeped out by this one!

Ginny Anderson and her family are moving into a house for the summer that has a bit of a reputation. When Ginny starts to experience unexplainable events, she uses the skills she's learned from reading Agatha Christie novels to try and figure out what's happening. From moving mannequins to shadow people, Ginny sees everything as a clue. But can she solve the mystery before the house's ghosts go too far?

Who doesn't love a good scare? I especially enjoy it when it is set in my home state of Michigan in a very popular tourist destination! What Lives in the Woods was a wonderfully frightening story about ghosts, haunted houses, letting go and setting the past free. I love the details Currie includes in her books. She is well researched and clearly very good at writing scary stories for younger readers. There is just enough scare to keep the reader engaged and not wanting to put the book down.
Interwoven in the story was friendship, family, supporting one another. Excellent story!

I think this makes it official: Lindsay Currie is the Queen of MG Horror.

WHAT LIVES IN THE WOODS has all the makings of a classic thriller, as Agatha Christie-obsessed tween Ginny is forced to join her parents in renovating a probably-haunted mansion in a small town for the summer. Now, instead of attending her dream writing workshop, she's left to unravel a real-life mystery ... because if there ARE real ghosts at Woodmoor Manor, they seem to be targeting Ginny.

The balance of chills/mystery/summer vibes was done so, so well. This is the ultimate campfire novel, written in Currie's effortless prose, oozing atmosphere and unfolding at the perfect pace. It's also genuinely creepy! My heart was in my throat many times, especially when I made the mistake of reading at night, but I adored every second. Ginny is a clever, loveable protagonist; Currie does a particularly fantastic job of writing sibling relationships, as well as developing crushes. Overall, just SUCH a strong novel that accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do. 5/5.

Another great ghost story. Having to spend the whole summer away from friends is a bummer - but having to also live in a haunted old house being fixed up by your dad - is just too much. Is she being haunted or is it her imagination. Ginny longs to write her own mysteries like her beloved Agatha Christie, but she has to skip the writer's camp to go live in an old mansion. Spooky things start to happen and she thinks if she can prove them to her parents, they'll let her go back to Chicago for the summer. Best laid plans and ghosts are never a good mix.

This was a bit of a departure from Lindsay Currie's previous books because it went beyond a little creepy to downright scary. I had a hard time reading it at night, but I really enjoyed it. There was some of Currie's usual family and friendship growth and change, but it felt like a lot of this was the main character solving a mystery and overcoming her fears.

What Lives in the Woods is a fun and spooky book for middle-grade readers and beyond. It's perfect for readers who loved Lindsay Currie's previous books, and readers who like suspenseful stories with big heart. Currie does a great job of balancing the creepy with humor. She leaves readers wanting more after every chapter! The story follows Ginny and her family as they head to an old mansion in the middle of nowhere for a month. Ginny's dad is determined to bring life back to the mansion, and Ginny is determined to get back home as fast as possible. When creepy things start happening, Ginny uses her love and knowledge of mystery books to help her uncover the mystery of the Woodmoor Manor. I highly recommend this book!

I loved Lindsey Currie’s latest spooky middle grade novel set in Saugatuck, Michigan. It is definitely a book that is best read with the lights on. In this book, Ginny, her brother, and friends try to uncover mysterious happenings in the Woodmoor Mansion as her dad begins to make renovations to the home. Local legends suggest it might be something in the woods, but there are tons of creepy things going on inside the mansion, especially in Ginny’s room! I will never look at mannequins the same after reading this. It would make a great read aloud and fans will love all the personal and historical content Lindsey shares on her website.

The one genre I always find difficult to source, for primary aged readers is horror. Something scary (but too scary), and a proper ghost story, not the old Scooby Doo and Nancy Drew versions where it turns out the 'ghost' was the butler/groundskeeper/janitor pretending to be a ghost.

This is a ghost story, and it's creepy, but it's a real mystery too. The way the characters work together to follow the clues and solve the mystery , makes it a double whammy, as mystery readers will like this one too.

Great writing really sets sets the scene for this book, and creates the ominous atmosphere that runs through the entire story.

Looking forward to getting this one out into schools and libraries.

Author Lindsay Currie writes good ghost stories. They are scary and suspenseful, and so far her books don’t include demonic powers or bloody gore. I appreciate that.

In this spooky, heart-pounding tale, Ginny and her family spend the summer at the historic Woodmoor Manor while her architect dad draws up plans to restore it to its former glory. Strange things happen in the house, but only to Ginny. She hears a loud clock ticking. The mannequin in her room moves. The door is locked and she can’t get out, except there’s no lock. Ginny takes to sleeping in the hall because she is terrified in her room. If it wasn’t for her new friend (crush) Will, Ginny would beg to go home. Instead she is determined to figure out the mystery of Woodmoor Manor.
By the end of this book readers know what lives in the house, but we still don’t know what lives in the woods. Perhaps Currie is planning a sequel.