TWELVE-YEAR-OLD Madeleine “Lainie” Stanton is about to make headlines. She was the first baby born at the new millennium, and a local TV station wants an interview. But when the reporter uncovers the dark history of Lainie’s great-grandmother Maddie, who was executed for murder, the interview takes a dangerous turn.

This was a really well done middle-grade mystery. Loved it!

Saller has done a clever thing here, having her character investigate an historic murder. We get the importance of a murder mystery without the danger and direct threat. It matters for the characters. They are motivated to find the truth. But there is no danger to them. This one does suffer a little from emotional disconnect. The characters have little development. But it plays with the idea of ghosts in an intriguing way. Not a book that everyone will enjoy but one that will likely find an audience in a particular subset of middle grade readers.

This is a lovely and accessible read for middle-grade, that deals with very grown up themes and doesn’t shy away from harsh reality.

The characters are great and you quickly warm to the whole family.

Although not spooky or scary, there is a great mystery that Lainey needs to unravel and it shouldn’t be too upsetting for young readers.

Madeleine "Lainie" Stanton was the first baby born at the start of the new millennium. A local TV station wants an interview. Little does Lainie know her great grandmother Maddie was executed for murder and the TV station wants to sensationalise the story.
Lainie and her two friends decide to clear Maddie's name and set about investigating the past.

Who will win the race against time - Lainie or TV? Will Lainie prove Maddie's innocence?

Maddie's Ghost
By, Carol Fisher Saller

"Maddie's Ghost" is a thrilling tale aimed at young readers. The protagonist, a young girl named Lainie, embarks on a journey to uncover the hidden truths of her family's past. As she goes deeper into the mystery, she not only discovers shocking truths but also learns valuable lessons about the significance of family bonds and the support of friends.

Overall, "Maddie's Ghost" is a wonderful read that will resonate with young readers, offering not only an engaging story but also valuable life lessons. It shows the significance of the enduring power of family and friendship, making it a must-read for anyone who enjoys a blend of mystery, adventure, and heartfelt storytelling.

Thank you Netgalley, Duckweed Books and Carol Fisher Saller for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a heartwarming story not only for kids, but for anyone who loves to read about a good (old) mystery, historical facts and the importance of family. I loved every character, especially Lainie, grandpa Jack and the Uncs. Highly recommended!

4 stars

A fun middle-grade mystery that flirts with the haunting nature of family trauma/history, but in a way that will feel very safe for young readers. This is not a scary or even a spooky book, though it is uncanny; and while middle-grade horror and ghost stories are what I love best, I really enjoyed the empowering and community-affirming nature of this mystery for young readers.

Firstly, things that I liked: Lainey’s house, an old Victorian filled with hidden rooms and passages, is a kid’s dream—young readers will absolutely delight in reading about its many secrets.

Lainey’s family, her father and ‘The Uncs,’ are great, and each member gets a fairly equal amount of screentime while never taking over; this is Lainey’s story first and foremost.

The story doesn’t shy away from the sad, frustrating, and unfair things about the past, which I like, but it does so in an accessible and gentle way for young readers.

And, the thing I liked most about the book: Lainey finds many reasonable and capable adults who listen to and help her. The book models ways that kids can actually find out about, research, or uncover the past, and the safe adults who they can go to when they need help. A lot of middle grade stories are built around the idea that adults ‘don’t get it’ or are untrustworthy, and I really, really like that in this story, the adults are allies, who don’t take over from Lainey but give her the tools she needs to succeed. This is a fantastic book to empower kids without making them want to sneak around or distrust the adults in their lives.

To the dings, which were quite minor: Some of the history about the pharmaceutical company may be a bit of a struggle for a middle grade reader, due to the chemistry and the legal nature of the drug approval process, but it’s handled reasonably well. The relationship misunderstandings between Lainey and her peers are a little trying to me as an adult reader, but certainly age-appropriate. Certain details of the original case (the trial and conviction of Madelaine’s great-grandmother) don’t hold up under adult scrutiny, but totally pass muster for the middle-grade level and don’t at all interfere with my enjoyment of the mystery as a story.

Overall, I would definitely recommend Maddie’s Ghost as a solid mystery story for middle grade audiences.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Duckweed Books for this opportunity.

This book held my attention and captivated me from the first few chapters, even if it is middle grade fiction. Lainie is an 11 year old girl who gets put in a situation by an adult she shouldn't have been in. From that, she races against time to try and clear her ancestors name against the crimes she was punished for.

With two of her friends, they search high and low for any clues to help their case. Her uncles prove to be a great source of help with advice and they are genuinely great characters. Along with her grandpa and father, the four men give her any help they can by providing information that the family had with newspaper clippings and their own memories.

I thoroughly enjoyed going on this adventure with Lainie. I finished the book in one day and couldn't put it down. I'll definitely buy a copy of this for niece for when she's a little older.

Lainey, who was born at midnight on January 1, 2000, is contacted by a local news reporter who wants an interview. But when the reporter discovers that Lainey’s great-grandmother, who she was named after, was convicted of murder and executed in the 1930’s, things take a turn. Lainey is determined to find proof that her ancestor was innocent and clear her family’s name.

As a reader who grew up in the 90’s on Lois Duncan and Joan Lowery Nixon and Caroline B. Cooney mysteries, I loved this book. It’s got dual timelines, a spooky supernatural element, and a quirky house with hidden rooms and secret compartments… all my favorite things. What it has that totally surprised me though, is healthy communication and relationships between the characters! Sure kids are investigating a nearly century old crime, but they’re not hiding it from the adults around them. In fact, the adults are helpful and supportive. What?!?! It was super refreshing.

I would absolutely recommend this book to students in grades 5-8 and any grownups who would enjoy a middle grade, true crime kind of story.

This was a decent and quick read. It actually reminded me a lot of the book Christina’s Ghost by Betty Ren Wright. However, I do think that this was much more of a young adult novel, rather than one written for an older audience.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this!