The Mystery of Raspberry Hill

The Mystery of Raspberry Hill is a dark and suspenseful middle grade ghost story/thriller. I'd originally planned to read it aloud to my 10-year-old son but wanted to pre-read it first to make sure that it wasn't too spooky – he's a pretty sensitive kid and doesn't do well with scary stuff. And, well, let's just say that I won't be reading him this one, as it's pretty dark for a middle grade novel. It is an excellent story, however, and I think a thicker-skinned (or slightly older) kid would enjoy it immensely.

This story is well-written and enjoyable, and even though I'm outside of its target audience by a few decades, I found it entertaining. The “mystery” isn't really all that mysterious – I saw the twist coming from early on – but again I'm an adult and not a preteen. Stina is a likable and courageous main character, and I rooted for her as she explored Raspberry Hill Sanitarium and struggled to regain her health. I loved her relationship with her mother and siblings, and I'll admit that I might have gotten a bit teary-eyed at the end.

Subjects in this book that might be scary for young or sensitive children: mortality, sickness, death, loss of a parent, evil adults, separation from parents, and ghosts.

Final rating: four stars. If you have a middle grader who can handle the subjects above, they would likely find The Mystery of Raspberry Hill to be a thrilling and unputdownable read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for providing me with a copy of this book to review.

I love middle grade horror books but I didn't expect this story to be so dark. The build-up is great and even though Stina's voice is innocent and hopeful, the setting and looming horror can still give you chills.

Stina is a 10 year old girl, who knows she is going to die. When her family has the opportunity to give her a second chance at life, they take it. After being sent to Raspberry Hill Sanatorium, things are not quite what they appear to be.

As an adult reading this, I found it amazing. The story kept me gripped and wanting more. It puts you in the mind of a child that knows that their time is coming to an end. Some stuff was predictable (once again I'm looking at this from the perspective of an adult), but the last twist/reveal got me. I will definitely be getting the physical copy of this book when it is released in September.

This book is pretty dark for 9-12 year old's. If you have a child that can handle this type of story, then get it for them. As a parent I would read it first before giving it to them, just to make sure that it is the type of book you are okay with your kid to read. I would recommend this book to Middle school aged kids (13-15).

A translated book from Sweden — I always enjoy reading books from other countries— if anything to get an idea of concepts that are interesting in their countries and cultures.
This story follows the story of a little girl with TB sent to Raspberry Hill sanatorium and her experiences there. By Chapter 8 — I was still wondering — what is the Mystery ? Then chapter 9 brings in the story about a fire where people had died — and the mystery begins as does the conspiracy theories about the place. I enjoyed the read — great for age 13 and older ( hence the 4 star rating ) as younger might get nightmares . The story was well written and enjoyable and I got invested in the character Stina immediately. A great read — recommended .

Thank-you to Netgalley and Pushkin Press for this ARC , this is my honest review.

Stina knows she’s not going to live a long life. At only 12 she has consumption wreaking havoc in her lungs. One of six children in a poorThe Mystery of Raspberry Hill Book Review Cover family, it is deemed to be a godsend to be part of a special medical trial at Raspberry Hill Sanitorium. A doctor named Hagman wants to learn more about clean air’s effects on young consumptive lungs, and Stina is his prize patient.

Raspberry Hill certainly has clean, crisp air, far from Stina’s town of Sjömansgatan in Denmark. Like a castle it sits on a hill overlooking a gleaming lake and an oak lined avenue to its doors.

Inside is mostly empty with only a handful of nursing staff and doctors, Stina quickly choosing her favourites. She’s grateful to have this chance of getting well, and knows it will be a blessing to her mother with her gone. With five more siblings, her home is a very busy household.

She does miss her brothers and sisters, their noise and chatter and dreams of the future, because most of her time is spent alone in her dormitory surrounded by empty beds. Will more children arrive soon?

When she wakes to find a young boy reading her beloved copy of Robinson Crusoe she is a little cross at first, but quickly relieved to have someone to talk to. This begins her friendship with Ruben Wiik, a veteran of Raspberry Hill. They have adventures together, inside and out of the Sanitorium, and Stina learns much about it.

There was once a terrible fire, and an entire wing of the hospital is out of bounds. But what happened there and why does one of the doctors still have a key?

Meeting others in the grounds, one Stina is almost positive is a witch, she learns even more and begins to unravel The Mystery of Raspberry Hill.

If only Ruben had her help before…


A young tween novel translated from Swedish to English by AA Prime, The Mystery of Raspberry Hill won the prestigious Runeberg Junior Prize in Finland.

Set in Finland in the 1920’s, this story has a spooky, gothic vibe inside a partially used sanitorium. At first, Stina doesn’t find any other children, just wealthy ladies wanting to rest in the fresh air and beautiful scenery. Her desire to find others to talk to drives her curiosity and discoveries within the hospital.

There are some surprises in store as she learns more about the staff of Raspberry Hill, and an exciting but shocking climax to the story. Young tweens will cheer this young heroine on in her determination to share the truth, as her own life is suddenly in danger.

Author – Eva Frantz

Translator – AA Prime

Age – 8+

The Mystery of Raspberry Hill by Eva Fratz has been translated from Swedish to English by A A Prime for Pushkin to share children's tales from different languages.

This book is meant to be for middle school children. I feel it would be more suited to slightly older kids. The topics in it are maybe a little too mature for 8- 12 year olds.

I really enjoyed this book. It was one I didn't want to put down. Stina the main character was very likable. Shes taken from her home to a sanitarium to help cure her consumption. The book follows her time there and her thoughts and feelings about being near to death as such a young age (12). The tale leaves you guessing about the mystery all the way through.

Thanks to Netgalley and Pushkin for the ARC Copy. This review is my own opinion.

I really enjoyed reading this middle grade spooky book! It was the perfect fall read and it kept me entertained and intrigued the entire way through. The ending had me tearing me, and was a super cute way to end the book.

The plot seems very familiar somehow, although I've never read this book before. I wonder what it reminds me of... Oh, well.

Stina is a little girl who's sick with consumption. She knows she'll die soon, but that's alright; she'd made peace with the thought, even if she gets to go to a sanatorium where there's hope for a cure. But the sanatorium is nearly empty of little children like her, so she doesn't have much to do all day except sit and read her brother's "Robinson Crusoe" while waiting to see how her condition evolves. Luckily, at night a little boy sneaks in to keep her company and show her around the place.

You can tell something's creepy while reading this as an adult because of the way things are phrased - the doctor in charge of her *seems* nice to Stina, but seems pretty willing to experiment (shadily) to us, and it doesn't help that he tells her she might still die. But there's something creepy for children, too, when an old woman asks Stina if she's rich or poor, then warns her that poor children tend to die a lot at the sanatorium.

There's a ghost, too - a very straightforward and helpful one, and we never doubt its veracity.

But what I really liked about "The Mystery of Raspberry Hill" wasn't the mystery in itself, but the atmosphere, as well as Stina's voice. You really feel that a child is telling you the story in all its gruesome detail, perhaps missing some of the concepts and details an adult would know, but understand all too well what's happening around her. It's a dark story, and very well told.

This exciting middle grade mystery will appeal to young readers who like a lot of drama and a little bit of ghostly activity in their stories.. It is dark, to be sure, but experienced readers who like scary stories will appreciate the spooky nature of the sanatorium and the danger in which Stina finds herself. The ghostly element is actually pretty tame. However, children who are sensitive to scary stories involving humans (not ghosts) should avoid this. Foreshadowing adult horror, here the scariest monster is flesh and blood, not supernatural. There are many potential triggers here: abandonment, confinement, deceitful adults, and chronic illness, all of which the author conveys with a smooth delivery of story. The main character, Stina, is a very adult-like child similar in ways to Dickens’ child characters who were born into poverty and lived in unimaginable conditions. Stina, while a “poor child,” is also a loved child from a solid family, which is the red thread throughout the story. I just knew her family would come through.

Recommended.

The Mystery at Raspberry Hill is a spooky and very dark tale about Stina, a twelve-year-old girl, suffering from tuberculosis. It's set in a sanatorium called Raspberry Hill, deep in the forests of Finland, just after WWI. From the opening sentence:
My name is Stina and I'm probably going to die soon.
I was drawn into this extraordinary tale of mystery, suspense, ghosts and spine-tingling horrors. There are parts of this story that are very dark and probably would be a little too unnerving for younger readers. However, for older readers, I think this is a story that will captivate and grip the reader, eager to turn the next page. I had originally set out to read two chapters and then more the following day. That didn't happen. Instead, I read the whole book - I couldn't put it down!

A fantastic spooky and chilling middle grade read that I read in one sitting. It is the perfect blend of scares and mystery for the age range.
A fantastic book

Enchanting and captivating. From the time this story takes place to the place it's set, the atmosphere is spooky all around which I loved. This had a lot of suspense, mystery, and was downright chilling. Excellent read.

This was a quick, spooky, twisty middle grade that managed to feel refreshing AND like a classic children's ghost story at the same time. It follows Stina, a well-behaved (but dreadfully poor) girl who is admitted to Raspberry Hill in hopes of receiving treatment for her tuberculosis. However, things quickly start to become strange: there's a mysterious boy, witches in the wood, suspicious nuns, and whispers of a terrible fire that burned down the East Wing.

Although there are no genuine frights (this book is more eerie and atmospheric than horror), I did enjoy the central mystery and light commentary on class & autonomy. The bite-sized 16o pages should appeal to reluctant readers, and all fans of creaky buildings--and ghosts.

This book is a well-written mystery ghost story. It’s suspenseful and spooky without being scary and deals with tough topics like illness and death in a serious but gentle tone. It’s the perfect read for a middle grade child who doesn’t shy away when things get a little scary. The story portrays a loving and healthy family relationship through the main character. She is a likeable, courageous little girl who you really end up rooting for throughout the book. The characters are well-rounded and the mystery isn’t seen right away, with hooks and plot twists happening throughout.

All in all, a perfect read for a kid looking for a Halloween treat or for parents to read to their kids before bed.

The Mystery of Raspberry Hill is a short, fast paced ghost story. It’s right in the vein of Mary Downing Hahn or India Hill Brown’s books. Stina is a fairly young, innocent girl who loves her family and learning, but has tuberculosis. From the beginning of the book, she has resigned herself to death due to her condition, but her doctor arranges for her to be sent to Raspberry Hill Sanatorium where they hope the fresh country air will make her better. However, nothing there is as it seems and with some otherworldly help, Stina learns the dark secrets of the place.

Stina is the first person narrator of the book and her voice is really young. I think the appropriate grade level would be 4-6. At 160 pages it’s a really fast read. It’s a great translation and I loved the Finland setting and names. I don't read about many book set in anything but England during this time period so it was a welcome change.

The book talks a lot about death and there are some murders (like a lot of ghost books) but I don’t think there is anything truly scary about the book. There is a happy ending and everything is explained. It’s not like Dan Poblocki’s books. The evil is human pretty easily thwarted. I’d say this is more mystery than horror, but it probably depends on how sensitive the reader is. I love mystery type ghost stories so I enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Mystery of Raspberry Hill follows a young girl in the early 20th century as she goes to a sanctuary to help heal from TB. While there, she learns of a fire to took out a while wing and many people died. She also meets a young boy and things start to go downhill. She has to save herself to get back home to her loving family.

I really liked this book! I loved our main character. She was very smart and wise and loved her family a lot. While she was poor and looked down on a lot, she was still very smart and had good manners. She has been through a lot at her young age but she still was very strong and loving. I think the mystery and twists were great. Some of them were expected but it is a children’s book so I think kids might not guess them. The ghost parts were also creepy but not too much for children.

Thanks so much to netgalley and Pushkin press for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

"The Mystery of Raspberry Hill" by Eva Frantz is an exceptional middle-grade ghost story that seamlessly combines historical ambiance, a compelling mystery, and a brave young heroine. Set against the backdrop of a spooky sanatorium in the 1920s, this book delivers a chilling and atmospheric reading experience that will captivate young readers and adults alike.

At its heart, the story revolves around Stina, a twelve-year-old girl who, despite her grim prognosis, finds herself at Raspberry Hill Sanatorium. From the moment she arrives, the author masterfully creates an eerie and foreboding atmosphere that envelops readers. The description of the sanatorium as a magnificent castle hidden in the forest is both enchanting and unsettling, setting the stage for a tale filled with secrets.

Eva Frantz excels at building suspense and intrigue throughout the narrative. As Stina delves into the labyrinthine corridors of Raspberry Hill, the reader is drawn deeper into the mystery surrounding the old East Wing's fire, her mother's silence, and the nurses' fearful demeanor. The pacing is impeccable, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as they follow Stina's relentless quest for answers.

Stina is a remarkable protagonist who is both relatable and admirable. Her determination to uncover the truth, even in the face of danger, makes her a character readers will root for from the very beginning. Her courage and resourcefulness are inspiring, making her a role model for young readers.

The historical setting of the 1920s adds depth and authenticity to the story. Eva Frantz skillfully incorporates details of the time period, from the references to the motor car to the societal expectations of the era, enriching the reading experience and making the world of Raspberry Hill feel all the more real.

One of the novel's strengths is its ability to tackle complex themes such as illness, mortality, and the resilience of the human spirit in a way that is accessible and thought-provoking for young readers. It encourages them to contemplate the mysteries of life and death while maintaining a sense of wonder and curiosity.

"The Mystery of Raspberry Hill" is a literary gem in the middle-grade genre. Eva Frantz's writing is evocative and immersive, making it easy for readers to lose themselves in the story's eerie and suspenseful atmosphere. As the mystery unfolds, it keeps readers guessing until the very end, making it a page-turner that will leave them eager for more.

In conclusion, "The Mystery of Raspberry Hill" is a stellar addition to the world of middle-grade literature. Eva Frantz has crafted a haunting and enchanting tale that combines historical authenticity, a spine-tingling mystery, and a resilient young heroine. This book is a must-read for anyone seeking a captivating and chilling ghost story that will linger in their imagination long after the final page is turned.

This book! Oh how I loved this book. I will start by saying that while it is a Middle Grade read, I would say it is older middle grade, or for a very mature child. The subject matter can be dark at times, and is definitely scary - perhaps because of the fact that it absolutely could, and probably did, happen in real life.

This novel takes place in the 1920’s and is the story of a sweet, precocious and lovable little girl named Stina. Stina is twelve years old and is very ill, so she is sent to Rasberry Hill Sanatorium to see if the fresh air and specialized help can improve her condition - a condition from which she is certain she will die. Raspberry Hill is large and beautiful, and Stina cannot believer her luck as poor little girls like her never get opportunities like this. However, the longer she stays, the more she realizes something is terribly amiss. This novel asks the question - are monsters the things that go bump in the night, or are they the people that walk among us?

I adored Stina. I just fell immediately in love with her! The setting of the novel is atmospheric and beautifully creepy, and the tension is built steadily throughout. This novel can also be downright horrifying. I overall enjoyed it so much, though I do wish it was a little longer. I highly recommend this novel, but would say read it before you give it to your child or check subject warnings.

Read if you like:
✨ Sanatorium/Hospital Setting
✨Isolation
✨ Spooky MG
✨ Frank, Honest MC

A short mystery story through the eyes of little Stina.

I enjoyed being in Stina's head, as the thoughts were so naive and good intended. She is well mannered, well bred and sweet actually. The book sounds exactly with the words of a 12 years old, so one can entertain with the simplicity of words, which create this beautiful complicated story.

The mention of death is a bit too much for a children's book, so maybe the potential auditorium could be a bit scaled up.

The Mystery of Raspberry Hill is a well paced story with a compelling, young narrator. Stina is twelve and can tell from everyone's reactions to her that she will die soon from her consumption. Her blasé attitude to the subject of her own death (without particularly desiring it!) opens this story and very much shapes the way the story unfolds. To me, this worked very well. The atmosphere of this story is gorgeously rendered and ushers the reader in.

I loved the ghostly element of this tale, and I truly enjoyed the pacing. The mysteries twists, turns, and conclusion to ultimately be very satisfying. Despite Stina being away from her family for the majority of this story, we still learn quite a lot about her parents, her siblings, and even some about her grandparents. (Ellen is my favorite of the siblings.) There is a happy ending.

Readers who enjoy mysteries with supernatural elements as well as horror elements will enjoy this book! This story is arresting, like others I simply could not put this down!

My thanks to Pushkin Press and NetGalley for providing a copy to review!

This is a 4.25/5 because of how well this story blends chronic illness, classism, death, and medical ethics together into a seamless narrative while merrily subverting the reader's expectations along the way.

An eerie short read about a sick girl from a poor family who will be taken to a sanatorium. There she will learn a terrible secret (more than one, not all bad). Fast-paced but great story set in the right period for a spooky season. As a fan of Shirley Jackson's style, I enjoyed it a lot

Here is a book for everyone to read. It's a beautiful example of a youth book that tackles death without sentimentality, and the character's voice is particularly well-crafted. A nice blend of slice of life, adventure, history, and mystery. A great success.

A young, quite ill Stina is sent to the Raspberry Hill sanitorium to receive treatment for tuberculosis. Her widowed mother and siblings are sad, but eager about the possibility that the new treatment will return her home, healthy.

She’s very weak, and is polite and compliant to everything the nurses or her doctor tell her to do. She’s lonely, but a young boy visits occasionally, livening up her nights with cheerful chatter and exploration of the sanitorium. An elderly woman stops her one day, and warns her of terrible things happening at the place. Stina starts to recover, then takes a turn for the worse.

This was really good! It's a surprisingly dark story, with some pretty terrible things first hinted at by the author, Eva Frantz, then made real. Franz builds the suspense well, making us slowly realize that something is not right at Raspberry Hill.

Stina is a terrific character, preparing herself to die as her health is quite poorly. She's tough, observant, and quite intelligent. One cannot but root for her as she gets acquainted with the nurses, explores the grounds slowly, and makes a friend with the boy who occasionally visits her.

I really liked the balance the author achieved of Stina's lightness and positivity, and the echoey, uncomfortable quiet of the sanitorium, and its hints of danger.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Pushkin Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.

A dark and suspense middle-grade not meant for the faint of heart!

The Mystery of Raspberry Hill is a mix between a ghost story, suspense and thriller. I absolutely loved it! It’s perfect for spooky season but beware that it might just be too dark for certain children. You count with sickness, death, loss of a parent, mean adults and ghosts.

The story is well-written and easy to get into and just enjoy. Set in 1920s in Finland, there’s a gothic vibe to the book particularly in the description of the Raspberry Hill Sanatorium. Stina, the female protagonist is a brave girl who fights tooth and nail to get her health back in a place with no other children and only wealthy ladies. Her curiosity leads her to explore the sanatorium and make some creepy discoveries. It all leads to an exciting climax. It has heart-warming to see her relationship with her parents and siblings. It was a nice note to end the story with.

I was a nice read, perfect for spooky season for both children, teens and adults.

Thank you, Pushkin Press via Netgalley for e-ARC.

What attracted me to want to read this story is the fact that it's a ghost story set in the 1920s, and most importantly, it's set in a sanatorium.

Stina, our story's main character, is a delight from the moment readers meet her. She has come to accept her fate - she has consumption and there is not much that can be done. She also comes from a large family, and she views herself as a burden to them. When an opportunity arises for her to be able to have care and ease the load on her family, she accepts. After all, not many poor children are given such an opportunity.

She has around the clock care, fresh air, and more to eat than she ever did at home. Most importantly, she has found company in the book her brother has given her...until she meets Reuben.

And thus Stina's "adventure" at Raspberry Hill begins.

The author walks readers into the action slowly, deliberately. Even Stina comments throughout the first part of the story about how bored she is. I've seen some complain about this, but for me, it was purposeful. The author needed Stina to feel relaxed, to let her guard down, to feel that boredom so that when the action hit - and it hits hard - Stina (and the reader) is so shocked that it paralyzes her. It serves a very particular purpose.

This storytelling style reminds me of Stephen King - he also likes to walk his characters (and readers) right into danger and then smack us with all the action at once.

This is the approach of this author, too.

Initially I rated this three stars, but the more I talked about the story, the more I chewed on it, the more I realized that I didn't just like it, I really liked it. Thus my four-star rating.

As a whole, this book gets the job done. It left me curious as to what Raspberry Hill was really about - the place, not the book - and what the doctor really had planned for Stina's treatment.

WHO WILL WANT TO READ THIS: This book will appeal to those who enjoyed The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and the Cassidy Blake series by Victoria Schwab.

The book was provided by NetGalley for an honest review

A chilling children’s ghost story, perfect for the winter season. Set in the 1920s, this has the atmosphere and setting of the perfect Gothic novel.
Stina knows she is going to die. (What an opening line!) She is suffering from consumption (tuberculosis), a usually terminal illness, but doctors are exploring the possible curing effects of pure, clean air in child sufferers. Stina is offered the opportunity to go to Raspberry Hill sanatorium to try out this radical new treatment. Despite her lack of faith in its efficacy, Stina is excited to go, especially when she gets to travel there by car!
However, it soon becomes clear that not all is as it appears at the hospital. What exactly happened during the fire in the East Wing? Why is Stina not getting any letters from home? And why are the medical staff so secretive about certain patients and rooms? As Stina gets closer to the truth, it becomes clear that her illness is not the greatest threat to her life after all.
The sanatorium is a gloriously gothic setting: an isolated castle, with abandoned corridors and mysterious rooms. It creates the perfect atmosphere for building the tension.
This is the perfect ghost story for older middle grade readers and a great introduction to the gothic genre.

Wow. This book was fantastic. A spooky Gothic horror middle grade tale set in 1920s Finland. The description refers to it as a ghost story and that’s part of it but the scary parts are bigger than that. Without spoilers, it’s hard to say much else. Suffice it to say that, while it’s not mysterious, the story goes in directions I wasn’t expecting. Again, not a twist and it’s fairly obvious as you get going but still.

There’s a ton of great stuff here for younger readers. Insight into healthcare in the early 20th century, a little about war, and a very stark commentary on class structure. I saw some people saying it was too dark for MG, and it is dark. However, Finland is consistently named the happiest country in the world and our mental health and youth suicide numbers are appalling. So I’m going to say that maybe dark books aren’t corrupting anyone’s minds and perhaps exposure to difficult topics at an early age is actually beneficial?

Also, Stina (our protagonist) is fabulous. Wry, insightful, and brave as hell.

What a refreshingly exceptional read. The last two MG titles I read blew me away. I need to read more MG.

I hope this author has more books translated so I can read more. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader copy of The Mystery of Raspberry Hill by Eva Franz in exchange for an honest review. This book gave me a new viewpoint on tuberculosis and what it did to people. Little Stina is going to Raspberry Hill to be healed by the fresh air. What she finds there are secrets and a conspiracy. I enjoyed this book.

I'm not afraid to admit that 'The Mystery of Raspberry Hill' gave me the chills! This spooky middle grade tale has all the ingredients of a classic thriller: a creepy setting, eerie atmosphere, and a brave and relatable protagonist in Stina. I loved how the author wove together mystery, suspense, and family drama to create a story that's both page-turning and heartfelt. The twist was a nice touch, but it was the characters' emotional journeys that really got under my skin. Don't be surprised if you devour this book in one sitting - just leave the lights on!

Twelve-year-old Stina, stricken with tuberculosis in the 1920s, is doomed to die; she knows and she guesses that, due to their extra kindness and sad looks, her impoverished widowed mother and five siblings must know it, too. So when a doctor comes to their home in Helsinki with a proposition, it’s hard to refuse: Stina can be an experimental subject in an experiment to see whether tuberculosis can be cured in the young with an experimental drug and exposure to clean country air. No guarantees, mind you, but a chance.

Thus is Stina transported miles away — by motorcar no less! — to Raspberry Hill Sanatorium, a castle-like structure with luxuries beyond Stina’s dreams in a forest, clearly a place her family could never have afforded otherwise. But the hospital is nearly empty. Stina’s reassured that it’s because there was a fire in the east wing, and the sanatorium has only recently reopened. But more and more odd things begin to happen at Raspberry Hill, and the nurses there are all frightened, except for the cold head nurse, Sister Emerentia. Stina embarks on a search for the truth; thank God she has her new friend at the sanatorium, the mischievous child Ruben Wiik, to help her. This suspenseful middle-grade novel is highly, highly, HIGHLY recommended.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Pushkin Press in exchange for an honest review.

Little Stina was sick and dying, or that’s what she thought. She was taken away from her home and family by false promises. Alone in the cold sanitarium, the people were not who they portrayed to be, except for her new and only friend. Stina wanted to be a healthy little girl again, but she realized that was not going to happen when her sickness worsened. Her new friend opened her eyes to the horrors and truth of what had occurred before and what was in store for her. The story was an ingenious one with scenes that were heartfelt and sad. It was a beautiful book and a delightful read.

I would love to thank Pushkin Press, Eva Frantz and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This gothic middle-grade ended in my Top 5 MG of 2023.
The Mystery of Raspberry Hil (I love the title a lot!) talks about Stina, a little girl who has issues with her breathing. She talks a lot about her family and how she feels like a burden, so she can justify the fact that her mom is sending her away to a Sanatorium so she can get well.

But as soon as she arrives she feels like something is off. Why are there no other children around? Why is a boy visiting her everytime she sleeps? Why are some maidens acting so weird around her? And why did no one tell her before that in the past a ward from the Sanatorium burned off?

I guessed the majority aspects of the twists and turns way before they were revealed, but as an adult this is not a hard mystery to uncover. I really liked this story, the atmosphere, the protagonist and the eerie vibe throughout.

Be careful if you wish to read this with your child, thought. It is really dark, especially towards the end. But it has an important message, also.

I gave this one a 4.5 stars.