The Haunting of Eagle Creek Middle School (Samantha Wolf Mysteries)

Best friends Sam, Ally and Cassy were determined to help a program that was looking at closing down through lack of funds. Their school – Eagle Creek Middle School – was happy to provide the venue and students while they organized a haunted house as the fundraiser. With Halloween only three weeks away, the three girls knew they had to get onto it quickly to have it finished in time.With the help of Miss Covington and their new friend, widow Mrs Potts, plus Sam and Ally’s brothers, Hunter and John, everything was going well until the sad story of Mrs Potts husband came out; and the rumours of a ghost at the school seemed more than a rumour. Once again Sam was onto something but it seemed the hidden secrets were destined to stay hidden – or would they? Sam, Ally and Cassy would do all they could to reveal them!The Haunting of Eagle Creek Middle School is the 5th in the Samantha Wolf Mysteries by Tara Ellis and once again it was a lot of fun, with our intrepid sleuths caught in the middle of it all. Light, entertaining and a mixture of cozy mystery and young adult, I’m thoroughly enjoying this series! Highly recommended.

Sam, Ally, and Cassy are three twelve-year-old friends who attend seventh grade at Eagle Creek Middle School. They are planning a Halloween fundraiser to raise funds for an after-school program. When the girls visit Grace Potts, one of the school’s benefactors, Sam cannot help but notice things that don’t add up. She and her friends are soon applying their detective skills with the help of Sam and Ally’s brothers, Hunter and John.When the teens go down to the basement locker to put away their decorations, Sam notices the same strange scent that she encountered at Mrs. Potts’ house. They hear strange noises coming from the boiler room. Perhaps the legend of a boiler room ghost at the school could be true. This group of friends cannot contain their curiosity. They must solve the mystery, but that could lead them to place their lives in danger when they cross paths with a powerful politician.This book is part of a detective series but can easily be read as a single mystery thriller. Suggested as a fun Halloween read or anytime mystery for middle-grade and young adult audiences.

I first purchased this book and was so intrigued by the story that I also purchased the box set it is included with. My brother and I were top fans of the old Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books growing up, and this book definitely deserves a place on the bookshelf alongside the old classics. Sam, Ally, and Cassy are working on a charity fundraiser in the book, which is an excellent introduction to middle-grade students of philanthropy in today's culture. With Halloween fast-approaching, the kids are working on a haunted house to help raise money for the charity. Toss in a ghost in the school's basement in the boiler room, and you have the perfect setting for an exciting and hair-raising mystery. I enjoyed the fact that Samantha and Ally have brothers who are willing to help their sisters. It's an important element in a book that encourages kids to do the right thing and to work together.

The Haunting of Eagle Creek Middle School isn’t quite on par with most of the other Samantha Wolf mysteries, but it’s still a good read, if a bit predictable.As usual, the main characters, Samantha, Ally, and Cassy, as well as the supporting cast, come to life quite well. I found the ending a bit abrupt though, and missing an explanation of what ends up happening to Mrs. Potts and the villain.A short epilogue for example could answer a few lingering questions. Did the villain end up going to jail or get off on a technicality? Did Mrs. Potts encounter any “trouble” for her “involvement?” That said, I enjoyed the book.

The level of writing was for five year olds. Older kids don't have to have everything explained to them two or three times. Kids showed gross disrespect to adults, including snooping around a woman's house without permission, taking pictures of private financial information, and disregarding direct requests to mind their own business. I dislike when books have kids think they know more and better than adults. Also portrayed relationship with their teacher that had zero boundaries, and that same teacher left the kids several times alone in the school with no supervision.

Does a tormented ghost really roam the basement of the school?A haunting, mysterious read that keeps the girls busy trying to find answers and resolve the mystery. Once again, these girls have astound me - intelligent and very clever young detectives.Full of mystery, adventure, suspense, suspicion, friendships, camp, sleuthing, action and secrets.Perfect for readers of mystery reads.

Other reviewers agree, this series reminds us of Nancy Drew Mysteries and the Hardy Boys. Why? I believe that wholesome stories in which the curious teens solve a mystery appeal to those raised on similar fiction. When modern fiction is so full of violence and trauma, it's good to take a break and enjoy a wholesome mystery. This series can be read by young and old alike. The haunting in this mystery reveals a story that the 'tweens can solve. I recommend this book as a standalone and the whole series too.

Tara once again knock it out of the park. One of my favorite characters is easily Samantha herself. I really like how she sticks up for the people who have no where else to turn. While she does end up usually getting herself in over her head, her and her compatriots pull off a win. This story is no different. Samantha,, Cassy, and Ally once again start down one road, trying to find out who the mysterious ghost is, and end up breaking a mystery wide open. While there were a few missing words, or misspellings it never once took away from the story. Once again, a story I would highly suggest to anyone who loves a good mystery.

A pleasant read with a heathy dose of adventure. Written in the first person it can be a little challenging for novice readers as most books aimed at this age group are written differently. The girls and their brothers are likable characters with Sam being the intrepid detective which gets her into situations she needs to get herself and her friends out of.