The Agony House by Cheri Priest

Pages: 256

Intended Audience: Tweens

Genre: Mystery / Ghost story

Notes for Parents: Contains violence and some mature scenes.

The Back Cover

Denise Farber has just moved back to New Orleans with her mom and stepdad. They left in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and have finally returned, wagering the last of their family’s money on fixing up an old, rundown house and converting it to a bed and breakfast.

Nothing seems to work around the place, which doesn’t seem too weird to Denise. The unexplained noises are a little more out of the ordinary, but again, nothing too unusual. But when floors collapse, deadly objects rain down, and she hears creepy voices, it’s clear to Denise that something more sinister lurks hidden here.

Answers may lie in an old comic book Denise finds concealed in the abandoned attic: the lost final project of a famous artist who disappeared in the 1950s. Denise isn’t budging from her new home, so she must unravel the mystery—on the pages and off them—if she and her family are to survive…

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is a mixed media novel with both text and graphic elements.

What’s good?

After Denise and her neighbor Terry find an old comic book, a mystery unfolds that may explain the noises and strange happenings that have been plaguing the old house. This is part ghost story, part comic book, and part murder mystery. The characters are interesting, and the plot is organized. The topic of gentrification is a theme, as is the Comics Code Authority, a regulatory body created in the 1950s. The mystery is intriguing, and the ghostly happenings are creepy.

Best Part: Terry.

What isn’t good?

The pace is slow. Things don’t really pick up until the end. The third person narrative creates a disconnect between the characters and the reader. While the characters are well-drawn, there’s no development throughout the story. Some of the dialogue is awkward and the voices don’t always sound genuine.

Worst part: Nothing is terrible.

Recommendation ☺☺☻☻☻ (2.5/5)

Unfortunately, there was an awkwardness in the pace and dialogue that made it difficult to really buy into the premise of this ghost story / murder mystery. It was a quick and easy read, but it lacked storytelling finesse. I didn’t hate it, in fact it was a fun read, but there wasn’t enough substance to warrant a recommendation.

Priest, Cheri. The Agony House. New York: Scholastic, 2018.