cover image Mothman’s Curse

Mothman’s Curse

Christine Hayes, illus. by James K. Hindle. Roaring Brook, $15.99 (320p) ISBN 978-1-62672-027-5

Twelve-year-old Josie and her younger brother Fox love the auction house their family has run for generations, but when Fox takes a picture with an old Polaroid camera and a photo with a ghostly image develops, they are pulled into a life-and-death mystery. The ghost turns out to be that of John Goodrich, a reclusive local resident. Josie and Fox’s father will be handling the Goodrich estate sale, and the siblings discover a moth pin at the mansion that is linked to a centuries-old curse and the folkloric figure Mothman, who begins to terrorize their Ohio town. Through out-of-body visions and John’s ghostly guidance, Josie learns that a disaster is impending and that she must stop it. Debut author Hayes deftly balances the thriller elements of her story with resonant coming-of-age moments, and Hindle’s eerie b&w cartoons tweak the suspense further. Filled with spooky events and featuring a truly devious villain, the book will have readers racing to solve the mystery, though some may need to sleep with the lights on afterward. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erin Murphy Literary Agency. (June)