The Voice Upstairs

In this moody supernatural thriller set several years after WWI, a teen who can sense imminent death and communicate with spirits helps uncover the dark history of a remote English house. All her life, Wilhelmina Price has lived in the row house at Wither Grange, the manor where her grandfather works and where her mother died mysteriously a decade ago. Her only true friend is Edison Summerfield, the youngest son of the manor family; he regularly pleads with Wil to contact the spirit of his older brother Peter, who died in the war, especially since Ed is convinced he’s being haunted by Peter’s ghost. But no matter how often she tries, she can’t seem to reach him. As the hauntings grow worse, and several sudden deaths mimic that of Wil’s mother, Wil and Ed must uncover long-hidden family secrets and appease the restless spirits before they become victims as well. Weymouth (A Consuming Fire) skillfully conveys a growing sense of dread via the eerie, unsettling landscape and gradually escalating supernatural happenings; the charming dynamic between Wil and Ed further helps to bolster this captivating exploration of perseverance against darkness and familial trauma. Characters read as white. Ages 14–up. Agent: Lauren Spieller, Folio Literary Management. (Oct.)