Review: The Girl in the Locked Room by Mary Downing Hahn

Jules and her family move around the country frequently.  Her father restores homes and now, at age 13, Jules just wants a place they can call home.  When they move into the most recent fixer upper, Jules' father is thrilled with the potential. The home is over a century old and rich with historic beauty.  Jules, on the other hand, can't get rid of this dark, foreboding feeling she gets, especially when looking up into the third-floor window.  The room beyond the window is locked, furthering Jules' feelings of something ominous inside.

As her family gets used to the surroundings, Jules begins to see visions of a young girl. This isn't her first ghostly encounter; she's been seeing them most of her life.  Jules learns that her new companion was a prisoner in her own home, locked up in the third floor room.  Upon learning the circumstances behind the young girl's captivity, Jules makes it her mission to attempt to rewrite the past finally set the young girl free.

I’ve been a fan of Mary Downing Hahn as long as I can remember. She’s known for her ghost stores, my personal favorite being Wait Till Helen Comes.   While this most recent release is labeled as a ghost story, it’s most definitely one of the most subtle that I’ve ever read.   Rather, it’s more of a sad tale about a young girl left behind.  Never are there any particularly chilling or scary scenes.

If you have a middle grader looking to sample something that touches on the supernatural, this “light” horror is the perfect fit.  If you are looking for a more chilling read, I’d recommend sampling some of Hahn’s earlier titles.