Sci-Fi & Scary

One Ghost Too Many! is the first entry in the Ghost Town Detective Agency series by Gavin M. Garza and Michael W. Garza. It's a simple, fun mystery series aimed at beginning chapter readers. The font is on the larger side, with plenty of room between the lines of text to make it easy to read. The illustrations in One Ghost Too Many! aren't my favorite, but they serve their purpose on the pages. The plot is easy to follow and one that young readers can definitely get into. Who didn't believe in ghosts when they were younger? Add creepy old houses and the gossip mill to it? Yep, spooky stuff is a definite possibility.

What is it about redheads and trouble-making? One has to wonder when that particular association was made. It's no surprise that in the trio that make up the Ghost Town Detective Agency, the one that gets them in over their heads is a spunky little redhead with a temper. The nice part is that she's also a girl. Rosie, Zack, and Chase are normal, inquisitive kids with good hearts. It's a perfect combination when confronted with a mystery like the on they face in One Ghost Too Many.

The dialogue is solid. The word choice is appropriate, with nothing overly challenging to understand. The plot in One Ghost Too Many! moves forward at a steady pace. (I read somewhere that in kids lit, every single sentence should move the story forward. And I think that's true here.) And at 86 pages, it's a story that could be stretched out over a couple of bedtimes, or read in one sitting on a rainy day.

One Ghost Too Many! is a good read, but it lacks that (rather undefinable) quality that makes me think I would pick up more in the series. My young reader had a similar opinion. She enjoyed the story but wasn't interested in reading any more from it. Still One Ghost Too Many! may be a great choice, especially for burgeoning young detectives. That, or little kids who are really really into ghost stories!

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author for review consideration.
Read: Feb 6, 2017