MYSTERY OF THE CRYING GHOST

ABOUT Rita Hsu Syers

Rita Hsu Syers
I have two published books, the first is MYSTERY OF THE CRYING GHOST, a juvenile mystery/adventure series with a supernatural twist for ages 8-13. The next book in the series, CURSE OF THE STONE IDOL, will be out very soon.

The second book is PUREHEART, published this month, a s More...

Description

It’s never easy adjusting to life in a new home, but Chloe Wendleton is finding it more difficult than most fifth graders.  Besides settling into a new school, trying to make new friends, and worrying about her overworked grandfather, Chloe is hearing strange noises in her new house… noises that no one else notices, except for her devoted pets, Killian, a Golden Retriever, and Isis, a Himalayan cat.  When Chloe hears an eerie crying and sees a child peering out at her from the window of an empty room, she realizes something that both frightens and excites her: the house is haunted. But these are no ordinary ghosts.  The terrible tragedy occurred fifty years ago, when two children vanished from the house without a trace.
On the verge of turning into an unsolved mystery herself, Chloe uncovers much more than the mystery of the crying ghost. She learns the true nature of friendship and heroism - from furry and non-furry friends alike.

 

MID-WEST BOOK REVIEW

The debut novel of author Rita Hsu Syers, Mystery of the Crying Ghost is a novel written for young adults ages 8-12, about a young fifth-grade girl named Chloe who has a hard time adjusting to her new home. Settling into a new school and making new friends is rough, her grandfather is terribly overworked, and strange noises come from her house at night - noises that no one else notices except her beloved dog and cat. When Chloe glimpses a child peering at her from the window of an empty room, she discovers that her house is haunted by spirits who suffered a terrible tragedy fifty years ago. Chloe seeks to uncover the mystery behind the tragedy, but she needs help; grown-ups don't believe her, so she turns to two classmates, a sharp-minded genius boy and a courageous girl who studies karate, ready and willing to discover her house's hidden secret. Highly recommended for public and middle school library shelves.


SCARY!!

A Kid's Review, age 10, AMAZON REVIEW

I thought this book was really fun and scary! I liked all the animals in it and Chloe, Maya, and Will remind me of me and my friends in school. I hope this author continues to write more books like this, because it was really good!


Reviewed by Brianne Plach (age 9) through READER VIEWS
"Mystery of the Crying Ghost" is a book about Chloe Wendleton. She is a young girl who is having difficulty adjusting to a different school. She just feels like she doesn't fit in at all. She has her two dependable pets to keep her company. Killian is her golden retriever and Isis is a Himalayan cat. Her family tells her that she is just hearing things when she says that she hears a child crying.

Is it all in her imagination?
Isis and Killian seem to hear the same crying. Chloe goes up into the attic with her grandfather and discovers an old newspaper. It shows that the Van Hise children, Sarah Jane and Thomas, somehow disappeared from the house without a trace. She shares the information with two of her classmates. Will Reed tells Chloe that he had heard that the house she is living in is haunted. Will is what one would call a "brain" so he gets picked on a lot. He is defended by Maya Roubideaux and her karate skills. Will is suffering from a major crush on Chloe, but his knowledge is a key to solving the case. Just when Chloe, Will and Maya can't seem to put a hand on any clues, the animals lend a paw and make discoveries of their own.

MARI SLOAN, AUTHOR OF "BEAUFORT FALLS"
"Mystery of the Crying Ghost" will capture the attention of any sleuth who enjoys a good story, adorable animals and friends working together towards a goal. With more books like this one, Rita Hsu Syers could easily have created another "Nancy Drew." I'm happy that she is planning her next mystery and can't wait to read it!

Written simply so that kids can enjoy it but full of action and interesting to persons of any age, "Mystery of the Crying Ghost" is a fast paced mystery with lots of action and a slam-bang ending. Rita Hsu Syers knows what kids love, and she dishes it out in huge helpings. Not only are the children believable and you see things from her ten year old heroine's point of view, but she is good at letting you look through the eyes of the family pets, who are heros in their own right. All of her characters ring true and remind you of kids and pets that you have known. Wonderful, all of them! Buy it for your child, but make sure you get a chance to read it, too!

Other Book(s) By Rita Hsu Syers