Misty Gordon and the Mystery of the Ghost Pirates

Here is a funny middle-grade mystery from a bright new fiction talent.Things in the New England town of Ashcrumb are getting weird. Or just weirder. Misty Gordon, whose antique-dealing parents drive a van that says “D.E.A.D.” on the side (for “Deceased’s Estate and Antique Dealer”), is accustomed to weird.One day, when accompanying her father to the estate of a recently departed clairvoyant, Misty discovers a notebook and a pair of eyeglasses that enable her to see ghosts! And solve mysteries. With the help of her new powers and her best friend, Yoshi, Misty learns that her hometown was settled not by respectable colonists but by pirates! And the ghosts of the pirates are returning to reclaim a dangerous, powerful treasure they lost centuries ago. Who will find it first, Misty or the pirates? From School Library Journal Gr 4-6–Kennedy creates a quirky seaside community that reeks with ghostly surprises and odd souls. Misty Gordon, 11, has seen enough junk from the dead to last several lifetimes. Her parents own the Dearly Departed Antiques store in New England, and Misty yearns to ditch their secondhand spoils for more stylish accoutrements. When she reads the diary of Ashcrumb's wealthiest citizen, mysterious events yank her further into the past. She learns that the town's founding families hid an ugly secret that threatens to resurface. Guided by a psychic ghost, Misty races to locate three golden Greek statues ahead of a group of malicious, deceased town scions who seek resurrection and world domination. A sequel seems probable. The action moves briskly, and readers will want to solve the clues along with Misty and her sidekick, Yoshi. However, the characters lack development, and Kennedy sometimes fails to make their motivations and backgrounds clear. There are also extraneous plot threads such as the escaped mayonnaise-craving mental patient that have a tenuous correlation to the main story. For children who like Greek mythology and ghost hunting in a contemporary setting, there's enough here, though, for an appealing adventure.Caitlin Augusta, Stratford Library Association, CT From Booklist Misty’s dad is always finding strange objects for his D.E.A.D. (Deceased’s Estate and Antique Dealer) shop, so when he gives 11-year-old Misty an old telephone from Fannie Belcher’s estate, she thinks nothing of it—at least until an old diary hidden inside the phone hints at a 400-year-old mystery involving pirates and the founding of Ashcrumb, Misty’s hometown. When Misty finds a pair of eyeglasses that allows her to see ghosts, she enlists the help of her friend Yoshi to solve the mystery and protect the town. Though the writing is not as polished, this first novel is perfect to hand to fans of Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events or Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Kennedy does an excellent job of creating a sense of place and a feeling of eeriness (extended by black-and-white chapter-opener art), and her characters (especially the unstoppable Misty) are engaging and fun. Although the plot is predictable in places, the story is nonetheless a delightful read, equal parts craziness and humor. Grades 4-7. --Melissa Moore

here Is A Funny Middle-grade Mystery From A Bright New Fiction Talent.

 

things In The New England Town Of Ashcrumb Are Getting Weird. Or Just Weirder. Misty Gordon, Whose Antique-dealing Parents Drive A Van That Says “d.e.a.d.” On The Side (for “deceased’s Estate And Antique Dealer”), Is Accustomed To Weird.

 

one Day, When Accompanying Her Father To The Estate Of A Recently Departed Clairvoyant, Misty Discovers A Notebook And A Pair Of Eyeglasses That Enable Her To See Ghosts! And Solve Mysteries. With The Help Of Her New Powers And Her Best Friend, Yoshi, Misty Learns That Her Hometown Was Settled Not By Respectable Colonists But By Pirates! And The Ghosts Of The Pirates Are Returning To Reclaim A Dangerous, Powerful Treasure They Lost Centuries Ago. Who Will Find It First, Misty Or The Pirates?

children's Literature

misty Gordon Is Used To Being Surrounded By The Dead. Her Father Runs A Shop That Buys Belongings Off The Recently Departed In Her Town Of Ashcrumb. However, This Concept Is Taken To A Whole New Level When She Gets A Pair Of Glasses Previously Owned By The Newly Departed Clairvoyant In The Neighborhood And A Diary From Another Deceased Neighbor. The Glasses Allow Misty To Suddenly See Ghosts All Around Her, And The Diary Is Paranormal Too, Banging In A Locked Drawer And Demanding To Be Released. When She Finally Starts To Read The Book, She Becomes Tangled In A Mystery That Involves The History Of Her Town And The Three Descendants Of The Founding Members. Misty Finds Out That Long Ago, Three Magical Golden Statues Were Brought To Her Town To Be Used By Pirates For Evil Purposes, But Were Lost When Their Ship Crashed. She Also Learns Of A Spell, Which, When Used, Will Allow The Pirates To Come Back As Ghosts To Find The Statues And Wreak Havoc. Worst Of All For Misty, She Seems To Be The Only Person Who Has The Power To Stop This All From Happening. With The Help Of Her Best Friend Yoshi And The Dead Clairvoyant, Misty Finds The Statues And Fights With The Ghost Pirates To Save The Town. Although Somewhat Disturbing For Its Focus On The Dead, The Book Has An Entertaining Plotline. It Seems To Be Aiming For The Harry Potter Audience, But It Falls A Little Short Of Having As Engaging A Story. There Is A Subplot Involving An Escaped Mental Patient That Seems Unnecessary. The Fact That The Main Character Is A Female Makes It Questionable Whether Younger Boys Would Be Willing To Read It, Although They Would Certainly Enjoy It If They Did. Reviewer: Melissa Rife

Here is a funny middle-grade mystery from a bright new fiction talent.

 

Things in the New England town of Ashcrumb are getting weird. Or just weirder. Misty Gordon, whose antique-dealing parents drive a van that says “D.E.A.D.” on the side (for “Deceased’s Estate and Antique Dealer”), is accustomed to weird.

 

One day, when accompanying her father to the estate of a recently departed clairvoyant, Misty discovers a notebook and a pair of eyeglasses that enable her to see ghosts! And solve mysteries. With the help of her new powers and her best friend, Yoshi, Misty learns that her hometown was settled not by respectable colonists but by pirates! And the ghosts of the pirates are returning to reclaim a dangerous, powerful treasure they lost centuries ago. Who will find it first, Misty or the pirates?

While assisting her father, an estate and antiques dealer, teenaged Misty discovers a journal and pair of glasses that allow her to see ghosts, including those of pirates who founded her New England town and who are seeking a golden statue with mystical powers.