The Secret Dead Club

A Black tween with a supernatural gift determines to banish a terrifying specter from her new town in this hair-raising, American South–set horror novel by Strong (Eden’s Everdark). After fleeing a wicked ghost in Las Vegas, Wednesday Thomas and her artist mother travel to Alton, Ga., where Wednesday was born. Now the seventh grader is enrolled in Noble Middle School and living in her nana’s family home, “which doesn’t look haunted.” Wednesday tries hard not to stand out, but her attempts are dashed when she makes a spectacle at lunch after discovering that she can see ghosts—and that her school is haunted. While navigating her newfound powers, Wednesday learns that she is protected by Lodestar, a “guiding light” that prevents Wednesday and her family from being possessed by spirits. As Halloween creeps closer, she’s approached by classmates­—each of whom has their own secrets—who invite Wednesday to be part of their covert paranormal mystery-solving group, the Dead Club. Strong uses tight plotting, fully fleshed out characters, and eerie and empathetic prose to examine themes of legacy and friendship, and deliver a smartly conceived mystery. Ages 8–12. Agent: Patrice Caldwell, New Leaf Literary & Media. (Aug.)