Ghost Hotel

Deborah Dowson is a Canadian children’s librarian living in Powell,
Ohio.

Walter Biggar Bronson’s Ghost Detective and Time Travel Agency has
never been offered a case, so when the ghost of a sad little boy named
Archie appears and beckons Walter and his partner, Cindy, to follow him,
they are intrigued. The young ghost leads them to the Bessborough, a
magnificent castle-like hotel in the heart of Saskatoon. Here they find
themselves travelling back in time to 1936, when Archie and his parents
tragically died. In their quest to understand what is going on, they
encounter some unusual characters and frightening creatures, and
experience several bizarre and confusing situations. In solving the
mystery, the partners escape from danger and free Archie from the
entrapment that his own grief has caused.

Walter’s goal is to be “[c]ool, hip and funny, no matter how
scared.” Humour definitely neutralizes fear in this ghost mystery, so
that the reader is assured that despite some seemingly terrifying
situations all will be well in the end. But in addition to being funny,
Walter’s character is also methodical in his mystery-solving. Readers
paying attention to the clues may well figure out what is happening
before the heroes do.

Although Ghost Hotel is all about mystery and fantasy, the author
cleverly incorporates historical and geographical facts into the story,
and the behaviour of the ghosts is consistent with published accounts of
ghost encounters. This interesting and very entertaining story is highly
recommended.