The Girl in the Locked Room (Mary Downing Hahn)

In 1889, a family in rural Virginia was attacked by disgruntled workers. Obeying her parents, the daughter locked herself in an upstairs room during the conflict. Her parents died, but she survived—she thinks. As time has gone on, she forgets more and more about who she is and why she is there. Every night, she sees the scene play out again, as the workers come for her and she hides. She desperately wants to be with her parents and end this cycle, but has no idea how to do either.

In the present (~2018), a girl named Jules moves with her mom and dad to rural Virginia. They stay in an addition next to an abandoned farmhouse; her dad will restore it. They can access everything in the home but a locked upstairs room. In the ensuing days, Jules will experience strange visions; echoes of the past. Something is very wrong in that upstairs room. Can Jules and her friend Maisie find out what? And can they help?

---

Classified as 'juvenile fiction,' (for 7–18 year-olds), I would place this spooky story in the 10–12-year-old range. Part of it is formulaic: child sees things parents don't, nobody believes child, child sees a problem and is determined to fix it. And typical for children's literature, some plot/character development is rushed. The second half, though, is more original, genuinely spooky in places, and intriguing. Even if it was written for kids, and thus devoid of some of the horror/suspense that might have been featured in a telling for adults, I was interested. I wanted to see what happened next. The ending was a bit expected but nevertheless satisfying.

Ghost stories in general pose huge theological problems. This one is no different; there are several head-scratching elements. That said, there is value here. One point to ponder: "It's so easy to hide . . . and so hard to be found." Indeed.

Rating: A-