An expertly told ghost story is a thing to behold, and James Norcliffe has done an exceptional job of reeling his readers in and paying out the line with his latest book.

A delivery man knocks at the door and gestures to the grey van, “I have the crate.” Dad helps him in with the crate, then leaves the three kids—Amy, Danny, and their cousin Jack—with strict instructions not to touch it. But they do—of course they do.

As they find an empty box, the plot thickens; strange apparitions of a girl in a white nightgown appear to Danny in a dream then to all of them in broad daylight. The three find Skip smoking on the wharf and she learns their story and joins the mystery solvers.

The book is set in Pop’s bach on a lake in the small town of Tunamoana and Dad is sole charge of the kids for the holidays because Mum has to look after Pop. He gives the kids plenty of independence, as he works as a locum at the hospital in a town nearby. The story feels a bit old-fashioned, possibly because the kids are ready to set off and solve mysteries, Famous Five-style, rather than playing on their phones. But it suspends you into a world of slightly spooky holiday mystery all the better for it.

As the story progresses and Amy goes missing, Dad has to be included in the mystery and to his credit he gives their rendition of why the ghost might be haunting them some credence—some things the oft-mentioned Occam’s Razor can’t explain!

I also particularly like this quip when he learns about Skip and the kids say she’s a bit weird: ‘Better than being ordinary, I suppose.’

The cast of supporting characters expands to include most of the people in the town including Skip’s mum who is a bit of a hippie and reads the kids’ palms. She shrieks when she reads Amy’s and what she sees … oh I can’t tell you that, I had better leave you to read the book.

The story could have used the occasional tighten up. I would also have liked to see the kids do something summery, to release the tension occasionally. But that won’t stop me recommending it; Norcliffe’s storytelling skill carries the plot through. And the end truly surprised me.

There is definitely more to this book than meets the eye. Recommended for age 10+ or any kid who has stopped worrying about ghosts—even if they believe in them.

Reviewed by Sarah Forster