Customer Reviews

The Dollhouse Murders

5 star:		(68)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Wright, Betty Ren. (1983). The Dollhouse Murders. New York: Holiday House. I like this book because it is a simple mystery children ages 9-12 can read and enjoy. The book is a very interesting realistic fiction book. While visiting Aunt Clare in her Great grandparent's old house, Amy discovered a wonderful dollhouse in the attic. It is the replica of her Great Granparent's house. Everytime Amy visits the attic eerie things happen. Strange noises come from the dollhouse, lights are on in it and the dolls have been moved from where she had left them. Amy is very frightened, but she wonders if the dollhouse is trying to tell her something about the murders of her Great Grandparents 30 years ago. Amy wants to solve the mystery. On a stormy night Amy and her sister make one more visit to the attic. They watch as the Grandmother doll gives them a clue about the murders. They tell Aunt Clare what the doll revealed to them. Together they solved the murder mystery of that fateful night 30 years ago.

Amy feels very alone because she has to always watch her brain damaged sister luann. so amy runs away to live with her aunt clare in amy's great grandparents old house. while she is there aunt clare shows a dollhouse to amy that is an exact replica of the house they are living in now. The only thing amy does not know about the house is her great grandparents were murdered in it, but no one knew who killed them. and amy thinks that the dolls in the dollhouse are trying to tell her what happened the night of the murder. i read this book in 4th grade. and i read it twice in 6th grade. this is by far the best book i have ever read!

I read this book when I was in elementary school and it was GREAT!! Could not put it down. I'm so happy to find that this book still exists! Great story for young mystery lovers. I would read it again without a second thought. I thought it was written with the correct descriptions and details that needs to be present in a pre-teen novel, and this is why I liked it and remember it with such fondness. I highly recommend it!! The copy that I read was a paperback and I believe there are no illustrations(but I could be mistaken), what I am sure of is that it made me imagine every scene as I was getting deeper and deeper into the plot. Definitely not a boring book!

I read this as a kid and it scared the bejesus out of me. I wasn't little either - I was probably 11 or 12. I'm grown up now and it still gives me the shivers. I would be cautious in giving it to a sensitive child to read, because it may be too frightening. I can only give it 3 stars because while it must have been well-written to be so scary, it might be too scary for some kids.

When I was in the 4th grade, this book was one of the few "chapter" books at the library that would be passed around between friends. Now approaching 30, I wondered if this book was actually as frightening as I remembered, or if I had built it up in my head far more than it deserved.

So I located my copy and gave it a read through.

What blows me away about this book is that the story is haunting and frightening at any age, but is appropriate for a child. While it deals with murder and ghosts, it's handled with care and without gore. And still, this many years later, I had those spine tingles that I crave in a good book, and find so rarely.

The Dollhouse Murders is an excellent book for upper elementary/early middle school readers that provides mystery, chills and some real life lessons.
The book is a very fast easy read at about the fifth grade level and has characterizations, plot and atmosphere worthy of an adult book. There are wonderful subplots about dealing with a mentally disabled sibling as well as the burdens of guilt. The title may turn off male readers but if they give the book a try they will be rewarded with a story more spine-chilling than anything a certain "Goosebumps" series offers.

I love this book.It's about a girl that decides to stay with her aunt Claire in a big country house.She finds a beautiful dollhouse in the attic.Amy finds out that her aunt's grandparents were murdered in the house.No one knows who killed them.But then the dolls in the dollhouse are giving Amy clues about who the killer is.It's the best book I've ever read.

i think this is the best book betty wright has ever written. i loike it because it is a mistery novel and its so exicting i could not stop reading it and i read it in one day. i've read it a total of 3 times it is so good

I still have that old tattered scholastic book. I have found myself returning to it when stages of writer's block have come on. It's a definite must-read for anyone hoping to become a good YA/children's mystery writer.

After reading it Christmas night, I had to sleep with the lights on...and refused to move from my bed until daybreak. I liked it so much I read it several times and wrote a few book reports on it.

As an avid mystery reader, I have to admit that this should be ranked as a classic as well. And, yes, my kids will be reading this when they are older.

This is about a responsible girl named Amy who got tired of watching her sister Louann Treloar. In the beginning Amy runs away because she is losing friends because of Louann. When Amy finds out that she is going to stay for a few weeks at her aunt's house, she asked her how her grandparents died. Her Aunt didn't seem to happy about talking about her parents. But when Amy finds out about the dollhouse she lies so her aunt won't worry. I would recomend this book to others because, it's scary at some parts, but it is a wonderfull mystery book that is cool.