The Hanging Hill: A Haunted Mystery [Hardcover]

Chris Grabenstein (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 11, 2009 | Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: A Haunted Mystery (Book 2)

How serious is stage fright? At the Hanging Hill Playhouse, it can kill you.

After narrowly escaping a malevolent spirit in The Crossroads, Zack and Judy are hoping to relax during the rehearsals for a show based on Judy’s bestselling children’s books. Little do they know that the director is planning to raise a horde of evil specters from the dead, and to accomplish this, he needs a human sacrifice . . . and Zack fits the bill perfectly.

This second book featuring the intrepid Zack and his stepmother, Judy, is full of the same humorous and spine-tingling storytelling that has made Chris Grabenstein a fast favorite with young and old alike.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4–7—The Hanging Hill Playhouse has a long, dark history as Zack soon discovers. The 11-year-old, who has the ability to see ghosts; his stepmother, Judy; and his dog arrive at the theater for rehearsals of Curiosity Cat, the musical Judy has written. They are unaware of anything sinister until a series of mysterious ghosts appears and strange things begin to happen. Zack and Meghan, a young actress, nose about while the "psycho" director loses himself in necromancy. An endearing element in the novel is the warm relationship between Zack and his stepmother. The plot is fast paced and there are numerous characters, especially toward the end, with frequent scene switches that demand a lot of readers' ability to visualize the goings-on. All in all, this successor to The Crossroads (Random, 2008) is a successful stand-alone. The story line is hauntingly delicious as the fully fleshed-out creepiness comes tempered with humor. It's a throwback to the kids' matinees of yore.—Robyn Gioia, Bolles School, Ponte Vedra, FL
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About the Author

Chris Grabenstein is the Anthony Award–winning author of Tilt a Whirl, Mad Mouse, and Whack a Mole. He used to write TV and radio commercials and has written for the Muppets. Currently, Chris and his wife live in New York City with three cats and a dog named Fred. You can visit him (and Fred) at www.chrisgrabenstein.com.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (August 11, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375846999
• ISBN-13: 978-0375846991
• Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 1.1 x 8.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,087,409 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Chris Grabenstein did improvisational comedy in New York City with Bruce Willis before James Patterson hired him to write advertising copy.

His first John Ceepak/Jersey Shore mystery TILT A WHIRL won the Anthony Award for Best First Mystery in 2006 and was followed by the critically acclaimed MAD MOUSE, WHACK-A-MOLE, HELL HOLE, MIND SCRAMBLER, ROLLING THUNDER (nominated for The Best Sidekick award) and, coming in 2012, FUN HOUSE. A Ceepak short story RING TOSS appeared in the June 2010 issue of Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine.

Chris has also published two holiday thrillers: SLAY RIDE and HELL FOR THE HOLIDAYS and became a New York Times Best Selling author thanks to his short story "The Demon In The Dunes," which appeared in the anthology DEATH'S EXCELLENT VACATION, edited by Charlaine Harris and Toni L.P. Kelner (thanks Charlaine and Toni!)

FOR YOUNGER READERS....

His fist book for middle grades readers, THE CROSSROADS, won both the 2008 Agatha and Anthony Awards as Best Children's/YA novel, appeared on several "Best" lists, and has been optioned to become a movie. The second book in the series, THE HANGING HILL, also won the Agatha Award. The third Haunted Mystery, THE SMOKY CORRIDOR, all about a zombie who lives in the basement of a middle school, was published by Random House in August. The fourth book in the series, THE BLACK HEART CRYPT, will be published in 2011.

Chris wrote CURIOSITY CAT, the play within the book from THE HANGING HILL, for friends at the Children's Theater of Knoxville. The script is now available for production everywhere through world renowned play publisher Samuel French.

Chris's new middle grades caper series, RILEY MACK AND THE OTHER KNOWN TROUBLEMAKERS (an Ocean's Eleven starring eleven-year-olds) will be published by HarperCollins in January 2012 with the sequel slated for 2013.

Chris has also written for Jim Henson's Muppets and co-wrote THE CHRISTMAS GIFT, starring John Denver, a made-for-TV movie that first aired on CBS in 1986 and still shows up somewhere on cable very early in the morning every holiday season.

Chris's dog Fred, however, has the best credits in the family: Fred starred on Broadway in CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars mnb1998, September 7, 2010

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Hanging Hill: A Haunted Mystery (Kindle Edition)

I am 12 and this book was the best book I have ever read in my life! If you like suspense and ghost stories this is a book for you!!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read for all, June 7, 2010

By 

Cheryl A. Reynolds "Spuddie" (Minneapolis, MN, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Hanging Hill: A Haunted Mystery (Hardcover)

#2 in the YA paranormal mystery series featuring Zack Jennings and his family. Eleven-year-old Zack and his stepmother Judy are off to Chatham, CT where Judy's book Curiosity Cat is being produced as a play by the rather famous director Reginald Grimes at the Hanging Hill Theatre. Theatres are notoriously full of ghosts as Zack and Judy, who can also see ghosts, find out quickly, much to their dismay. Some ghosts are benevolent, others seem neutral and still others downright evil. Zack is excited to learn that one of his favorite actresses, Meghan McKenna, will be playing the girl's role in the play and when they meet they get along famously--and Zack learns that Meghan can also see ghosts. Her co-star, Derek Stone, can't--and he's also got an annoying Hollywood mom and is allergic to Zack's beloved dog, Zipper. Strange things begin happening almost from the moment of their arrival and soon Zack and Meghan are off exploring and uncover a deadly plot which many of the theatre's ghosts are involved in, too.

This was a wonderful book, plenty of scary moments and lots of great fun throughout, whether you're eleven years old or eleven plus forty! Highly recommended, and though it stands well on its own, I think it's best enjoyed if you read The Crossroads, the first book featuring Zack and Judy, first.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fun, scary read for both kids and adults, March 30, 2010

By 

Sheila L. Beaumont (South Pasadena, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Hanging Hill: A Haunted Mystery (Hardcover)

This scary, funny sequel to "The Crossroads" is even better than the first book! Young Zack, accompanied by his stepmother, Judy, and his Jack Russell terrier, Zipper, travels to the Hanging Hill Playhouse, where a play based on Judy's "Curiosity Cat" children's books is scheduled to be performed by the Pandemonium Players. Unfortunately, the director, who obviously has a screw loose, has other plans, which involve using an ancient Carthaginian ritual that will feed children to Moloch and summon demonic spirits from hell that he believes will bring him untold riches and make him ruler of the world.

"The Hanging Hill" is a marvelous mixture of the supernatural, thrills and chills, suspense, twists, humor, and terrific characters, some of whom are creepy, while others are delightful, including the famous child actress Meghan, her mother, and a helpful local librarian who helps Zack and Meghan research the origin of the word "pandemonium" and find out why the theater's acting company is called the Pandemonium Players. This book is great fun for both kids and adults, and I can hardly wait for the next installment!