Haunting at Mill Lane [Library Binding]

Ken Radford (Author)

Book Description

When twelve-year-old Sarah develops a close friendship with a ghost in turn-of-the-century Wales, their identities become confused and Sarah is transported back in time.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7 A story of the supernatural set in Wales at the turn of the century. Sarah, an orphan recently come to live with her aunt and uncle, is haunted by the ghost of Sally-Anne, a child living in the 19th Century who was murdered by a vicious stepmother. The first part of the story lacks imagination; events are written in a cliched and predictable manner. Other weaknesses involve the too-abrupt entrance of Sally-Anne and the stereotypical portrayal of Sarah's aunt and uncle. The story does take a more interesting turn when three children, not involved in the intrigue, are chased through the woods by the spirit child, whose intent is to lead them to a boggy death. The theme of lonely children susceptible to the wiles of the otherworld has been handled with greater skill by Eileen Dunlop in Robinsheugh (Ace, 1987), Gillian Cross in The Dark Behind the Curtain (Oxford University Pr, 1984), and Pamela Sykes in Lucy Beware (David & Charles, 1984), among others. Haunting at Mill Lane, while interesting in spots, is not memorable. Karen P. Smith, Yonkers Board of Education, N.Y.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Library Binding: 153 pages
• Publisher: Holiday House (April 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823406768
• ISBN-13: 978-0823406760
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,287,104 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Standard but enjoyable, August 14, 2006

By 

octobercountry (the Land of Trees and Heroes) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Haunting at Mill Lane (Library Binding)

I've been thinking about ghost stories over the past few days.... And how nowadays it is almost impossible to come up with a truly original idea for a good ghost story, since so very, very many such tales have been written down over the past 150 years. Oh, there have been ghost stories for just as long as there have been humans to tell them, I would think. But it's only with the rise of the modern novel (or short story collection) in the past two hundred years or so that so many of these stories have been set on paper. They really seem to have come into their own in the mid Victorian era, and have continued to be written and printed ever since.

WARNING---SPOILERS AHEAD! DON'T READ IF YOU WANT THE ENDING TO BE A SURPRISE.

Now, as for "Haunting at Mill Lane." It was nicely told and written well enough, though I would call it unexceptional; a standard sort of ghost/time travel story. However, the book does contain one element that I don't think I've ever come across. Which is, the protagonist's journey back through time is actually responsible for the death of the girl, whose ghost haunts her many years later. Sarah's idea of putting a "witch's curse" on Sally-Anne's horrible stepmother is responsible for the rage that the stepmother falls into, at which time she murders Sally-Anne. So, to my way of thinking, Sarah is (at least indirectly) responsible for the death, though that idea doesn't seem to occur to Sarah herself. (Thankfully, I suppose---else she would have been overcome with guilt.) Anyway, there are plenty of time-travel stories where an action by the main character saves someone in the past, but not so many where such an action kills someone instead!

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Memorable, February 4, 2005

By 

Kari Stanich (McKeesport, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Haunting at Mill Lane (Library Binding)

When I was in grade school in the late 80s I signed this book out of a bookmobile and loved it. The graphic nature of the way the little girl (ghost) had died freaked me out as a child. The emotion in it still haunts me when I think of this book. It's so sad. I'm sure it's not the greatest book in the whole world but it is memorable and worth reading.

4.0 out of 5 stars I thought it was better, October 6, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Haunting at Mill Lane (Library Binding)

I chose this book because I like suspence. By the way the cover looked it looked like the old fashin ghost story with haunting and stalking people. After reading it, it was nothing like that. It was more on a lost soul just wondering around and doing nothing. The whole story ws about how the ghost named Sally-Anne wants her doll back. Night after night she comess back and looks for the doll. It got boring after a while. Th only reason i gave this book 4 stars was that i liked how and old woman,Old Peg, would talk of spells and which craft, the devils sourcery and The which Black Hannah. That is something that i like to hear.