The Ladies of the Lake (Gilda Joyce) [Hardcover]

Jennifer Allison (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up | Series: Gilda Joyce

Zany Gilda Joyce leaves her wacky disguises at home but brings all of her psychic and investigative skills with her as she sets out to investigate a mysterious death at a Catholic girls' school. Is Our Lady of Sorrows really haunted by the ghost of Dolores Lambert? Or is the student body suffering from group hysteria? Solving this mystery will put Gilda in more danger than she ever imagined--and will take all of her brashness, bravery, and smarts.

Edgar Award Nominee
NYPL Books for the Teen Age, 2006

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-9–Gilda Joyce, psychic investigator, makes a return appearance in this comic mystery set at a swanky Catholic girls school where she is a new student on scholarship. Our Lady of Sorrows seems haunted by the ghost of a student who drowned three years earlier. Gildas encounters with the headmistress, a handsome teacher, and a small group of popular senior girls lead her to a situation in which she might solve the mystery at the expense of her own safety. Meanwhile, shes not crazy about her widowed mothers unemployed boyfriend. Gilda is a verbal, funny, engaging character whose self-confidence and fearlessness are more reminiscent of Nancy Drew than Sammy Keyes. And, like the classic old series mysteries, this one has an exaggerated sense of reality that usually works well. Occasionally the mix of humor and spookiness doesnt quite mesh, and an anti-hazing plot is worthwhile but a bit heavy on the didacticism. More often, though, this is an intriguing story filled with surprise and suspense. Its length is a plus in that it allows for more complexity. (For instance, Moms boyfriend turns out to be not quite the clown that Gilda had imagined.) Overall, its an irreverent, well-written addition to the too-small collection of engrossing mysteries for junior high readers.–Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

The spirited sleuth who first appeared in Gilda Joyce: Psychic Investigator (2005) is less than pleased when her mother enrolls her in a well-respected (but somewhat quirky) Catholic girls school. Gilda's only solace is the rumor that the place is haunted. Though virtually all the adults are played for laughs and the plot could have used some tightening, sassy, stubborn Gilda shines, and an admirable lesson about compassion is gently but firmly tucked between chuckles. Stephanie Zvirin
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile (May 4, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525476938
• ISBN-13: 978-0525476931
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,428,318 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gilda Joyce Reminds Me Of Myself, July 6, 2006

By 

Pat Shand "Pat Shand" (Freeport, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Ladies of the Lake (Gilda Joyce) (Hardcover)

The second book in the Gilda Joyce series, "The Ladies of the Lake," is a solid sequel with a plot that is tighter and more intricate then its predecessor, but there isn't as much of Gilda's over-the-top charm. Of course, there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments at our heroine's anecdotes, but I just wish there was a bit more of it. The way I feel about this book is that Jennifer Allison (the author, of course) got to KNOW Gilda through the first book, and by the second book she was comfortable enough with Gilda to focus on the story.

But what a story it is! Other than "not enough Gilda humor" there are no setbacks to this wonderful book. There are many characters, all very well developed, many secrets that are gradually discovered, and plot twists that will send the reader on a rollercoaster ride.

The story centers around Gilda Joyce, who believes herself to be a Psychic Investigator, attending a Catholic Girls School, with hopes to uncover the mystery behind the death of a girl who would have been a senior that year. The story is interesting, a bit creepy, and always witty.

I just have to add that Gilda Joyce is so REAL; I relate to her on so many things. The way that she acts, reacts, and thinks is so real and so honest that I just have to admire Jennifer Allison for creating such a great character.

In children's literature these days, the only books that have that can't-put-it-down quality are Harry Potter, and now Gilda Joyce.

9/10

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE BEST Book I've ever read in my entire 10 years, June 24, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Ladies of the Lake (Gilda Joyce) (Hardcover)

I've read a lot of books in my life, but this has to be the best. It not only has a great story, but great details as well. It can be scary and wacky, but that didn't bother me much. I literally was attached to the book: I carried it around almost the whole time!! I don't believe in ghosts and spirits and pyschic stuff, but I found it realllly interesting. There was a dull spot in the whole book, which is pretty long. She's really different from other kids, and I like that. She's different from ANY character I've read about, actually. This book is AWESOME. ~Sarah

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Book is GREAT!!!, May 11, 2006

By 

M. H. Lopez "ilovenyc2" (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ladies of the Lake (Gilda Joyce) (Hardcover)

Gilda Joyce books are SO great. They are very different from other books and it is a fun-mystery. It really keeps you hooked. Gilda Joyce is a thirteen year old freshman who is attending "Our Lady of Sorrows" private girl school for the first time. She discovers the ghost of a past student at Our Lady of Sorrows drowned in the school lake and she thinks her ghost is haunting the school. I highly reccomend this book.