I love middle grade horror books but I didn't expect this story to be so dark. The build-up is great and even though Stina's voice is innocent and hopeful, the setting and looming horror can still give you chills.

The Mystery of Raspberry Hill is a dark and suspenseful middle grade ghost story/thriller. I'd originally planned to read it aloud to my 10-year-old son but wanted to pre-read it first to make sure that it wasn't too spooky – he's a pretty sensitive kid and doesn't do well with scary stuff. And, well, let's just say that I won't be reading him this one, as it's pretty dark for a middle grade novel. It is an excellent story, however, and I think a thicker-skinned (or slightly older) kid would enjoy it immensely.

This story is well-written and enjoyable, and even though I'm outside of its target audience by a few decades, I found it entertaining. The “mystery” isn't really all that mysterious – I saw the twist coming from early on – but again I'm an adult and not a preteen. Stina is a likable and courageous main character, and I rooted for her as she explored Raspberry Hill Sanitarium and struggled to regain her health. I loved her relationship with her mother and siblings, and I'll admit that I might have gotten a bit teary-eyed at the end.

Subjects in this book that might be scary for young or sensitive children: mortality, sickness, death, loss of a parent, evil adults, separation from parents, and ghosts.

Final rating: four stars. If you have a middle grader who can handle the subjects above, they would likely find The Mystery of Raspberry Hill to be a thrilling and unputdownable read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for providing me with a copy of this book to review.