I think the biggest lesson to be learned from this book is the importance of honest communication. Mia's family is keeping some pretty big secrets from her which then leads to her keeping some pretty big ones from them that ultimately cause a lot of problems. This has a little bit of a slow start but once Mia starts exploring her ghostly powers things pick up quickly. Mia gets control of her powers over just a few chapters and I had to keep reminded myself that there is mention of days/weeks passing and that these advances do not come out of nowhere. I liked all of the characters in the antique shop and the twist regarding Mia's parents had me surprised. I'm curious what differences there may be between the original German story and this translation. This feels like the start of a series and it looks like it is for the German version so I'm hoping this author chooses to continue translating the other books because I am really curious to see how Mia's life continues to change now that many in the ghost world know about her.

Christina Wolff delivers a fun story with a spooky premise in “The Ghosts of Pandora Pickwick.”

Twelve-year-old Mia Jones is visiting her aunt Harriet for the summer, helping out at her Pandora’s Antiques shop. But when adopted Mia starts hearing loud bangs, things start to go missing, and dust keeps mysteriously appearing, she fears there is more than meets the eye.

So when she learns her aunt’s shop is a placement agency for ghosts, and that she has unique abilities, new adventures and new friends appear for Mia. But will those adventures put her in danger? Will she be able to help her friends? And will these adventures help her figure out who her “real” family is?

Wolff provides a fun adventure story with a paranormal twist and some major surprises. She creates quirky and intriguing characters, both on the mortal and spiritual side. Her story also reminds us of the importance of friendship and loyalty; the power of family; finding and properly using our abilities; and overcoming feeling left out.

Fans of stories like J.D. Grolic’s “The Extraordinary Curiosities of Ixworth and Maddox,” “The International House of Dereliction” by Jacqueline Davies and “The Sinister Secrets of Singe” by Sean Ferrell will enjoy “The Ghosts of Pandora Pickwick,” which is due out March 4. I would recommend it for readers middle school aged and older.

Five stars out of five.

Arctis provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

The Ghosts of Pandora Pickwick was a fun middle grade paranormal adventure. It immediately hooked me. It was lighthearted and fun with no shortage of the surreal which made me just want to keep reading. The story line was unique and the characters were interesting. Originally translated from German I found that some of the sentences were stilted but otherwise it was an enjoyable read that I will be recommending to my younger patrons 8-12 years old.

This book was so fun the characters are so loveable and the adventure was the best time. It was truly a feel good fun MG.

I loved this book.

This tells the story of Mia who is 12 years old. Mia goes to stay with her Aunt Harriet who owns an antique store in London. Mia starts to hear strange things and then she starts seeing ghosts. At 1st her aunt brushes this off by claiming that the store had always had weird ways, but when Mia sees a ghost worm, Aunt Harriet has to admit that she actually runs a placement agency for ghosts.

This was a great story, i loved it. A littl dark and scary at times, so definitely not for younger readers, i would say for 11 or over. This is crying out to be an illustrated hardback, not sure if it will get illustrations but it deserves them.

Brilliant little book. Would love a sequel because whilst it is a standalone, it could easily be a series.

I really enjoyed reading this book, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed from this type of book. The characters had that element that I wanted and was expecting. It was so well written and I cared about what was going on. Christina Wolff has a strong writing style and was glad I got to read this.

This was a fantastically clever idea for a middle grade story!!! I loved everything about this, from the characters to the mystery aspect to the atmosphere. I only wish there were more ghosts, but I'm hopeful there will be a continuation of this story as I would absolutely devour a series on the Ghost Placement Agency! I can usually anticipate the resolutions of mysteries, but this is one plot twist I would have never in a million years saw coming! I've already shared this title with the rest of my library coworkers. I love stories like this that have supernatural foundations and aren't scary, but instead cozy and a bit mysterious. 10/10 will be recommending to everyone!

The Ghosts of Pandora Pickwick takes the reader on an adventure to an antique store that is secretly a placement agency for ghosts who have no house to haunt. Mia, the niece of the store owner is sent there for the summer. During her visit, she learns about the ghosts and as the days go by, she realizes that she can do more that see ghosts during the usual "witching hour." Without giving away too much of the story, there are good guys and bad guys, there is a family mystery and there is a happy ending. This book is squeaky clean and perfect for readers of any age.

I received an advance reader for free, but all opinions are my own.

When Mia is staying with her Aunt Harriet, she discovers the world of ghosts. Her Aunt runs a ghost agency which finds new homes for displaced ghosts. Every evening at midnight, the ghosts become visible and they get to talk and play with Mia. Two of the ghosts become good friends with Mia, Alistair and Jim. But things become even more remarkable when Mia learns to see ghosts all the time, not just at the witching hour. This is when Alistair and Mia start going on adventures and almost get eaten by a ghost worm. The story starts off really fun. Kids will love the idea of the witching hour and making friends with ghosts like Alistair and Jim. But the last half of the book goes off on a wild adventure that is barely held together by logic. I think kids will still like the adventure and forgive the plot holes.

The Ghosts Of Pandora Pickwick by @christina__wolff

Summer vacation in London turns mysterious and exciting when Mia learns that her aunt’s antique shop is actually a ghost placement agency and she gets training in how to cross over into the spirit world.

Welcome to Pandora’s Antiques, with rarities for every occasion.

Nowhere does Mia feel so at home as in her Aunt Harriet’s antique shop. How wonderful that she can spend her summer vacation there! But something is wrong in the store. Things disappear as if by magic, furniture that has just been wiped dusts up again in seconds, and there is an eerie number of clatter at night. However, her aunt acts as if this is completely normal. Mia, on the other hand, suspects that Harriet is hiding something from her—just like the question of who her birth parents are.

This book was so fun! I LOVE me a middle grade fantasy and this one was no exception. It was a tiny but spooky but not too scary, full of mystery, and love. I love getting lost in a good middle grade book and I think this one is lovely for middle grade kids! I highly recommend.

Thank you to @arctisbooksusa and @netgalley for the arc!
Pub date: 3/4/2025

Mia has no idea why there appear to be so many tensions in the relationship between her mother and her Aunt Harriet. Mia adores Harriet and is only too happy to be spending her summer with her aunt at her antique shop.

But there are things that Mia doesn't know about the shop. In fact, she doesn't know the *most important thing* about what Harriet is really up to. But she is about to find out...

This is a humorous and entertaining story with a good storyline featuring some very interesting characters. Recommended to those in search of a little light hearted fun, it wins an easy 3.5 stars.

Twelve year old Mia Jones is spending her summer holidays in London with her Aunt Harriet, which is a definite improvement on going to America with her adoptive parents to sell shoelaces! Harriet owns and runs Pandora’s Antiques, and Mia enjoys spending time there helping run the shop. This year, though, things seem a little different, and after being woken up in the middle of the night by unexplained noises, Mia discovers her family has a very big secret! As the holiday progresses, she finds herself able to converse with ghosts and invited to a 400th birthday party neith of which aren't even the strangest things to happen!

This is a joy of a book. There are some Americanisms which, as everything is set in England, are a little annoying, but the storyline itself is totally absorbing and Mia is an immediately likeable and positive main protagonist who I was rooting for from the start. Translated from German, I'm not sure if there are any future installments in the offing, but I would definitely read them if there were.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Arctis Books USA, but the opinions expressed are my own. A brilliant book, especially for younger readers who enjoy ghostly happenings.