The Ghost in the Third Row

The Return of a Beloved Ghost-Mystery Series!

When Nina (“Nine”) Tanleven earns a spot in a new musical to be mounted in Syracuse's beautiful-but-spooky Grand Theater, she expects that she will be in for a lot of fun and a lot of hard work. What she does not expect is that she will find a new best friend, the cheerful and funny Chris Gurley. Even more unexpected is the beautiful ghost that appears to both of them. Though the ghost seems friendly, soon mysterious and frightening events begin to pile up and most of the cast is convinced that the ghost is trying to sabotage the play. Nine and Chris don't believe it, and move into full detective mode to try to solve the mystery of the ghost in the third row. In doing so, they put themselves in greater danger than they could have imagined.

Fresh and funny, spooky and scary, the adventures of Nine and Chris as they work to save the show are pure reading pleasure.

©1987 Bruce Coville (P)1996 Recorded Books

Fun YA series

Generally, this series does a good job of integrating history into its mysteries via the backstory of the ghosts. The first book, though, is more typically a YA mystery with a ghost. It's engaging, but there's no actual history. I find the narrator's voice a bit grating, but the good characterizations make up for it.

A Family Classic

The Nina Tanleven books are some of my all time favorites, and this opener to the series is perfection! The mystery draws you in!