Gilda Joyce heads to San Francisco to find herself in the midst of a real-life ghost story involving her distant cousin Juliet.
I thought this was a very interesting little book. Gilda is one of those characters that you wish you had for a friend, even though she could drive you crazy sometimes. Juliet is that girl that appears perfect on the outside, but really needs a friend who doesn't care about perfection. It's fun watching the two of them learn how to be friends and work together to solve a mystery.
I also appreciated the way this book deals with a dead parent and the suicide of a relative. Instead of being a sad book, it's a book about moving on without forgetting. I think it would be useful to have in a library for those children who are starting to feel guilty because they aren't sad anymore. ( )

(MS-Humor) Gilda is the kind of girl we all knew, or knew of, in junior high. Her unabashed quirkiness and sense of purpose make her seem strong to others, but on the inside she as as insecure as everyone else and perhaps a bit lonelier. Gilda's attempts at psychic intrigue and detection are amusing and provide a comic relief as both Gilda and Juliet face real loss. This is a light, enjoyable, uncomplicated read. ( )

Reviews/Awards Source Date
Publisher's Weekly 1/1/2007
Horn Book Guide 1/1/2006
School Library Journal 7/1/2005
Booklist 5/1/2005 ( )

http://hollybooknotes.blogspot.com/20... ( )

I liked how spunky the main character was-it was also a pretty spooky mystery! ( )