The House Where Nobody Lived

Since Brad Strickland took over the helm of the adventures of Lewis Barnavelt and co., which John Bellairs so lovingly created, we’ve visited magical islands and haunted operas, faced down foes from outer space and mundane evil wizards, and seen the cast of characters explore and conquer their fears, but as we reach the eleventh book in the series it seems that he hasn’t run out of exciting adventures for us yet! The tale begins with Lewis and Rose Rita accidentally stumbling across an abandoned house just outside of New Zebedee, but it is years (and many other magical adventures later) that they have to confront the spirits that are tied to this seemingly cursed property. When a new family moves into the house and their son is show more immediately targeted by the school bullies and the spirits haunting the property, Lewis uses his newfound bravery to befriend the boy and help save the family from the curse that has plagued their house for generations. Obviously Lewis and co. are no strangers to magic, but it takes some effort to convince Lewis’ new friend to believe him and some tricky manoeuvring to ensure that the adults in the situation stay none the wiser. The story is a classic light gothic adventure with a nice dose of mystery that Strickland paces well, but what I thought was most unique about this tale was his use of Hawaiian mythology to give it some magical flair. The islands in the Pacific Ocean are a far cry from the landlocked location of New Zebedee, so bringing together ocean-faring historical adventurers, an unexpected love story, and a jealous volcano goddess provide colourful imagery and a cultural dichotomy that definitely spices things up for Lewis! We only have one more book in the series left, and I’ll definitely be sad to see the end of the Barnavelt crew’s adventures, but I am equally excited to see what Strickland has in store for our magical adventurers - I’m sure he’s going to pull out all the stops for a big finale! show less

I am absolutely addicted to John Bellairs/Brad Strickland mysteries and am so sad that I seem to be almost at the end of the series!! I really think that I would write these types of books if I ever decided to write for children. Something about the 50's setting, the endearing characters, and the surprisingly complex, chilling mysteries is so different and so appealing.

When Lewis and his best friend Rose Rita stumble upon an abandoned and strange looking house they don't know that they about to be drawn into something quite sinister. Then they befriend David, a boy at school, and are drawn deeper into the mystery when they find out that David's family has just bought the house....the Hawaii House. As David's family is slowly being engulfed by the forces that reside in the house, Lewis and Rose Rita enlist the help of Uncle Jonathan and Mrs Zimmermann to try and save them. A great mystery book that boys or girls will love.

Lewis and Rose Rita have stumbled upon an empty, odd-looking house known as the Hawaii House. Strange things happen when they go near the house, such as seeing ghost warriors and hearing bone-chilling drum sounds. When they become friends with David, new boy in class, they discover that he and his parents have moved into the Hawaii House. With the help of Lewis's Uncle Jonathan, who is a wizard, and Mrs. Zimmerman, who is a witch, they plunge deeper into the scary happenings at the Hawaii House.

A great chapter book for those who love adventure, mystery, and solving puzzles.