The Whistle, the Grave, and the Ghost

After the slog of re-reading the Hobbit (sorry, not sorry, Tolkien), I needed a read that was guaranteed to be light, easy, and engaging throughout, so it was perfect timing that my interlibrary loan for the next novel in the Lewis Barnavelt series came in! I always enjoy visiting New Zebadee to see what new trouble Lewis has gotten himself into, but author Brad Strickland outdid himself with this adventure. He’s tackled ghosts, evil sorcerers, and cthonians from outer space before, and now he can check vampires off his mythical creatures list as Lewis discovers the tomb of the lamia in the woods outside of town and accidentally begins the process to awaken this deadly creature. Strickland plays a little loose with the vampire show more mythology, tying the life force of this undead woman to the priest who began her summoning centuries before with a magical whistle, but he uses enough of the traditional lore (blood, power promised to mortals for servitude, barred entry from thresholds, etc) to make this a fun riff on the genre. What I thought was most interesting in this narrative was that Strickland managed to tie the themes of power and temptation into the series in an unexpected way: by revisiting the themes around Lewis getting bullied (which have been light motifs since book 1), and using the lamia as a vehicle for giving him a negative and vengeful way to fight back. Of course, Lewis must learn to deal with his bullies in his own way, but his struggle to resist the lamia’s protection in exchange for his life force is one that adds great tension to the story and grounds it in realism. Lewis does triumph over the lamia in the end, with the help of his companions (another re-emerging theme of the strength of community), but it’s literally down to the final 10 pages before we get the final showdown - and it sure is a dramatic one! We’re almost done with the adventures of Lewis Barnavelt, with only 2 more books to go in the series, so I wonder what magical challenges Lewis and company will have to face down yet! show less

Lewis Barnavelt is at it again, and this time, during a camping trip, he finds a magic whistle that summons a lamia (an ancient vampire-type creature). As usual, he and his friend Rose Rita decide that it's best not to tell the adults about it because that always works out so well for them (yoicks). But, of course, it all works out in the end, with a nice little surprise twist along the way.
I've said it before but clearly that's not stopping me: I love this series because it's perfect for MG kiddos who like their stories just a little bit creepy but not actually scary. The characters are old friends and it's always fun to meet up with them again. Charlie continues to love the series, too.

The author of this mystery is clearly a serious and devoted fan of the Bellairs classics such as The House with a Clock in Its Walls and A Figure in the Shadows. The same recipe is used to pit orphaned Lewis and his friends Uncle Jonathan, Mrs. Zimmerman and Rose Rita against formidable and terrifying forces. Strickland’s continuation of the series proves to be just as capable as the original in disturbing the reader’s sleep patterns -- don’t start this one on an eve of an early morning obligation. [draft]