Spirit Week

Gr 5-8–Elijah Jones has come to Estes Park, CO, to film a documentary about famed and reclusive author Jack Axworth, while Suzi has agreed to spend winter break tutoring Jack’s son. Neither knows the entire story—that Axworth has early-onset dementia and aims to leave the small town and the famed Underlook Hotel behind. It has become too much for his caretaker, Rena, to care for him. When Suzi and Elijah arrive at the hotel, they discover Jack’s plans to demolish it as he leaves town. Suzi is desperate to save the hotel because of all it means to the town, and she has one week to try to get it done. The creepy setting and ominous, dark tone of the book will have mystery readers hoping for more. The book’s plot takes a lot of twists and turns and is often confusing. The characters are not all consistent, and so many parts need to come together quickly. The dark colors and detailed panels add to the mood and tone of the book, but somehow it does not deliver the punch it needs. It takes too long to build up the plot and then rapidly wraps up.