88 Lime Street - The Way In by Denise Kirby

Omnibus Books, 2015. ISBN 9781742991009
(Age: 11-14) Ellen and her family have left their old life behind to move into a new house in a new town, and that means making new friends. When they first see their new house it seems to Ellen something isn't quite right, besides the fact it is such an old house, it's a maze of rooms and doors or lack of. There are two towers; one the children love to explore, the other they can't seem to find the door.
One afternoon exploring Ellen and her brother, Ben, find what looks like the plans to the house. Ellen can quite clearly see the secret door to the tower but Ben and no one else can. Then strange things start to happen, messages appear; there are threatening emails and a fountain in an overgrown garden fills up with water.
Is the house haunted? Is it trying to tell Ellen something? The other kids at school seem to think so and have fun bullying Ellen about it. But she won't give up trying to solve the riddle of the mysteries of 88 Lime Street. Time is of the essence!
I found 88 Lime Street quite easy to read and shouldn't be a problem for senior primary school students to become fully engrossed in. Denise Kirby has developed the characters well and the reader will have no problem feeling sympathy for Ellen as she has trouble settling into her new settings and dealing with the school bullies. I was quite surprised with how much I did enjoy this book, and the characters within it.
Jody Holmes