Long-time friends Quinn and Kara find their friendship sorely tested when Kara's family moves to California and Quinn accompanies them on a road trip to their new home. An unexpected stop at a strange desert inn full of increasingly spooky disappearances reminds Quinn too vividly of how her younger sister, Emma, went missing earlier that year. When Kara's parents and brother appear to vanish, Quinn is determined to solve the inn's mystery. The employees have names that might tip off astute readers to the inn's real nature aron and Persephone, for instance. Eerie flashbacks to Emma's plight haunt Quinn, who catches glimpses of the little girl at the inn, but always in places she can't reach. In an attempt to escape, the girls face increasing terror subbasement of horror and a flight across a scorching landscape that further tests the way Quinn and Kara are linked. For readers who enjoy being scared silly, this will fit the bill while also providing them with a thought-provoking ending.

During a trip, Quinn, her best friend Kara, and Kara's family stop at the mysterious Inn Between. In the morning, Kara's parents have disappeared, stranding the girls at the inn, and strange, spooky happenings convince them that they are in danger. Readers who like their stories scary--but not too scary--will enjoy the blend of mystery and understated horror.

Gr 5-8 Eleven-year-old best friends Quinn and Kara are taking one last trip together before Kara and her family move away. The whole family are shaken after their car spins off the road when a blinding light appears out of nowhere. They decide they need to stop for the night, and, luckily, a hotel, the Inn Between, is close by. Staffed by a friendly receptionist, Persephone; an elevator operator named Sharon; and a forceful doorman, Aides, this eerie inn is conveniently located in the Mojave Desert. Quinn gets an ominous feeling as soon as she crosses the threshold. Her apprehensions are justified when Kara's parents and brother go missing. Stuck in a labyrinthlike hotel hallway, the two friends are desperate to reunite with Kara's family and find a way out. Situated directly on the border of California, the Inn Between represents the challenging transitions Quinn is facing. She is so resistant to change that she physically binds herself to Kara using a friendship bracelet. Many readers will relate to losing a friend, but here the pain of letting go is more acute because of Quinn's past. This book is a fast-paced mystery that uses frequent flashbacks to heighten tension. Glimpses into her backstory reveal Quinn's terrible mistake and its repercussions. Several black-and-white illustrations are included; however, the pictures appeal to a much younger audience and belie the dark themes that are present. VERDICT A suspenseful mystery with darker themes making it suitable for an upper elementary to middle school audience. Jocelyn Charpentier, Brooklyn Public Library, NY