Starred Review The authors of the Adventures Guild series unearth something frightful in their new middle-grade series. Known as one of America's most haunted cities, the seaside town of New Rotterdam is no stranger to unexplained disappearances. Protagonist Emrys Houtman has recently moved to the area, and he counts himself lucky to find camaraderie with Hazel and her curt friend Serena, apartment neighbors who share his passion for horror. Emrys and Hazel bond over "The Doomsday Archives" page of the New Rotterdam Wiki Project, where they log all unnatural events occurring in town. When the kids inspect unusual activity in their upstairs complex, they discover a talking, anthropodermic book that transports them into another realm of supernatural relics. They are given the chance to join the Order of the Azure Eye and prevent disappearances involving an ominous, blood-red hourglass. Only time will tell if this trio possesses the confidence and strength to stop these disturbances before others disappear. Clark and Eliopulos expertly build heart-pounding suspense by intercutting the story's action with illustrations and wiki entries on past supernatural occurrences, formatted to resemble Wikipedia pages. The book champions accept each others' quirks and weirdness, which will resonate with anyone who's struggled to fit in. A superb choice for fans of Jonathan Stroud's Lockwood & Co. series, Tom Booth's Eerie-on-Sea books, and creepypastas.

Three kids gain access to magic in a fight against their town's evil underbelly.New Rotterdam has so many strange occurrences that it has its own wiki to keep track of them. Emrys is new to town and delighted to live in one of America's Most Haunted Cities. He resides in the same apartment building as Hazel, his old camp friend, who shares his interest in all things spooky, and Hazel's friend Serena, who does not. All three, however, are equally fascinated with their reclusive penthouse neighbor, Mr. Van Stavern. One night, they find his apartment trashed and him trapped within the pages of a grimoire. Mr. Van Stavern inducts the trio into the Order of the Azure Eye-a group dedicated to protecting occult relics-and gives them access to the Blue Reliquary, a magical space holding those items. And just in time, because people are disappearing in New Rotterdam, and Emrys, Hazel, and Serena are the only ones who can stop the evil forces at work. The wiki framing is clever, providing readers with background information and mirroring how many tweens would begin their own research. Legitimately scary scenes resolve quickly, with resolutions driven by the kids' strengths and actions. A big reveal at the end promises exciting developments in future installments. Emrys and Hazel are white; Serena, who has dads who are Black and Dominican, is Black.An engaging start to a promising new series. (Horror. 8-12)

A terrifying local legend tests the mettle of a resolute trio of sixth graders in the first installment of this grisly horror series by Loran Clark (The Lock-Eater) and Eliopulos (the Minecraft Stonesword Saga). Emrys is excited to move to New Rotterdam despite the town’s gloomy atmosphere; after all, it’s a “hot spot for urban legends,” and the home of his best friend Hazel, a fellow creepypasta fanatic and cataloger of New Rotterdam lore on the town’s active wiki. Though he feels like a third wheel around Hazel’s childhood friend and cryptid skeptic Serena, Emrys champions teamwork when a power outage prompts the middle schoolers to investigate a shadowy neighbor’s ruined apartment, from which they’re hurled into another dimension embroiled in a conflict between two opposing magical organizations. Guided by a deadpan talking spell book, the friends confront a demonic hourglass named The Wandering Hour that spells gruesome doom for anyone who gazes upon it. This dark plot-driven adventure, sprinkled with insightful New Rotterdam wiki entries, winking humor, and heaps of horror sensibilities, is unsettlingly creepy. Emrys and Hazel are white, and Serena is Black. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8–12. Agent: (for Loran Clark) Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erin Murphy Literary; (for Eliopulos) Josh Adams, Adams Literary. (Jan.)