ALA Booklist (Fri Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2010)

Twelve-year-old book lover Florence is thrilled to be leaving Miss Medleycoate's Home for Orphan Girls to live at Crutchfield Hall with her newly discovered great-aunt, great-uncle, and cousin James. Six months before, James' sister, Sophia, died in an accident, and Florence quickly discovers that Sophia's ghost is haunting Crutchfield to punish James for his part in her death. Sophia is full of malice and pride, and as she grows in strength, Florence fears for James' safety, yet she feels powerless to resist Sophia's control. As in every ghost story, readers must suspend disbelief to avoid being tripped up by the inexplicable (most notably, Sophia's ability to touch others and control their actions), but this short tale is a good choice for reluctant readers, especially girls. Just as she did in The Old Willis Place (2004) and countless others, Hahn once again creates a brooding atmosphere and a powerful, chilling ghost in a gothic mystery that explores family, the love of reading, and the dangers of revenge.

Horn Book

Florence, at first happy to leave the orphanage, soon senses that Something Is Not Right in Crutchfield Hall. This truly scary period tale is both rousing historical fiction and ghost story. The ghost is classic Hahn--a mean little girl made meaner in death--while Florence is the kind of heroine for whom readers will stick around to be sure things turn out all right.

Kirkus Reviews

Ever since her parents drowned in a boating accident when she was five, 12-year-old Florence has led a wretched life at Miss Medleycoate's Home for Orphan Girls in London. Now she has moved to Crutchfield Hall, her great-uncle's country estate, and surely life will be better there. But when she meets Great-Aunt Eugenie, every bit as sour as Great-Uncle Thomas is kind, Florence isn't so sure, especially when she meets up with the ghost of her cousin Sophia, who died the year before and who blames her passing on her brother James. Sophia is out for revenge, and Florence finds herself becoming a pawn in her evil game. Set in 1884, the tale has all of the trappings of a superb ghost story: the bitter relative, the invalid, the mysterious groundskeeper, a sprawling gothic mansion with lots of drafty old rooms, a likable protagonist and, of course, a ghost. Hahn is a master of the supernatural tale, and her legions of fans will revel in this chilling volume, reminiscent of Dickens and Poe. (Gothic fiction. 9-12)

School Library Journal (Sun Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2010)

Gr 4-6 Hahn hearkens back to the Gothic horror novels of the 19th century with her latest ghost story. Crutchfield Hall is a gloomy old place, but after spending seven years in Miss Medleycoate's dour orphanage, 12-year-old Florence can only assume her new life there will be an improvement. In addition to her genial great-uncle, the manor's residents consist of Florence's severe great-aunt, Eugenie; her invalid cousin, James; and a few servants. The accidental death of James's older sister, Sophia, is believed to have triggered his current indisposition. Sophia's ghost continues to haunt Crutchfield Hall both figuratively and, as Florence soon discovers, literally. Far from the angelic creature idolized by Eugenie, Sophia proves to be spiteful, manipulative, and determined to avenge her death. While Hahn's literary references (including Dickens and the Br&6;nte sisters) will likely go over the heads of the target age group, most kids will be too absorbed in the chilling atmosphere of the tale and Sophia's terrifying influence on the living world to care. A deliciously spine-tingling tale that even the most reluctant readers will enjoy. Christi Esterle, Parker Library, CO