X Marks the Haunt
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- Pre-Order
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- Expected Jan 6, 2026
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Mystery of Locked Rooms, when a centuries old crypt key is lost—unleashing a dark force—it’s up to the son of the local crypt keeper to end the haunting for good.
"Follow the clues to X Marks the Haunt for a spookily good mystery!"—Alan Gratz, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Heroes
Thanks to his mother’s job at a local graveyard, twelve-year-old Will Stone has some unique talents. For one, he knows exactly how a burial vault works and why they’re used. For another, he’s great at genealogy and can decode centuries old records. Not your normal every day after school activities, that’s for sure!
But when a centuries old crypt key is lost, his normally peaceful existence at Graceland cemetery is shattered. Trees wither and die. The lake becomes covered with a sinister green slime that threatens to choke out anything living in it. And suddenly, the graveyard’s reputation isn’t the only thing in jeopardy . . . Will and his friends' safety is, too.
Suddenly, Will is forced to consider that the lost key might be an even bigger problem than he originally thought. A dark force has been unleashed within the cemetery gates, and along with his friends Stash, Michelle, and Henry, Will must use his unique skill set to figure out which restless spirit is draining the graveyard of life, and how to end the haunting for good.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
An imagined version of Chicago's historic Graceland Cemetery provides the backdrop for an eerie adventure in this captivating ghost story by Currie (The House with No Keys). Twelve-year-old Will Stone is an expert on all things relating to Graceland, where his mother works as the executive director. An aspiring genealogist and cemeterian, Will spends his free time exploring Graceland's grounds, studying the archives, and paying his respects to new arrivals. When several classmates sneak into the cemetery at night, Will reluctantly aids them in hopes of mitigating any mischief. But when, following the excursion, an irreplaceable mausoleum key vanishes, Graceland's trees start dying, the lake dries up, and a ghostly woman begins haunting Will. To set things right and save the cemetery, Will must determine the identity of the restless spirit and recover the lost key. The protagonist's dedication to respecting and honoring the dead, and to appeasing the source of Graceland's problems, gives the novel an intimate feel, positioning empathy and kindness as powerful traits, and resulting in an appealing offering for those seeking thrills and chills sans excess gore or violence. Major characters cue as white. Ages 8–12.
