The Haunting of Riverside Academy – Book Review
by Justin Owens and Miles Reed
Book 1 of 2: Evelyn Cross Mystery Series
There’s simply something about a scary boarding school that works every time. The old buildings, the closed-off passageways, the mysteries the adults won’t explain, and that feeling that something is just plain wrong under all that ivy. The Haunting of Riverside Academy dives into this environment, offering a fascinating, creepy mystery for middle grade readers who appreciate a bit of gloom with their detective work.
It’s the introduction to the Evelyn Cross Mystery series. And it’s currently on Amazon in paperback, audiobook, Kindle, and Kindle Unlimited. Let’s talk about it!
Miles Reed is twelve years old and already uneasy when he gets to Riverside Academy, and it doesn’t take long for the school to confirm his instincts right. A girl is crying for help at his window, a classmate vanishes from a locked room in the middle of the day, and Riverside is full of more than just regular school drama. The fundamental mystery has a wonderful hook: a haunted school, hidden truths, and a teenage protagonist forced to choose bravery while afraid.
It’s easy to root for Miles, because he’s not a fearless guy. He hates being in a strange and dangerous place, yet he keeps on. That modest kind of fortitude gives the story heart along with its creepiness. Young sleuth fans will particularly love seeing him put the pieces together before the threat comes any closer.
The ghostly academy setting is the real star here. Riverside feels like it was made for late-night reading, with its spooky windows, disturbing secrets, and the feeling that the past is very much alive within its walls. The mystery is what drives the plot, and the supernatural undertones add just enough excitement for younger horror aficionados.
The Haunting of Riverside Academy is a fantastic beginning to the Evelyn Cross Mystery series. A terrific selection for aficionados of creepy schools, ghostly incidents, bold children in impossible situations, and mysteries that get stranger the more you dig into them. If you’re looking for a middle-grade mystery with shivers, heart, and a school you wouldn’t want to visit after dark, this one’s worth adding to the list.