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The In-Between

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By Rebecca K.S. Ansari
New York: Walden Pond Press, 2021. Fiction. 313 pgs.

Ever since his parents got divorced and his dad moved to San Diego to start a new family, 12-year-old Cooper is reluctant to let people in. He decides that it is better to be lonely than risk being hurt by someone -- so he pushes his friends, mother, and younger sister Jess, who is diabetic, away. Then one day a new boy named Gus shows up at school and Cooper is able to fall into an easy friendship with him. At around the same time, Jess convinces Cooper to solve the 100-year-old mystery of the Charfield railway disaster that seems to be mysteriously connected to Elena, their strange neighbor across the street. As Cooper and Jess are caught-up in a supernatural web of historical mysteries, they realize that disaster may be approaching their hometown of Chicago -- and they may be powerless to stop it.

This twisty, ghosty, eerie story is a perfectly complex mystery for middle grade readers. This is the type of book that is hard to talk about, because a memorable and surprising twist is one of the best parts of this tale. Middle grade fiction has exploded in recent years with scary stories featuring characters exploring tough psychological issues like grief, loss, and loneliness; and The In-Between falls perfectly in-step with favorites like Small Spaces, or City of Ghosts. A little bit scary and a little bit mysterious, Ansari manages to balance a fast-paced plot with excellent character development and exposition. Readers looking for a scary, well-written mystery with a surprising twist, need look no further.

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