Review: The Clackity

Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2022. Fiction. 279 pgs.

12 year old Evie lives with her aunt in the 7th most haunted city in America (per capita). Her Aunt Desdemona is the local paranormal expert, so when strange things start happening at the abandoned slaughterhouse, Aunt Desdemona is determined to figure out what's going on. Evie is never supposed to go to the slaughterhouse, but worry for her aunt leads Evie there where she sees her Aunt taken by a shadowy figure with an eerie smile--the Clackity. Evie must save her aunt from an alternate reality filled with all kinds of danger and bring her back before the ghost of a serial killer can add them both to his list of victims.

Oooh, this was a fun one! Evie was so relatable in her fears and flaws, but also inspiring in her bravery and love for her Aunt. I loved the atmosphere of the whole book, especially the description of the 7 houses Evie has to traverse to find her Aunt and of course, of the Clackity. Fans of the supernatural and creepy won't want to miss this debut novel by Lora Senf.

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