Ghost Club: A Transylvanian tale by Deborah Abela

Random House Australia, 2013. ISBN 9781742758534. 210 pages; p/b. (Ages: 8+)
Children's author, Deborah Abela, has published a large number of books in recent years, is the recipient of many awards, and is highly sought after for speaking tours and workshops.
Deborah Abela has a passion; she loves writing about ghosts. Her latest book, Ghost Club: A Transylvanian Tale is from her 'slightly spooky' Ghost Club series. From its first page, younger readers will find themselves in the midst of ghostly mayhem, and will once again meet up with 'the kids that take care of the mess'.
The ghost club kids, Angeline and Edgar, are as usual, in hot pursuit of ghosts. The latest ghost club member to join them in their quest is Dylan, but he is having trouble accepting that he really wants to be a ghost-catcher. It's okay for Angeline and Edgar who have been spectral gazing for the past four years, but Dylan has been having nightmares of ravaging wolves and sharp-toothed vampires, and when he finds himself travelling to Transylvania to the annual Ghost Club Convention, he is more than just a little nervous. The only factor that brings him a small amount of happiness is that Angeline will be there too.
At the convention there is a glittering array of new ghost catching inventions, disturbing accidents, and to top it all off, a very determined ghostly presence. Surprisingly, it is nervous Dylan who is noticing that things are not as they should be. When unexplained accidents start to happen, it seems someone at the convention might be harbouring a terrible secret. Will the truth be revealed before the convention is over?
For children who enjoy a ghostly mystery, Deborah Abela's latest entertaining tale in her Ghost Club series, will offer up many more ghostly hours of reading. Her uncomplicated prose and straightforward plot development, makes this book suitable for girls and boys, ages 8+ years.
Colleen Tuovinen