Kristy and the Haunted Mansion (M#9)

Original Publication Date: 1993

Ghostwriter? Yes, Ellen Miles

Synopsis:

The Krashers (a team of the best of Bart's Bashers and Kristy's Krushers) are together again for a game against a team in the town of Redfield, thirty miles away (how did they find out about this team?). There are four Bashers plus Buddy Barrett, Karen Brewer, Nicky Pike, Jackie Rodowsky, and David Michael Thomas. After winning a close game, they head home in a rainstorm (Nicky goes with his parents). A wrong turn here, a washed out bridge there, and before you know it they find themselves needing to stay overnight in a creepy mansion, let in by a creepier caretaker who lives in a small cottage on the property. Naturally, a mystery is afoot.

They find out this is the infamous Sawyer house, which is rumored to be haunted. Later, Karen finds an old diary belonging to a young woman who lived there a few decades ago, Dorothy. She was intending to run off and marry her beau, but decided she didn't want to live under any man's thumb, and simply disappeared. She was presumed dead. Eventually, the group discovers that the caretaker is the man she was going to marry, and that the Dorothy stayed close, eventually opening a sewing store near Stoneybrook. They find this out after getting back home. They go ask her if she's Dorothy, and she confirms, and says perhaps she'll go visit her old flame.

Yeah...she let everyone believe she was dead for decades and then thinks it'll be quaint to ring up her long-lost love. That should go well.


Established or continued in this book:

The Girls (and Logan):

Claudia candy: popcorn

Kristy is scared of lightning.

Kristy's pretty sure ghosts don't exist, which is about right: she's eschewed the idea for the most part in the past, but is less convinced when in weird situations.

Normally Claudia's outfits don't interest me too much (I know, sacrilege), but two have always stood out to me: her Ms. Frizzle get up that she wears in RS#40 and her tie-dye clothes that run in the rain. The latter is featured in this book.

Kristy likes anchovies.

Kristy thinks Stacey may be re-thinking her relationship with Sam.


Their Families:

Charlie remembers when Kristy was a baby.

Sam likes anchovies.


The Club:

How terrifying for Mrs. Barrett, to have Buddy lost again.


SMS: nothing new


PSA Time:

Maybe, when you're driving a bunch of people to place you've never been before, you should write down the actual street directions, so you know to turn left on 175 Street instead of at the rock wall with the vines on it.


Misc:

So far the Krashers have only appeared in mysteries.

I'm not entirely sure if it's legal for Charlie, at seventeen, to drive a van that seats twelve people. It seems like it shouldn't be allowed, but in Connecticut nearly twenty years ago, maybe.

One reason that Dorothy gives for running away is that she wants to travel before settling down. I understand that things were different in 1935 (when her story is set), but I usually don't understand when people make that excuse today. I married relatively young, at 21, and when I was engaged I remember someone in a position of authority asking, "Why are you rushing to get married now? Don't you want to go see the world?" I responded, "Yes. With him."


The numbers:

Starting 8th grade: 4

Halloweens in 8th grade: 2 (plus one in seventh)

Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 2

Summers after 8th grade: 3

BSC Fights: 8

SMS Staff and Faculty: 32

Students (other than the BSC): 98; 65 8th graders, 2 7th graders, 18 6th graders, 12 unspecified

Clients: 29

Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 73

Crushes:
Claudia-8
Stacey-8
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-1
Mallory-1