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The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall

by Mary Downing Hahn (Goodreads Author)

3.88 of 5 stars 3.88 · rating details · 1,435 ratings · 316 reviews

When twelve-year-old Florence boards the crowded horse-drawn coach in London, she looks forward to a new life with her great uncle and aunt at Crutchfield Hall, an oldmanor house in the English countryside.Anything will be better,she thinks, than the grim London orphanage where she has lived since her parents' death.
But Florence doesn'texpect the ghost of her cousin Sophi...more

Hardcover, 160 pages

Published September 6th 2010 by Clarion Books

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Mar 28, 2013 Kathy added it

Shelves: king-s-korner

The Ghost of Cruchfield Hall

Written by: Mary Downing Hahn

Review by: Ashley Kelley

The Ghost of Cruchfield Hall takes place in 1884. It all starts when Florence Cruchfield gets adopted by her uncle and moves to his house called Cruchfield Hall. She was an orphan because her parents died in a boating accident when she was five.When she first got there she was warmly greeted by her sweet uncle. But automaticly hated by her aunt for no reason. Her uncle told her that her cousin James was upstairs...more The Ghost of Cruchfield Hall

Written by: Mary Downing Hahn

Review by: Ashley Kelley

The Ghost of Cruchfield Hall takes place in 1884. It all starts when Florence Cruchfield gets adopted by her uncle and moves to his house called Cruchfield Hall. She was an orphan because her parents died in a boating accident when she was five.When she first got there she was warmly greeted by her sweet uncle. But automaticly hated by her aunt for no reason. Her uncle told her that her cousin James was upstairs but was sick so she was not allowed to see him. She also had a cousin named Sophia but she died at the young age of twelve.She expected her new life to be a dream come true. But it was a nightmare come true. One day when she was out in the garden she heard someone say, “try to find me.” She knew someone was there. She felt a shiver up her spine.She looked all around expecting it to be her housekeeper Nellie but when she got inside with bruises on her face from falling on branches trying to find the voice, Nellie was in there working the whole time. Then when she was wandering through the house she found a box with dolls and dresses. She felt another shiver up her spine and the feeling of her being watched. Then she Said, “is that you Sophia?” She heard a giggle, “it’s a game,” said Sophia. So there was proof. She was alive. She rose from the dead. Then when she was in her bedroom looking at the dress she found in the attic she saw her. Sophia was there. Her hair in a ribbon and her face,drab. She told Florence to wear the dress and meet James. She followed her orders and met james. Sophia could not enter because there was a charm to keep away evil. And she was evil.When Florence first walked in the door without knocking James through books at her face. She looked like Sophia. When he ran out of books he noticed it was not his sister. It was Florence. They talked, they both saw Sophia. And James said “I killed her.” Then forcing Florence to get out she was in shock. Then Sophia reappeared.She forced her to got to the garden. They built a snowman. Sophia got coal and instead of making the snowman have a happy face she made it sad. Then Sophia got so angry she wanted to kill james. So she forced Florence to take off the charm so she could enter James room. She forced James out of the bed and brought him to an attic. She climbed out the window with James. While Florence was behind her trying to stop her. They went on the roof and Sophia said “ I did not deserve to die you did. You made a promise and you never kept it and once I kill you I can live again.” What happened was a year ago Sopia dared james to walk across the roof. James said he would do it if she went first. She walked across and made it. Then James went and got scared so he tried to retreat and run. Sophia tried to catch him but he pushed her away and she fell off the roof and died. “Now lets see who deserved to die.” Sophia walked across fine. James slowly walked step in front of step then ran. Sophia once again tried to catch him and he pushed her and she fell. But she was not over yet. The dead can not re-die. Then Sophia reappeared when Florence was alone. She started crying saying she was never loved and James was always number one and she was invisible. When James and Florence were having tea Florence had a vision of Sophia going into her grave.Then six months passed and there was one big happy family. The aunt that hated Florence moved,James was no longer ill and there was no more haunting. And Florence was the loving sister that James never had.(less)

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Oct 16, 2012 Emily Theroux rated it 5 of 5 stars

I thought that this was a good book. I finished it in two days becouse it was so good and I just couldnt stop reading. In this book a girl named Florence is an orphan, and then her uncle takes her in. At her new home she finds out that her cousin Sophia died not to long ago. Then she finds that her cousin James is sick and she cant even go into his room. Then she starts to see Sophia even though she is dead. Sophia tells Florence that she can wear her old dress and she even does her hair, then...more

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Mar 06, 2012 Anna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, ya

Let's get this out of the way first: The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall is a very short book. My copy comes in at 153 pages with sizable margins, making it a very quick, tightly-crafted read. The story is, at times, understated, relying heavily on atmosphere to create tension, true to the older stories it pays tribute to. The book actually makes references to some of them, and while these references will likely fly over the head of the YA audience it's marketed to (or, more truthfully, middle-grade),...more

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Jan 06, 2012 Shweta rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: scared-the-daylights-out-of-me, ya-paranormal

This book had loads of horror elements and I most certainly don't mean it was an out and out horror fest but it had it's REALLY scary moments . I know what you must be thinking there,'It's a ghost story dim wit , it's supposed to be scary' But this is a genre I don't read very often. So it was definitely out of my comfort zone. Yet I think I was able to enjoy this book.

I took me 2 hours to finish . For a ghost story , it was quite interesting and had really intriguing characters.In such a short...more

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Dec 23, 2011 Joshua Davis rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Zach

Recommended to Joshua by: Saleema

Shelves: fiction

This is a classic ghost story about a young orphan Florence who struggles to transition from an orphanage in the city, to a large house in the country. The house is owned by her great aunt and uncle. Her uncle is overjoyed to have a new member of the family and treats her with kindness. Her aunt still cries about Sophia's death and is always comparing Florence to Sofia. The last member of the house is a young boy by the name of James. He is Florance's cousin and is very sick. He has never left h...more

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Dec 11, 2011 Lauren Fidler rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: abusive-relationships, authority-problems, books-i-can-read-in-under-3-hours, close-your-eyes-do-it-for-england, convoluted-plot, dysfunctional-family-drama, girl-detective, ghosties, new-school-gothic-19th-century, show-me-on-the-poppett, young-adult-fiction-secret-shame, wish-it-were-better, seester-seester, paging-mary-lennox

i love mary downing hahn for creating my most favorite childhood book wait till helen comes and was hoping to begin gathering some of her other efforts for fiona's library, but this one is just disappointing.

imagine, if you will, The Secret Garden, Turn of the Screw, Jane Eyre, and the last scene from the movie Carrie and you'll pretty much have this one all taken care of.

there is nothing new under the sun, but there is at least some effort, usually, in masking it. here, we have the story of flo...more

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Jul 26, 2011 Cindy added it · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens-reads

This book is set during the 19th Century in England. The book opens in a truly scary fashion. The story begins with a stormy night and a very creepy looking old house. Florance is a orphan living under the care of Miss Medeycoate’s and then she discovers she has a great uncle and great aunt who live in Crutchfeild Hall. Her uncle sends for her and is delighted to have her staying with them, but the aunt is not. Florance looks a lot like her cousin Sophia who died in a tragic accident. She also d...more

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Jun 20, 2011 Charlyn Trussell rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, ghost-story, sibling-rivalry, horror

Hahn isn't a stranger to readers of ghost stories but in this books she tells an English manor ghost story. Young Florence has spent most of her life in a home for orphaned girls but an unknown great-uncle has traced her whereabouts and wishes her to come live with him at Crutchfield Hall. Florence looks forward to leaving the austerity of the home, but Crutchfield Hall does not welcome here as she'd envisaged. Arriving in a rainstorm and having had to walk a good ways from the road to the manor...more

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Dec 02, 2010 Beverly rated it 2 of 5 stars

Twelve-year-old orphan, Florence is looking forward to leaving Miss Medley’s orphanage to start her new life with her aunt and uncle at Crutchfield Hall. It’s bound to be an improvement over the orphanage. Yet though her uncle is genial enough, the rest Crutchfield Hall is a rather gloomy place inhabited by her uncle, an irritable aunt, James, her ailing cousin, and a ghost. The ghost is James’ sister Sophia. Sophia hunts Crutchfield after her accidental death. Sophia, spoiled, selfish, and crue...more

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Oct 26, 2010 Lawral added it

Shelves: arc, middle-grade

Mary Downing Hahn was the author of my childhood nightmares. Her books, especially Wait Till Helen Comes, terrified be as a child. The only time in my entire life that my mother limited the content of my reading was to not allow me to read her Hahn's books after dark.

It was with this background that I picked up The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall, expecting to be scared. And I wasn't. It's not that I'm so grown-up now or so desensitized by years of scary books and movies that I hadn't been in late el...more

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Sep 27, 2010 Jen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Twelve-year old orphan, Florence Crutchfield, is plucked from her home at Miss Medleycoate’s School for Girls and sent to live with her father’s long-lost uncle at Crutchfield Hall. Florence is certain that she will be happier with her uncle, his sister and his great-nephew, James, but soon learns that she was wrong. Though she feels kindness from her uncle, Florence’s great-aunt, Eugenie, despises her. Eugenie is still in mourning for James’ “perfect” sister Sophia, who almost died a year befor...more Twelve-year old orphan, Florence Crutchfield, is plucked from her home at Miss Medleycoate’s School for Girls and sent to live with her father’s long-lost uncle at Crutchfield Hall. Florence is certain that she will be happier with her uncle, his sister and his great-nephew, James, but soon learns that she was wrong. Though she feels kindness from her uncle, Florence’s great-aunt, Eugenie, despises her. Eugenie is still in mourning for James’ “perfect” sister Sophia, who almost died a year before and takes her anger out on Florence. Florence is also not permitted to see James, who is too sickly for visitors.

It soon becomes apparent that there is another resident of Crutchfield Hall…the ghost of Sophia. Sophia begins making Florence do her bidding and seems to exact an odd control over her. It is Sophia’s ultimate goal to recreate the scene of her death and have someone else perish in her place. She believes that this act will allow her to take her rightful place among the living.

Review: I absolutely think that Mary Downing Hahn is one of the best authors out there for students in the middle grades; her stories are fast-paced and spooky with well-developed characters. I have given her books to many a reluctant book-hopper with great success. These books spread like wildfire through my classroom, and I can never keep them on the shelves.

The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall does not disappoint! While it is a bit different than her other ghost stories (typically set in more modern times), the elements that draw kids in are all there. I loved her description of the ghost of Sophia. Sophia had once been a very beautiful, but rotten, child. When she appears to Florence, she is still cruel and controlling but her beauty has faded. Hahn writes, “She wore a stained white silk dress, and her dainty slippers were muddy. What was left of her dark hair was dull and sparse. Her face was narrow and pale, her skin stretched tightly over her skull. Dark shadows ringed her eyes. Her teeth were brown. She smelled of earth and mold.” Just enough eww factor for middle grade readers!

The story picks up momentum quickly as Florence questions others about Sophia and if the presence of her ghost was possible. Kindly house servants support Florence as she works to protect James from Sophia’s wrath. The final climax, a show down between James, Florence and Sophia, is taut with tension and excitement. Both the characters of James and Florence show courage and a level of independence not seen typically from children in this period of history.

In the novel, Florence is an avid reader, which I love! However, middle grade readers may not be familiar with the Bronte sisters, Thackeray’s Vanity Fair or Edgar Allen Poe. If I were to give this book to a student, I would be sure to provide some brief background information about the time period and the authors/books mentioned in the novel. Additionally, this is not the first Mary Downing Hahn book I would give a student, unless he or she specifically asked for historical fiction. The dialect of the servants, more formal style of language or the time period might turn off some younger readers. I would recommend Wait Till Helen Comes or Deep, Dark and Dangerous first to whet the student’s appetite for the wonderfulness that is Mary Downing Hahn and then follow those up with her other novels, including this one.

I continue to be a huge Mary Downing Hahn supporter and loved this most recent book, The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall.(less)

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Sep 18, 2010 An Abundance of Books rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: elementary-middle-grades-books

This book is targeted to 9-12 year olds, and I think that's a good audience for the story.
Set in 19th century England, readers are introduced to Florence right away as she travels to Crutchfield Hall to live with a great aunt and uncle she never knew about. Florence had been living in a London orphanage since she was 5 years old, and was excited about having a family. She was sad to hear that of her two cousins, Sophia had died in an accident and her younger brother James was too sickly to play....more This book is targeted to 9-12 year olds, and I think that's a good audience for the story.
Set in 19th century England, readers are introduced to Florence right away as she travels to Crutchfield Hall to live with a great aunt and uncle she never knew about. Florence had been living in a London orphanage since she was 5 years old, and was excited about having a family. She was sad to hear that of her two cousins, Sophia had died in an accident and her younger brother James was too sickly to play. Despite this disappointment, she was very happy to be getting away from the orphanage. The description of the coach ride and the her walk to the house was wonderful and gave a sense of how new and overwhelming the wide open spaces were for the London-bred Florence. Once at Crutchfield Hall, the book seems very similar to The Secret Garden: the uncle who is always away, the sickly cousin who doesn't want to be seen, and a gardener and young maid whom Florence befriends. Her great aunt is an angry old woman who is just terrible to Florence. She had loved the sour Sophia and sees Florence as trying to replace her. The book is pretty much filled with stock characters, but they were well written. Once Florence figures out that Sophia's ghost is haunting Crutchfield Hall, the book takes on a break-neak pace. As an older reader, I felt the story moved ridiculously fast, but I know that my third graders would appreciate the pace of the story.

I felt that the ending of the story was a bit...flat. And tidy. Sophia was such a mean and awful ghost, but when her original plan to come back to life failed, she just gave up. That didn't really seem like Sophia's style. And as I said above, the ending was very tidy. But again, when I think of my third grade students, I don't think they would mind a book that moved quickly and was nicely wrapped up at the end. The cover is also fantastic and will grab a lot of attention.

I did like the vocabulary and description in this book, and think it would be a good book to read out loud (to a class or to your own children). I think this is the type of ghost story that will suck in young readers. There were some references to older authors and books that some kids might not be familiar with, but I hope would spark their interests.

I have read better books for this age level, certainly, but this one wasn't bad. I think the quality of description, the vocabulary used, and the literary references are great for young readers. I didn't like the super fast pace or the super tidy ending, but I think the book's young target audience of 9-12 year olds will. I will be buying this book for the elementary library, and will definitely recommend it to teachers as a good read aloud book. I will admit that this is the first of Downing Hahn's books that I have read, even though I've got a few of her books in the library. I'm going to check those out as soon as I get back.(less)

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Aug 10, 2010 Molly Jo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blogged-books

Set in 1884 London, The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall opens with Florence learning that she has recently been found by her only living relatives. Florence arrives at Crutchfield Hall with high hopes and scant information regarding her family. For me, Florence is a combination of Anne Shirley and Mary Lennox: an orphan with an active imagination who loves to read, sent to live in an old mansion with a cousin she's not permitted to visit. In place of Matthew and Marilla, or a reclusive uncle, we have...more Set in 1884 London, The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall opens with Florence learning that she has recently been found by her only living relatives. Florence arrives at Crutchfield Hall with high hopes and scant information regarding her family. For me, Florence is a combination of Anne Shirley and Mary Lennox: an orphan with an active imagination who loves to read, sent to live in an old mansion with a cousin she's not permitted to visit. In place of Matthew and Marilla, or a reclusive uncle, we have a great aunt and uncle who show an interest in Florence's life. However, instead of warm fuzzies, love, and a waiting garden, we have a ghost worthy of Edgar Allan Poe.

Cousin Sophia died just less than a year prior to Florence's arrival, and the remaining cousin, James, is reportedly too sick to leave his room or receive guests. Uncle Thomas welcomes Florence with open arms, while Aunt Eugenie, obsessed with Sophia's memory, takes an immediate dislike to the new addition. With Florence's aunt constantly comparing her to Sophia, speaking the name of the dead truly invites her back into their midst.

This was the first book by Mary Downing Hahn that I've read and I really enjoyed her style. The narrative draws you into the story very quickly and keeps you interested. I was amazed at the author's ability to change to pace and mood of the story with the turn of a page. At times, the reader is able to relax into the story only to become wrapped up in the frantic emotions of Florence. I really do mean frantic! That was the only word I could think of to describe how I felt during the more tense moments in the book. Mary Downing Hahn did an excellent job portraying the emotions and fear of the characters. It makes for a very effective reading experience.

After becoming so involved with Florence and the story unfolding, I began to feel disappointed in what I thought was going to be a rather anticlimactic ending. I was very wrong. The author grabs you again before she wraps up the story, and leaves you with a delicious ending.(less)

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Jul 18, 2010 Margo Tanenbaum rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, 19th-century, ghosts

Mary Downing Hahn, best known for her scary ghost stories for young people, will be sure to please her many fans with her newest creepy tale, The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall, which will be released in September.

In this new novel, set in 19th century England, we meet ten-year old Florence Crutchfield, who has been living in a London orphanage since her parents died when she was five and no relatives came forward to claim her. But, surprise! After five years a great uncle surfaces, who invites her...more Mary Downing Hahn, best known for her scary ghost stories for young people, will be sure to please her many fans with her newest creepy tale, The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall, which will be released in September.

In this new novel, set in 19th century England, we meet ten-year old Florence Crutchfield, who has been living in a London orphanage since her parents died when she was five and no relatives came forward to claim her. But, surprise! After five years a great uncle surfaces, who invites her to live with him, his unmarried sister, Eugenie, and her cousin James. In classic gothic tale fashion, Eugenie arrives at Crutchfield Hall after being soaked by a violent rainstorm. Eugenie's first impression of the house is not a positive one:
Below me was a gloomy stone house, grim and unwelcoming, its windows dark and lifeless...a writer like Miss Emily Bronte would have been entranced by its Gothic appearance, but I hung back again, suddenly apprehensive of what might await me behind those towering walls.
Although her uncle is kind to her, her aunt takes an immediate dislike to Florence, who bears an unfortunate resemblance to her cousin Sophia, who died in a mysterious accident some time before. With a nod and a wink to The Secret Garden, we learn that Florence's cousin James is so sickly that he never leaves his room, and Florence is forbidden to visit him.

All is not well in Crutchfield Hall, and before Florence is even there for a day, she has a strange sensation that someone is watching her. "A chill raced up and down my spine, and my scalp prickled." Although her uncle insists that ghosts do not exist, Florence becomes more and more convinced that Crutchfield Hall haunted by the ghost of her cousin Sophia. And what does the ghost want from Florence?

Florence soon discovers that Sophia is not the ideal child her aunt recreates, but rather an evil spirit who wants someone else to die in her place! Can she bend Florence to her will, and force her to help her in her devious plans?

It is easy to see after reading this story why Mary Downing Hahn's books have sold over 2 million copies and have received more than forty child-voted state awards. She manages to create a spine-tingling atmosphere without the novel becoming too frightening for the 8-12 year old crowd. And you have to love the deliciously macabre cover, of a photograph of two young children (James and Sophia, we assume) in Victorian garb, with Sophia's face obscured by a splash of blood. Scary stories are perennially popular with kids, and this quick read is perfect for reluctant readers as well as fans of ghost stories.
(less)

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Jun 10, 2010 Lydia Presley rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, fiction, young-adult, thriller

This was a very short (132 pages) ghost story that had quite a few tried-and-true methods of scaring the living bejeebus out of a person like me. Recently I've been diving into the more tame horror novels and all I can say is I'm glad I read this one in the light of day.

The story begins with a setting very similar to The Secret Garden. Girl (Florence) arrives at a creepy large house, taken in by her older Aunt and Uncle and has a sick boy cousin hidden away in his room. The similarities really e...more

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Jun 07, 2010 Donna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-bitten

This truly is a much more traditional Victorian ghost story and I loved it! While it very much carried a Secret Garden element do it with the sickly brother never coming out of his room, that's pretty much where the similarities end.

Florence is stuck in a conundrum, having left her friends at the orphanage to be alone in an old house with a rather doting uncle and an aunt that hates her, not to mention a cousin she never sees and a dead cousin that won't leave her alone. She has no one to compla...more This truly is a much more traditional Victorian ghost story and I loved it! While it very much carried a Secret Garden element do it with the sickly brother never coming out of his room, that's pretty much where the similarities end.

Florence is stuck in a conundrum, having left her friends at the orphanage to be alone in an old house with a rather doting uncle and an aunt that hates her, not to mention a cousin she never sees and a dead cousin that won't leave her alone. She has no one to complain to and she can't tell her orphanage friends for fear of them thinking she's ungrateful. So what's she to do? Sophia, her tragically dead cousin, won't leave her alone and no one will speak of the horrible cold corners and whispers and laughter. They say it's all in her imagination although they seem very frightened of it.

While the story didn't have me jumping, it certainly had a creep factor to it and for a moment (or maybe even longer), I didn't know how it was going to end. I hate it when I can see the ending coming and with this book, I certainly couldn't. Not really. Hahn leaves puncture wounds in the plot that round out the whole of the story, but there may be a string or two left behind that someone may have forgotten.

Under Sophia's power no one has the ability to control themselves. She controls anyone she wants; it's a power she's always wanted and almost nearly had in life. Sophia's a nasty piece of work and even with the revelation at the end, it's difficult to sympathize with her, which I think is the point. She is a selfish, horrible little girl that was more than willing to sacrifice others for her own means. Aunt is the same way. How she treats Florence is abhorrent and it's hard to NOT sympathize with the poor girl. Years after living in an orphanage and the first place she can call home has someone belittling her every chance they get. How warm!

Even the secondary characters were full of life for how little they showed on the pages. The groundskeeper with his superstitions and the housemaids with their passive yet adamant defense of Florence; it's an awesome cast of characters. Really Aunt and Sophia balance it all out in their wickedness, creating an atmosphere of not only fear but destitution and loneliness. Plus I brewed up some truly horrible images when it was described how the dead Sophia looked. I couldn't help but think of the drawing on one of the Scary Stories books. You know which one I'm talking about. Truly frightening!

If you're looking for a good spook, definitely pick up The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall. It's an old-fashioned ghost story with a modern edge that'll add more fuel to the 'what happens after we die?' fire, for sure.(less)

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Dec 19, 2012 Arthistorychick rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: novella, young-adult, middle-grade

The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall is a short novel by award-winning author Mary Downing Hahn. This classic ghost story is a quick and easy read that is appropriate for even the youngest of young adult readers or wimpy adults such as me. Hahn creates a creep-tastic plot that unfolds within in the walls of Crutchfield Hall just outside of London.
When twelve-year-old Florence is taken in by her uncle she thinks life is finally taken a turn for the better. The only problem with Florence’s sunny new fut...more

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Oct 26, 2011 Newport Librarians rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ms-kathy, ya-fiction

Halloween's just around the corner and what better way to get ready than by reading a spine-tingling g-h-o-s-t story? Mary Downing Hahn's creepy, well-written tale involves a dead twelve-year-old girl, her sickly brother, and their young cousin Florence, who has just come from Miss Medleycoate's Home for Orphan Girls to live at Crutchfield Hall. From the moment she descends the steps of the London coach and stands in the wind in front of Crutchfield's gates, Florence senses the foreboding that p...more

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Jan 29, 2011 Andrea Guy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads, netgalley, quick-reads, young-adult, ebook

The Ghost Of Crutchfield Hall is a story for tween set, but the tell is told well enough for mom's and dads and anyone else to enjoy. It is a typical gothic ghost story set in the 19th century, complete with an orphan girl, who is a bit of a bluestocking, a sickly child, and aunts and uncles, some that are nice and others not so much so.

Fans of classic literature, may find this story a bit like The Secret Garden. Hahn also drops a lot of names of famous classic authors in this story. Florence ha...more

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Jun 27, 2012 Margaret rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: level-elementary

6/26/12 ** Another in my current read through the Young Hoosier Nominees for 2012-13. ** Florence is an orphan who's been living in a London orphanage for the past 5 years when suddenly a solicitor appears and says she's to come live with her great uncle at Crutchfield Hall. The opening chapters harken back to Frances Hodges Burnett and both Little Princess (rescued suddenly by wealthy benefactor) and The Secret Garden (a mysterious, sickly child living in the house that Florence is not allowed...more

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Mar 05, 2011 Ana Mardoll rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall / 978-0-547-38560-0

I enjoy ghost stories, especially those written for children, so I was pleased to receive an advance review copy of this book from net galley. While I enjoyed this book, I must admit is a little more straightforward and a little less scary than I had hoped.

When Florence is adopted from the orphanage by her distant relations, she is distressed and troubled by her new family. Her uncle pleases her well enough - in a characterization that is mentione...more The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall / 978-0-547-38560-0

I enjoy ghost stories, especially those written for children, so I was pleased to receive an advance review copy of this book from net galley. While I enjoyed this book, I must admit is a little more straightforward and a little less scary than I had hoped.

When Florence is adopted from the orphanage by her distant relations, she is distressed and troubled by her new family. Her uncle pleases her well enough - in a characterization that is mentioned far too often for my tastes and detracts somewhat from Florence's woe-begotten orphan status, both Florence and her uncle are avid readers of Dickens and Bronte, a recurring detail that somehow gives information without developing personality-but her perpetually ill cousin and sourly disposed aunt hide a deeper tragedy for Florence to unravel.

Despite this promising setup, "The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall" never really reaches out and grabs the reader. Florence is fully characterized within the first couple of pages; her family members are equally one dimensional-fully good or bad upon first notice without any further development over the course of the story. The titular ghost is equally disappointing - unambiguously real from the get go, with very little suspense or build up, and making me feel that the editorial review comparing this story to one of Poe's was completely off. Worse than being unambiguous, this ghost is not scary-I know this story is marketed to young children, but it just feels kind of bland and half-hearted.

In the end, I guess there's nothing really wrong with "The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall", but there's nothing really right either. I suppose this would be a good introduction to the ghost stories for a really young child, but there's not enough plot or suspense here to hold older readers. The ending too, feels very rushed and half baked-almost as if this was a first draft rushed out to publication. I guess if you like period ghost stories, but feel that Poe's are too open to interpretation and too scary for young readers, then this might be a good alternative.

NOTE: This review is based on a free Advance Review Copy of this book provided through NetGalley.

~ Ana Mardoll(less)

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Nov 14, 2012 Kenzie A rated it 5 of 5 stars

An orphan 12 year old girl Florence, moves in with Nellie, Mrs. Dawson, and her "uncle". While she lives their, strange things has happening. Nellie doesn't want Florence to know what happened to Sophia. Sophia's ghost still remains in the house, or will she R.I.P.?

My favorite character in this book is Florence because, she is always wondering the house, because she doesn't know what happen there. She is always curious about what goes on in there. But what she doesn't know is somebody died the...more

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Mar 29, 2012 Star (The Bibliophilic Book Blog) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

Florence lost the only family she's known when she was five and has been living in an orphanage for the past seven years until she gets sent for by her great-uncle to live in Crutchfield Hall. Florence is excited and apprehensive, since she's never heard of (let alone met) any of these sudden relatives. When she gets there she's shunned by her great-aunt who wishes she were someone else and curious about her invalid cousin. Before long, Florence realizes that they're not alone in the house - her...more

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Oct 23, 2011 Jennifer Lavoie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: classroom-library, family, ghost, historical

Another Mary Downing Hahn that I got my hands on. She's quickly becoming one of my favorite children's authors! This one was a very good book. I bought it last year but just got around to read it when I bought an additional copy for my classroom. I enjoyed the characters and the situations they found themselves in.

The one thing I find slightly annoying with Hahn's books is how she makes adult female characters seem to be nasty. In this book it's the great-aunt who is downright horrible towards...more

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Oct 02, 2011 Tiffany Neal rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, childrens-scary

I have mixed feelings about the book because although I enjoyed it and I think that my students will definitely enjoy it, the beginning was a slow start, and I felt the book did not end in the right spot.

The book has an interesting twist considering that it takes place in the late 1800's. It picks up pace by page 35 and truly kept me turning the pages to find out what happens, but then when the climax happens it's semi anti-climactic and predictable. I'm also a firm believer that the end should...more

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Jul 07, 2010 Chelsea rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrens, ghosts, historicalfiction, advance, 2010, own, middlereader

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. For a ghost story, it wasn't particularly scary. Now, it is a middle reader book, so take that with a grain of salt, but: I'm a huge wimp. Huge. Usually children's-book-scary is about as scary as I can take.

The actual ghost bit was pretty standard: cold spots, the feeling of someone watching you, weird whispers. But then Hahn lost what little creepy factor she had built up, because the ghost was a bratty, spoiled little girl with a mean streak.

Altogether, the book seemed disjointed. In a failed...more

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Nov 13, 2011 Amy added it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, fiction_j

Florence Cruchfield, a twelve-year-old orphan, is going to live with her aunt, uncle, and cousin in the family's rambling 16th century estate. Her uncle receives her with open arms, but her aunt's reception is chilly, at best, and she isn't even allowed to see her ailing cousin. Not long after Florence arrives at Crutchfield Hall, she starts experiencing strange things: Cold spots, disembodied laughter, a non-existent hand grazing her face. By questioning her family members and the household sta...more

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May 10, 2012 Lidia T rated it 5 of 5 stars

So, Florence has been living in and orphan for almost her whole life. But for the first time Florence is going to go live in her uncle’s home. She is going to face lots of problems starting with her aunt and then off to Sophia. She is the daughter of her aunt which died and now haunting the house but especially James, her brother. She doesn’t expect most things but she hopes that everything turns out ok. She will need to save James from Sophia or he will end up hurt. Florence is just a small gir...more

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Nov 11, 2010 Sandra Stiles rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-grades, mystery

Florence is a twelve year old orphan who is sent to live with an uncle and aunt. Her uncle had been searching for her since finding out about her parents tragic death. She arrives a day early at Crutchfield Hall and can already tell her aunt doesn't like her. She compares everything Florence does to Sophia. Sophia was Florence's cousin who died six months earlier in a tragic accident. Her aunt won't let her meet her cousin James. Florence feels early on that someone is watching her. She hears a...more

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Sep 18, 2012 Karen Yingling rated it 2 of 5 stars

In Victorian England, Florence is rescued from life in an orphanage by a great-uncle, who invites her to live at the family's country home. There is a great-aunt as well, but she is mean and prefers Sophia, Florence's cousin who died a year ago. The aunt blames Sophia's brother, James, for the death. Little does the family know how evil Sophia was, and how evil she continues to be while she is haunting Crutchfield Hall. Sophia starts to control Florence, with the intention of killing James, who...more

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About Mary Downing Hahn

I grew up in a small shingled house down at the end of Guilford Road in College Park, Maryland. Our block was loaded with kids my age. We spent hours outdoors playing "Kick the Can" and "Mother, May I" as well as cowboy and outlaw games that usually ended in quarrels about who shot whom. In the summer, we went on day long expeditions into forbidden territory -- the woods on the other side of the t...more I grew up in a small shingled house down at the end of Guilford Road in College Park, Maryland. Our block was loaded with kids my age. We spent hours outdoors playing "Kick the Can" and "Mother, May I" as well as cowboy and outlaw games that usually ended in quarrels about who shot whom. In the summer, we went on day long expeditions into forbidden territory -- the woods on the other side of the train tracks, the creek that wound its way through College Park, and the experimental farm run by the University of Maryland.

In elementary school, I was known as the class artist. I loved to read and draw but I hated writing reports. Requirements such as outlines, perfect penmanship, and following directions killed my interest in putting words on paper. All those facts -- who cared what the principal products of Chile were? To me, writing reports was almost as boring as math.

Despite my dislike of writing, I loved to make up stories. Instead of telling them in words, I told them in pictures. My stories were usually about orphans who ran away and had the sort of exciting adventures I would have enjoyed if my mother hadn't always interfered.

When I was in junior high school, I developed an interest in more complex stories. I wanted to show how people felt, what they thought, what they said. For this, I needed words. Although I wasn't sure I was smart enough, I decided to write and illustrate children's books when I grew up. Consequently, at the age of thirteen, I began my first book. Small Town Life was about a girl named Susan, as tall and skinny and freckle faced as I was. Unlike her shy, self conscious creator, however, Susan was a leader who lived the life I wanted to live -- my ideal self, in other words. Although I never finished Small Town Life, it marked the start of a lifelong interest in writing.

In high school, I kept a diary. In college, I wrote poetry and short stories and dreamed of being published in The New Yorker. Unfortunately, I didn't have the courage or the confidence to send anything there.

By the time my first novel was published, I was 41 years old. That's how long it took me to get serious about writing. The Sara Summer took me a year to write, another year to find a publisher, and yet another year of revisions before Clarion accepted it.

Since Sara appeared in 1979, I've written an average of one book a year. If I have a plot firmly in mind when I begin, the writing goes fairly quickly. More typically, I start with a character or a situation and only a vague idea of what's going to happen. Therefore, I spend a lot of time revising and thinking things out. If I'd paid more attention to the craft of outlining back in elementary school, I might be a faster writer, but, on the other hand, if I knew everything that was going to happen in a story, I might be too bored to write it down. Writing is a journey of discovery. That's what makes it so exciting.(less)

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“Odd, isn’t it? You know when your birthday is, but not your death day, even though you pass the date year after year, never suspecting that some day…” — 26 people liked it

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