Ten year old Pia Kolvenbach’s life seems rather idyllic, living in a quaint German town with her family. That is until her Grandmother sets herself on fire (due to excessive use of hairspray and a lit match.) Rumors fly that she really exploded and Pia becomes the school pariah. She becomes friends with Stefan (or "StinkStefan" as he's tauntingly called.) Together they begin visiting Herr Schiller, a kindly neighbor who regales them with ghost stories and local folklore; perhaps my favorite part of the book.

When Katharina Linden, a local girl, disappears Pia and Stefan set out to find her. They soon discover that a number of local girls disappeared 50 years ago; could they be connected? Though the book’s theme might seem dark, I will definitely recommend it to my younger friends. The reader views the events through the (somewhat) innocent eyes of a 10 year old girl. A combination thriller and coming-of-age story; it is a well-crafted, thoroughly enjoyable book.