The Hangman's Ghost Trick

The Trick Series #12

by Scott Corbett, Paul Galdone (Illustrator)

Mrs. Graymalkin enlists Kerby and Kevin on a mysterious search to Bald Mountain at night for a special herb she need for her award-winning cookies to guarantee the prize in a cookie contest.

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Mystery

90 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Scott Corbett (July 27, 1913 – March 6, 2006) was an American novelist and educator. He wrote five adult novels, the first published in 1950, and then began writing books for children. He retired from teaching in 1965 to write full-time. His best known book is The Lemonade Trick, a children's novel.

Reviews

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story in the series about the kids with the "Feats O' Magic" chemistry set they got from Mrs. Graymalkin - who might really be a witch! She bet her antique car, Nostradamus, to another elderly lady (witch?) over who can make the best cookies, and now they need to search on Bald Mountain, near the peak at Hangman's Knob, for the secret ingredient (siena seeds -an anagram of "anise," as it turns out) . . .

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Middle grade readers might like this story but it just didn't quite do it for me. It seemed a bit disjointed. Kirby and Fenton start out to find their neighbor's missing cat and then end up looking for some kind of rare seeds on a mountain road that doesn't appear on any maps- with an elderly witch. Apparently there is a whole series about these boys and the witch.

[Kelli Bonin · Rating 1 out of 5]

So far, our least favorite in the Kerby series. A long, drawn out story that leads pretty much nowhere. But still, wonderful vocabulary for young children along the way.

[Misty Weeks · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVED this book as a child!