The Secret of Laurel Oaks

by Lois Ruby

A haunting historical mystery based on real life events, told in the alternating points of view of a contemporary girl and a 19th century slave accused of a horrible crime. When Lila and her family visit Laurel Oaks Plantation in Louisiana, her parents and brother scoff at the claim that the house is haunted. But secretly, Lila suspects there are ghostly presences willing to communicate with her, and her alone. One spirit eager to tell her story is Daphne, a slave girl at Laurel Oaks in the 1840s, who was blamed for the poisoning deaths of two girls and their mother. Daphne's spirit senses that Lila is the very person she's been waiting for, the one who can prove her innocence so her spirit can rest at long last. Shifting back and forth from Lila's world in the present to Daphne's world in the past, the true story of what really happened that fateful night finally comes to light. Laurel Oaks is a thinly disguised version of the legendary Myrtles Plantation in Louisiana, which is on the Smithsonian's list of the ten most haunted places in America. This middle grade novel was inspired by the author's visit to the plantation and her experiences there.

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Horror, Fantasy, Ghosts

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 2, 2008

About the author

Lois Ruby is the author of fifteen books for middle-graders and teens, including STEAL AWAY HOME, SKIN DEEP, and THE SECRET OF LAUREL OAKS. She and her husband live in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the foothills of the awesome Sandia Mountains. Lois explores lots of haunted places, including ghostly locations in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and even a few spooky spots in Australia and Thailand. No spirits have tapped her on the shoulder yet, but she hasn't given up hope.

Reviews

[Hayley Tolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Secret of Laurel Oaks is a ghost story based on stories about The Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville, Louisiana.
The author’s main purpose for writing this novel is to entertain readers. It is suspenseful, mysterious, and spooky from the beginning to the end.
The theme of this book is to not believe all the rumors you may hear. In the book, a young slave girl was accused of poisoning her master’s wife and two daughters. She was hanged for it despite any evidence proving she committed these crimes.
This book was written using the rhetorical mode of narration. The narrators of the story alternate between chapters. One narrator is a rebellious teenage girl named Lila from the present day. The other narrator is a teenage girl named Daphne. Daphne was a slave who lived and died on the Laurel Oaks plantation two centuries ago. During Lila’s family vacation to the haunted plantation, Lila would see Daphne and other ghosts around the house. In the next chapter, Daphne describes seeing Lila to the reader.
Using the style of narration is effective because it shows differences between modern times and the hard times of slavery. Alternating between narrators allowed the readers to experience a story through different perspectives. For instance, during a tour of the house, Lila looked in a mirror and saw Daphne. Then in the next chapter, Daphne describes how intently Lila was looking back at her in the mirror. Daphne knows she’s a ghost and only a few people have ever seen her. She hopes Lila is the one person she can trust to tell about the secret she’s been keeping for two hundred years.
I loved this book and was very intrigued by the ghostly plot. The characters were interesting and even included a wise, talking tree! I did not dislike anything about this book. However, if I could change anything about this story, I would have Lila confide in her parents what she was seeing in the house. She didn't have a very good relationship with them. But all in all, I loved the book. This book reminds me of my favorite ghost story, Who’s there? by Stephanie Tolan.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one! This was technically a reread for me, but I didn’t remember anything from it except that when I was a kid it really freaked me out. It didn’t freak me out in the same way, but I did still get chills while reading.
It’s a spooky ghost story told in dual POVs and timelines. One POV and timeline follows Lila, a 13yo girl who is staying at Laurel Oaks while on a vacation with her family. Said to be one of the most haunted places in the states, Lila experiences some strange and unexplainable things while staying there.
The other POV and timeline that we follow is Daphne’s. Daphne is a ghost in Lila’s timeline, but she looks back at her own life and readers get to hear her story from before and after Daphne was killed. Daphne was a slave girl who lived on Laurel Oaks plantation in the 1800s, and she was accused of poisoning the daughters and wife that she cared for.
Lila and Daphne are both interesting characters, and I liked seeing how their stories intertwine. The pacing is good, and the plot and writing are easy to follow along with.

[Karen Siegfried · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating was a 3.8. The book was based from both facts and fiction. Chapters are short and I enjoyed more of the fictional parts. Overall a good read with a solid conclusion!!

[Shraddha Saraf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome cozy story. Thanks Shanu (my sister) for giving me this to read. Just the type of stories we love.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story. It is sad and creepy. I loved it.

[Ashley Castillo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is called The Secrets of Laurel Oaks. I think this is a good book. I think this is a good book because it about haunted places in America. And these stories are true.Lila is one of the characters in this story. She thinks the house they are staying in haunted. So they are scared to be there. So this is why this is a good book.

[Heather Gunnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Staff Pick
Kathi

This story takes place in Louisiana. The fictional plantation is Laurel Oaks but the true location is the legendary Myrtles Plantation.

Ruby weaves an interesting storyline between the pas and the present. The characters are interesting and her descriptions make the book seem very realistic. Great creepy ghost encounters make the book even better!

[nandika · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book!
I couldn't stop reading, even though it took a month to finish it which was because I started reading other books.
This is my most favourite ghost story. It was really interesting and thrilling!

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

An ambitious book that didn't connect with me until the very end as I read the author's notes. Two narratives -- one in modern times, one from over 200 years ago. Lila, visiting the New Orleans area (and the ancient 'hotel' on the site of the former plantation Laurel Oaks) from New Mexico with her family and Daphne, a ghost of a young slave who lived and died on Laurel Oaks. I found Daphne's voice difficult to fall into...sometimes I was jarred by her two stories...her life and death, and her watching Lila, and trying to help Lila solve the mystery that has haunted the place for years.

Lila also had issues that were not explored, only hinted at.

As often happens, I get frustrated with a story that really should be an adult novel so ideas can be fully explored. I understand the genre of YAL has length restrictions, and sometimes it interferes with the storytelling.

But, reading the author's notes, and understanding her motivation, I can see how committed she was to THIS story, and THESE girls.

[Sarah Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book and it was really fun to read! If you're into scary mystery stories this book would be really good for you. There is two main characters named Daphne and Lila, Lila is a human who goes to a scary house for the weekend- like a haunted hotel. She ends up staying longer then expected with the other character named Daphne. Daphne is a ghost who haunts the house. No one can see Daphne that is alive except for Lila. There is also rumors about Daphne that she killed two people but no one knows if its true- only Lila can find out! I would recommend this book for middle school students because its a little more mature. You also need to know that it is a first person point of view story and Lila ans Daphne switch off every chapter.

[Caitlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about Lila and her family discovering the secrets that laurel oaks hides from the past. Lila slowly starts finding out that the spirit of Daphne is still lurking around Laurel Oaks to get peace for being blamed of the murder of her former slave owner Amelia and Amelia children. At first Lila and her brother thought that the Laurel Oaks trip everything was all planned out by the host Camilla and Sal, but Lila’s mind is changed when she starts seeing the spirts of the slaves that used to work at Laurel Oaks. Lila and Gabe starting putting together what the spirts were saying to finish the puzzle and find the bebes that Amelia hid and to figure out who really poisoned miss Amelia.

[Corinne O’Reilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book as a kid and I still read it all the time when I go home. It's historical fiction, but it also switches to the point of view of a modern-day girl (and there's some ghosts in the story) - but the historical fiction part is really interesting. The modern day girl goes to stay at an old plantation that's turned into a bed and breakfast. She hears the story about what happened to the family that lived there and how they all died, as well as stories about the slaves they had. The historical perspective follows one of the slaves named Daphne who experiences the old stories in real time. It's a good, educational historical novel but it also incorporates some spooky stuff to make it fun, and modern day people to make it relatable.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lila is a 13 year old girl. Her and her family are staying at Laurel oaks in Louisiana. Her family doesn't believe her but she believes that there are ghost near her becuase she can hear them talking to her throughout the day. Lila tries to help set Daphne free after she was miss accused poisoning people. Daphne is having trouble finding a way to set her spirit freed because she is dead so she is trying to get help from other people who are alive.

[Brandi Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting YA-level novel based on a real place. Past meets the present when teenage siblings Gabe and Lila stay at the Laurel Oaks Plantation with their parents. Lila senses the rumored spirits inhabiting the place, but Gabe is skeptical.

Legend has it that a slave named Daphne poisoned the plantation owner's wife and daughters in the 1860s. Is Daphne haunting Laurel Oaks, and was she really a murderer? Lila is desperate to find out.

I enjoyed this story, which alternates between the past and present through Daphne and Lila's stories. It is well-written, but there were a few moments of confusion that made me reread sections. I read fast, so it's possible I just missed something while skimming. While this is a ghost story, it is more spooky than scary, and learning more about the deaths of people in the 1800s was sad.

[BRANDON · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a bit more mature than some of Ruby's other hauntings, The Secret of Laurel Oaks is grounded in history and trauma the likes of which she has never written about before. I really hope she had some sensitivity readers in on the process because this is a subject and a POV I would never dare tackle.

[Shelly Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

New Orleans flavor with a spooky twist

I was looking for a good NOLA read and this YA book didn’t disappoint. It is told from two sides: modern day Lila and past Daphne. A little spooky because there are ghosts in it. The truth becomes revealed about Daphne’s death in the end.

[Singe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started off nicely, but gets sloppy towards the end. Daphne’s POV felt YA ,was interesting and moving. Lila’s POV felt middle grade and needed more. The story felt rushed, needed more mystery solving and spooks. It was an okay read.

[valeria · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Sarah Petrofsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story for a cozy Saturday on the couch. Suspenseful, fun to read and interesting historical info.

[Mun Yee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read however the genre of young adult limits the author imagination. Would like to read the story in more depth.

[Amanda Harris]

Good but slow moving book

[T]

Its like two different books in one that have the same story just told in different ways and that connect. Reminded me of a Goosebumps a little bit.

[Alicia Grubbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very grasping story with twists and turns. What’s real and what’s not? Do you believe? I enjoyed this read very much. Well done.

[Louise Leonard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun read. Intriguing ghost story based on real life. Loved the tree.

[Liz Little · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story and trying to solve the secret. It was a good read especially for October.

[Dawn.Gerow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the book it is so interesting and when you read the book you don't want to put it down and even if you do all you will think about is what will happen next.

[Ashley Chaput · Rating 2 out of 5]

The concept was good but the execution was lackluster for me, I found myself rushing through it to get it over with

[Priya Agarwal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this when I was 13 or so and it stuck with me until now. Reminded me of the Amber House books.

[kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. Just wow. From my last status update, you could tell that I did not like this book at all, but a lot has changed in these last few chapters. I really liked The Secret of Laurel Oaks, but even though the book was described as a "chilling ghost story" I wasn't scared at any point. So basically, the story is switches between two character's points of views, Lila's and Daphne's. Lila is a girl who comes with her family (her mom, dad, and brother) to this hotel sort of place, called the Laurel Oaks Plantation. Laurel Oaks is supposed to be haunted, but Lila is the only one in her family who actually believed that, while the rest of her family just scoffed at the idea of ghosts. Lila starts seeing things, like ghosts and mysterious happenings, and starts thinking that there is something more to Laurel Oaks, than what meets the eye... Daphne was an African-American slave who a long time ago worked at the Laurel Oaks Plantation. She was accused of poisoning her master's wife and two daughters, when she actually didn't. Her master, Judge Nethercott, ordered that she should be killed, because he believed that she killed his own family. For 200 years Daphne has been waiting for someone to come along and find out the truth about who actually killed Judge Nethercott's family, and to free her spirit. And Lila was that someone. The Secret of Laurel Oaks is such an entrancing and well executed story that actually was inspired by true events. Lois Ruby's story had parts which I was bored to death (haha see my pun?), and also parts where I was clinging to the edge of my seat in excitement. If you want to read this book, I would recommend not giving up on it once the story starts to get a little boring, because trust me, the ending is so great! Overall, this book is amazing and it would only loose one star because there were some parts which didn't really make me want to continue on with the story, but other that, The Secret of Laurel Oaks is a breathtaking book, and such a great read...

[Tralee Ellington · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Secret of Laurel Oaks is a suspenseful and mysterious read I'd greatly recommend for middle school and Jr. High kids with a love for mystery and the supernatural. The main character, Lila, is constantly confused and slightly frightened by her new ability to see the dead, and only discovered it after she arranged for her family to stay at a haunted plantation in New Orleans. Her summer vacation gets real spooky. This book would be great in a class when discussing points of views, perspectives, or flashbacks given the switching of perspectives between two characters. It's also a great book to compare a fictional slave account to a historical one, given what we learn from the perspective of Daphne, a deceased slave girl who is the second main character.