The Lightkeeper's Key

by Angeli Perrow

Ten-year-old Mandy of Dyer Cove, Maine, and her 12-year-old cousin Nick try to unravel the mystery of strange happenings at the lighthouse. Is it haunted by the first keeper’s ghost? An ancient key, a lighthouse legend, a treasure map and a secret code lead them on a search for treasure and a summer of adventure. The Lightkeeper’s Key, a spellbinding mystery for readers ages 8-12, will keep kids turning the pages.

110 pages, Paperback

First published December 4, 2009

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book out loud to my two children (11 and 8 yrs old) on a dark and stormy night during the 2020 pandemic. This is a perfect book for a)reading out loud as it only takes a couple of hours to finish, b)for kids of all ages, who ALWAYS love being read to, c)for those who love Maine or who grew up in Maine, particularly coastal Maine. While it is definitely geared towards young people, (it's a mystery book solved by two kids, Mandy and Nick who are about my kids age) it moves along nicely so adults can still enjoy the story. My favorite part as an adult is at the end where the Author (who is a friend and past co-worker of my brother who bought us this lovely autographed and personalized copy) talks about all the real life components of light houses in in Maine that went into her story. I definitely recommend this one for a great family story time!

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Combining real events from three Maine lighthouses into this mystery makes an engaging read for elementary students. Lots of action and suspense done in short episodic chapters keeps interest high. Figurative language give a sense of place. The first paragraph grabs the reader: "mournful moan of a foghorn...the circling beam stabbed the night over and over...fingers of mist clawed at the moon."
Mandy's initial reluctance to include her cousin Nick is eventually overcome as his knowledge of runes helps Mandy figure out part of the mystery.
Leaving one 'ghost' unexplained (who removed the distributor cap?) encourages one to believe in ghosts...and another adventure is inevitable. Most youngsters may not understand the distributor cap.
Great job by a local Maine author!

[Angela Linn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angeli Perrow's Key series is full of mystery, suspense, and fun facts. Each book hooks you right away, pulls you along with their delightful dialogue, and engaging cast of young characters that made me laugh out loud. Just try to put them down - they are THAT good!