SOLVED. YA Horror. Dead father, pov from boy who can see ghosts. He and his mum move to a house when she gets a new job. Old guy in the house with young girl. Is stealing her blood to become immortal. Ghosts help solve mystery. Read 2010-2013. Spoiler.

[Jess]

Other points: set in past. Potential victorian times. spoiler: house burns down at the end with the old guy. dead ghost girl is victim of blood letting

[Kris]

Jess, around what year did you read this book? A range of years is fine.

[Jess]

probaly 2010 to 2013. I think the cover was black with white outlines of trees. i definitely remember some black and white on it. and it was first person pov

[Jess]

could also have been a middle grade aged/12+ aged book (i read at a higher age group than i did when i read it) but i also remember the boy made friends with the dead ghost girl which is how he knew the girl alive was in danger of having her blood stolen. think it was her uncle (???) doing thenblood letting saying he was curing her as she was ill and the protagonists mother worked for him.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Jess is still looking and wrote:

"First read this book between 2007 and 2011 ish. Was a children's horror book about a boy whose mother moves to work in a creepy manor house after the death of her husband. Plot revolves around the main character solving a myster of ghosts living in the grounds and the guy who owns the manor house has a daughter/granddaughter like character whos ill. Turns out hes stealing her blood to live longer and that's what happened to the ghost children. I think it ends with the house burning down and the girl going to live with the mum and main character.
Other points i remember: Its written in the boy's pov, i think his father also died in a fire but he sees his ghost as well. Time period is late 1800s/early 1900s. Ghost children might be twins and the cover had a the night circus vibe to it. Was most likely a female author and about 200 to 300 pages long. I can remeber everything except the title it seems."

[Merannda]

Long shot but, Breathe: A Ghost Story by Cliff McNish?

Some details match, others don't.

[Kris]

Google Books preview of Breathe: A Ghost Story by Cliff McNish - Merannda's suggestion:

- https://books.google.com/books?id=V1U...
- There are different cover images.

[Ayshe]

The Shadow Garden maybe?

[Kris]

Worldcat.org has just a bit more info about The Shadow Garden by Andrew Matthews - Ayshe's suggestion:

- "Mattie and her mother are happy at first when they are employed by Dr Hobbes at Tagram House - Soon however, Mattie realises that Tagram House has a dark secret which she must uncover before disaster strikes them all."

[Jess]

yes!!! its the shadow garden!! thank you so much!!!!!

[Kris]

Great! Glad you found your book, Jess. Thanks for the update.