The start of a spine-chilling new horror series about the eerie happenings in a small town

Something strange is happening on Goodie Lane . . .

Thirteen-year-old Quinn Parker knows that there’s something off about her neighbors. She calls them “the Oldies” because they’ve lived on Goodie Lane for as long as anyone can remember, but they never seem to age. Are they vampires? Or aliens? Or getting secret experimental surgeries? Or is Quinn’s imagination just running wild again?

If her dad were still around, he’d believe her. When he was alive, they’d come up with all sorts of theories about the Oldies. Now, Quinn’s determined to keep the investigation going with the help of Mike, her neighbor and maybe-crush. They’ll have to search for clues and follow the mystery wherever it leads—even if it’s to the eerie pond at the end of the street that’s said to have its own sinister secrets. But the Oldies are on to them. And the closer Quinn and Mike get to uncovering the answers, the more they realize just how terrifying the truth may be.

My Review

“The water moves beneath my gaze. It whispers my name, calling me toward it. My fingers skim the surface, and suddenly something- or someone- grabs ahold of my hand within the water, pulling me over the rocks and down into the murk and scum and the darkness. I’m screaming, and choking, and fighting to free myself, but the hand grips me tighter, drags me lower until I can no longer see, or feel, or hope.”

Imagine taking parts from RL Stine and Stephen King, splashing it with a little Stranger Things, and wrapping it up in a B Horror movie. Close your eyes and picture it. Embrace it and breathe it in. Remember all those terrifying thoughts that ran through your head as you experience the fear of being spooked as goosebumps spread up and down your arms. This is all of that. It brought back memories from my childhood and that feeling I got when I read my first horror novel. This is the middle-grade horror novel that we’ve been waiting for!

You can tell very early on that Lorien did her homework on how to create the perfect atmosphere for a horror novel. The creep factor was there along with the heart of the amazing teen detective duo of Quinn and Mike. Those two elements come together to create the most amazing MG Horror novel released since Point Horror. But this was more than just a spooky read, it had close best friends and the strongest family bond. It was absolutely endearing.

The Stitchers was a fantastic homage to the horror greats. The story unraveled at the perfect moments and kept me interested throughout. I found myself getting lost between the pages and I couldn’t put this one down. I’m so very excited to read more in this series and more by this amazing author. You’ll have a hard time trusting your neighbors after this one.