Books with author Kathryn Reiss

Zibby Thorne doesn't know what possessed her to buy an antique dollhouse--she doesn't even like dolls. But when her friends and family start having bizarre accidents clearly connected to the dollhouse, she can't ignore the menacing structure any longer. Zibby is sure that one particularly creepy doll in a gray dress is somehow responsible for the trouble. She discovers the doll is controlled by the spirit of "sweet" Miss Honeywell, a vengeful governess who seeks to control Zibby and her friends from beyond the grave. They must find a way to stop Miss Honeywell before her wrath becomes deadly.

When Julie discovers a mysterious note written in Chinese, she brings it to her friend Ivy to translate. The note speaks of a story from long ago, but doesn't quite make sense. Julie suspects it may be written in a secret code. That night, the girls' beloved dolls are stolen. As Julie and Ivy search Chinatown, they decipher clues in the note that seem to link the stolen dolls to a long-lost friendship, and maybe a long-lost treasure. Can they unravel the secrets of the past before the thief does? Includes an "Inside Julie's World" essay about Chinese immigration in the early 20th century.

Something is terribly wrong with Connor's mom--she keeps slipping into bizarre trances. Connor suspects that the key to his mom's strange behavior is an old art book filled with paintings of a woman who looks exactly like her. But the artist who created those paintings died before his mom was even born. Connor gets his chance to break the evil link between the past and the present when he is mysteriously whisked back in time to the 1920s. But can he save his mom--and himself--before it's too late?

The author of Time Windows “has crafted a fine tale of psychological time travel . . . this well-executed story transports readers into the plot” (School Library Journal, starred review).Seventeen-year-old Molly’s recurrent nightmares become waking visions after she nearly drowns at a party. Soon she’s witnessing events through the eyes of a girl who lived in her father’s house nearly a century before.In Dreadful Sorry “Reiss slips between past and present with a callous alacrity that is wondrously effective; readers will buy into the unfolding revelations while gaining a true sense of Molly’s tenuous grip on events . . . another fine spellbinder from the author of Time Windows” (Kirkus Reviews).“Spooky and satisfying.”—The Bulletin“With its skillful plot twists, the book will have readers anxious to solve the mystery.”—School Library Journal (starred review)“Suspenseful and difficult to put down.”—VOYA

Miranda isn’t happy when the sullen Abby Chandler comes to live with her family, but feels sorry for her when she hears Abby crying every night. Eventually Miranda confronts Abby, who shares her horrible secret: Abby’s family was killed in a house fire in this very town, more than three hundred years ago. Somehow Abby survived, but she has been living in a virtual limbo ever since. Could the rediscovered ceramic statue of a phoenix Abby lost long ago hold the key to changing the course of events? “A book with everything a reader wants, Pale Phoenix has mystery, suspense, supernatural elements, time travel, romance, history, realistic family life, and plenty of action.”--VOYA

Fifteen-year-old American-born Juliana Martin-Drake attempts to solve a murder while visiting a seaside artists’ colony in England.About the Author: Kathryn Reiss is the author of many mysteries for children and teens, including Time Windows, an ALA Best Books for Young Adults, and Edgar Award nominees, Pale Phoenix and Paper Quake. She lives with her family in northern California and is a Professor of English at Mills College.

The Kansas prairie in 1878 is the setting for this mystery about a girl who gets a new stepmother—a woman who may not be what she appearsIda Kate Deming lives on the Kansas prairie with her father. Once a lonely outpost, Hays City is now a bustling town where the twelve-year-old impatiently awaits the arrival of papa’s mail-order bride. Ida Kate lost her beloved mother when she was ten. Now someone new will share their lives, along with the seemingly endless chores. And the best part is, Ida Kate will have a new mother and a new little brother, as well. But when Caroline Fairchild steps off the train, she doesn’t look at all the way she described herself in her letters. Instead of being tall and thin, she’s short. And her hair is the wrong color. And she definitely isn’t allergic to cats. As Ida Kate races to uncover the truth before her father marries Caroline, a blizzard endangers her new family, and Ida Kate has to figure out where her true loyalties lie. This ebook includes a historical afterword.

An ALA Best Book for Young Adults. “Reminiscent of The Indian in the Cupboard . . . [an] intricately woven ghost story.”—Publishers WeeklyWhen Miranda moves with her family to a new house in a small Massachusetts town, she discovers a mysterious antique—a dollhouse. Through the windows, she is shocked to find what seem to be living people in the tiny rooms, and gradually she realizes that scenes from the lives of the big house’s past inhabitants are being replayed there.“With numerous deftly sketched characters, including a sympathetic boy next door, an intriguing plot, and such dividends as a secret room used to hide escaping slaves, this should keep readers interested. Well wrought and entertaining.”—Kirkus Reviews “Reiss puts a new twist on time travel in this suspenseful first novel . . . pits its heroine against the forces of child abuse and untimely death in a deft, entertaining and inventive style.”—Publishers Weekly“The well-structured mystery, the fast-moving plot, and the accessible prose make this a useful addition to fantasy shelves.”—School Library Journal“For fans of Lynne Reid Banks, this book is definitely one to pick up. Time Windows by Kathryn Reiss is a very engrossing book . . . the ghost story is really fun and interesting.”—The Novel World

Violet's paralyzing fear of the earthquakes that are rocking the San Francisco Bay Area makes it difficult for her to overcome her "baby" image. But things change when her family renovates an old building. While she helps her sisters sweep up, an aftershock dislodges a letter addressed to Baby V from 1906-- and Violet is certain the message in the letter is intended for her. More mysterious writings from the past tumble into her hands with each quake. The girls try to unravel the mystery behind these supernatural communications, but as ever more frequent earthquakes rattle their own lives, they realize their time may be running out....