KARMA MOON—GHOST HUNTER

Karma Moon, reluctant ghost hunter, discovers more than just the paranormal at a famously haunted hotel.

When her dad’s company gets a shot at filming a Netflix documentary series at the legendary Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, Karma Moon starts worrying about the “what-ifs” of possible ghostly terrors. Nevertheless, armed with her chunky pug, Alfred Hitchcock, and her boy-crazy best friend, Mags, superstitious Karma braves the trip, encountering a host of lively characters, including the ghost-hunting team, the on-site staff, a local boy named Nyx, and maybe a ghost or two. As far as scary stories go, Savage does well with setting the mood: There are chairs hanging from the ceiling, a piano that plays on its own, and creepy passageways. The ghosts themselves and the climactic reveal are less than thrilling, a safe bet for readers who prefer a spook to a terrifying scare. The real heart of the story is the “true-blue” friendship between Karma and Mags. There is a depth and ease to their relationship that feels just right, most notably when Mags comforts Karma over her mom, who’s left her behind. Spot art, a nod to Karma’s notes, adds little to the reading experience. Same goes for the bolded “WHAT-IFS” which inconsistently express both anxious Karma’s true worries and less impactful random thoughts. Characters are presumed White.

More engaging for the real-life characters than the paranormal ones.