A suspense novel set in the world of politics. With her father running for governor of Texas, Cary is determined to find out why she appears to be in danger. "Nixon is back doing the kind of book she does best... an inviting read." -- Booklist

In 1863, eleven-year-old Peg Kelly is drawn into the dangerous activities of a mysterious young woman who takes refuge with the Kelly family in Missouri after fleeing the attack on Lawrence, Kansas, by William Quantrill and his Confederate raiders

Mary Elizabeth can't wait for the weekend to begin at the Ridley Hotel, where a famous mystery writer and a troupe of actors are coming to enact a murder mystery for 150 amateur sleuths.Mary Elizabeth's role is to discover "the body" in Room1927, which is supposed to be haunted. But nothing prepares her for the real body that she finds in Room 1927....

On a walk in the woods, Sean and Brian find a scary footprintSean Quinn does not like the sound of spending a weekend in a neighborhood named Grizzly Hill. Although his friend Alan assures him the development has been bear-free for a century, Sean is not convinced. The woods are thick and dark, and there's an old grizzly den not far from Alan's house. And when Brian discovers a strange footprint on a forest path, Sean starts to wish he had stayed at home with Mrs. Peabody, the babysitter. She's not any fun, but at least she's not a bear!Brian decides the print is too small to be a full-grown grizzly, but it could be a cub. Against Sean's wishes, they follow the tracks into the forest. If there are bears in the woods, Brian wants to know. And if the animal is something even stranger, he can't wait to find out!

It's Friday night and Angie Dupree is alone in the house when the phone rings. "Your brother is dead," whispers a voice. At the hospital, Angie finds Jeremy in a coma from which he may never recover.Angie is on her own trying to piece together the events of that horrifying night. Her family is new to town.What could Jeremy possibly have discovered that led him so deeply into danger? Angie won't rest until she finds out. But she doesn't know someone is ready to do anything to stop her. . . .

The new kid in school has a poltergeist problem, and only the Casebusters can helpEverybody in Redoaks knows the old Everhart mansion is haunted. For years now, lights have flickered around the abandoned property at night, scaring away any local family who might be tempted to buy it. But when the Colliers move in from out of town, they don't know any better. For Brian and Sean's new friend Charles, bedtime is about to get spooky.Lucky for Charles, Sean and Brian are the Casebusters—expert detectives who have handled ghosts before. The phantoms inside Charles's house won't leave easily, though. And Brian and Sean are going to have to come up with something clever, quickly—or else Charles may never get a good night's sleep again.

Liz enjoys her summer pool job at the glamorous Ridley Hotel. Until the night, a dark and lonely night, a ghasty shadow surges up from the pool. A face -- eyes wide, mouth gaping -- stares at Liz. A hand clutches at her sneaker. Then it, whatever it is, is gone.But danger isn't. Strange things are happening at the hotel, and a shaken Liz wants to know why. But whoever is behind the trouble will stop at nothing -- even murder -- to get what he wants...

Twelve-year-old Andy Bonner isn't thrilled with his teacher's assignment to explore family history. When he starts asking questions about his ancestors, he is startled to discover a black sheep in the family tree. No one wants to reveal what happened in his family's past. But Andy is determined to break the silence. Casting his net widely, from the Internet to the local cemetery, Andy's search helps everyone realize it's never too late to seek justice.

For fans of Gillian Flynn, Caroline Cooney, and R.L. Stine comes Secret, Silent Screams from four-time Edgar Allen Poe Young Adult Mystery Award winner Joan Lowery Nixon. Is Barry's death the latest tragedy in a string of suicides at Farrington Park High School? Or is it murder? Marti is sure her friend Barry didn't take his own life, but no one will believe her except Police Officer Prescott. But opening an investigation takes time, and Marti is determined to find her friend's killer soon. Because even now he could be planning his next crime... "Enthralling suspense...satisfying[,]...[and an] intricate plot." --Publishers WeeklyFrom the Paperback edition.

When a spoiled kid disappears, the Casebusters go spelunking with a pirate's ghostSean and Brian Quinn have never liked Lester Hopper. The seven-year-old is spoiled rotten, and looks down on every kid he knows—even the ones who are taller than him! But one night, Lester disappears and a ransom note warns the Hoppers not to contact the police. The Casebusters are going to need to solve their most serious mystery yet—a possible kidnapping.Before he disappeared, Lester was diagnosed with a lung infection, and he needs to take his medicine again soon or he'll get very sick indeed. But was Lester kidnapped, or did he run away? Whatever the answer, all the clues point to one destination: the town's oldest cave, which is said to be haunted by the ghost of a dead pirate. To save Lester, Brian and Sean will have to match wits with a swashbuckler who's been dead for centuries.

On an island in the Mississippi River, a ghost and his dog stand guardWhen their aunt buys an old, run-down inn on the banks of the Mississippi, Chris and Amy Holt go south to help her fix up the place. They lend helping hands during the day, but at night, they wonder about the island in the middle of the river—a mysterious place where the townsfolk will not set foot. The island was created by an earthquake which shook the ground so fiercely that the river ran backwards, destroying the house of a bitter old miser named Joshua Hanover, and carrying away his precious hoard of silver coins. And according to legend, Hanover's ghost still roams the island, his phantom dog, Shadow, at his side, searching eternally for his lost treasure.Unable to resist the treasure's lure, Chris and Amy journey to the island to find out if the stories are true. There they find danger, and a mystery that is far more frightening than they could have ever imagined.