Common Sense Media Review
By Sally Engelfried
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Small-town mystery sequel charming but doesn't cut as deep.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
THE GHOSTS OF TUPELO LANDING picks up a couple of months after the events of Three Times Lucky. As narrator Mo says, one of the rules of living in a small town such as Tupelo Landing is "you got to stay who you are no matter how many murders you solve." But when her adoptive mother, Miss Lana, accidentally buys a haunted inn, Mo decides to interview the alleged ghost for her history project and volunteers her best friend Dale to assist. The two uncover a historic town mystery that involves moonshine, betrayal, and a tragic automobile accident. Along the way they make a new friend and resolve an old family feud.
Is It Any Good?
Narrator Mo LoBeau (accent on the second syllable) is as entertaining as ever as she and her best friend, Dale, set out to solve yet another town mystery. Readers of Three Times Lucky might be surprised to find a real ghost in The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing, since there were no supernatural elements in the first novel. Though the emotional thrust doesn't cut as deeply in this sequel -- Mo's letters to the "upstream mother" she's never met seem a bit forced this time around -- the town of Tupelo Landing and its colorful characters remain as charming as ever. Mo's tendency to speak her mind and her friends' willingness to overlook her insults are sure to amuse, as are Dale's forays into learning social niceties. The action moves along at a nice, steady pace.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing compares with Three Times Lucky, the first book about Mo. What do you like better about the first one? What's better in the second?
Mo lives in a town where high-speed Internet isn't available to most of the town and where no one owns a cell phone. How would living in a town like that change what you do for fun? Do you think it would be better or worse?
Have you ever solved a mystery? Do you think you could?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Mystery
- Topics : Adventures , Friendship , Fantasy
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Kathy Dawson Books
- Publication date : February 4, 2014
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 10 - 18
- Number of pages : 368
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate