Title: The Screaming Staircase (Lockwood & Co. #1)

Author: Jonathan Stroud

Publisher: Doubleday 2013

Genre:YA Horror

Pages: 440

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf;

A sinister Problem has occurred in London: all nature of ghosts, haunts, spirits, and specters are appearing throughout the city, and they aren't exactly friendly. Only young people have the psychic abilities required to see and eradicate these supernatural foes. Many different Psychic Detection Agencies have cropped up to handle the dangerous work, and they are in fierce competition for business.

In The Screaming Staircase, the plucky and talented Lucy Carlyle teams up with Anthony Lockwood, the charismatic leader of Lockwood & Co, a small agency that runs independent of any adult supervision. After an assignment leads to both a grisly discovery and a disastrous end, Lucy, Anthony, and their sarcastic colleague, George, are forced to take part in the perilous investigation of Combe Carey Hall, one of the most haunted houses in England. Will Lockwood & Co. survive the Hall's legendary Screaming Staircase and Red Room to see another day?

My mother had me watch the one and only season of the television over Christmas. I realized that I had the first book just sitting on my Unread Shelf. So I decided to read it. The television show covers this first book in the first few episodes. And while it speeds up the timeline, most of it is accurately depicted. Turning to the book itself, I wasn’t that enamored with the characters of the story. Anthony is a bright spot among the characters. Unfortunately Lucy is a little too naive and occasionally annoying. And George is just too prickly and occasionally very mean to the other characters. The three of them do not work well together, keeping way too many secrets from each other, while also stumbling about doing their jobs. The larger mystery is interesting, It’s what really kept me reading and ultimately gave this book 4 stars. I loved seeing how the clues fell into places and pointed to the murderer. I doubt that I’m going to continue reading this series, but I did enjoy this first book.

Lockwood & Co.

• #1 The Screaming Staircase

• #1.5 The Dagger in the Desk

• #2 The Whispering Skull

• #3 The Hollow Boy

• #4 The Creeping Shadow

• #4.5 A Portland Row Christmas

• #5 The Empty Grave

Next up on the TBR pile: