A haunted hotel seeks new victims in this middle-grade suspense novel. Eleven-year-old Quinn's best friend, Kara, is moving. Quinn is having difficulty letting go, so she makes the trip from Denver to Santa Monica with Kara and her family. When Kara's parents stop to rest at the Inn Between, a grand Victorian hotel in the desert, Quinn is unnerved by the hotel's strange architecture, its isolated location, and the odd guests and even odder hotel employees. Kara's parents and brother disappear after the first night. Knowing they aren't safe, the girls resolve to escape, even if it means traveling through the hot desert with little food and water, but before Quinn can leave the Inn Between, she must wrestle with some demons--both literally and figuratively. Shifting between past and present as Quinn reflects on her difficult relationship with her younger sister, Emma, and her immediate dilemma with Kara and the Inn Between, Cohen's emotionally gripping tale perfectly captures the essences of friendship and sibling love. Heavy themes are handled with sensitivity, offering a cathartic experience for readers who may be dealing with similar situations. Readers should not be misled by the book's innocuous cover--the book deals with such dark subjects as death and child abduction, and the concept of hell is described in vivid, frightening detail. Readers looking for a mystery with heart, humor, and hairy moments will be captivated. (Supernatural fiction. 9-12)
Kirkus Reviews starred (January 1, 2016)