THE TROUBLE WITH JACOB

When Andy promised to find Jacob's stolen bed, he didn't know he was talking to a ghost. Jacob seems just one more strange child in a town full of strangers where Andy, his twin sister Kat and their mother Dodie have become temporary caretakers of an Oregon resort. The twins expect the summer to be dull, till they discover that Jacob is only visible to Andy, not Kat, and Jacob's complaint takes on a new meaning: who is he, and why has he been removed from a nearby grave? Andy doesn't normally believe in ghosts, but he does believe in keeping promises, even this one, with its special challenges. Soon he's on the trail of a century-old crime and a possibility of buried treasure, with more than enough attention from a memorable cast of local characters. The lengthy narrative, including more details of small-town life than will interest most readers, eventually works around to an engrossing series of events at the conclusion, a treat for mystery and ghost story lovers; the much-honored author has also provided a complex, intriguing relationship between the very different Andy and Kat.