Peeled by Joan Bauer

Hildy Biddle is a sixteen year old journalist following her dead father's footsteps. She is determined to find the truth. Hildy lives in Banesville, New York which has an abundance of apple orchards and a haunted house that has come back to life. There have been weird events occurring at the old Ludlow house now for a while, including a mysterious break-in and then a death. The town becomes a bundle of nerves with the price of mace skyrocketing while property prices are dwindling. No one is sure of the truth and the editor at the local newspaper, the Bee, is of no help. Hildy, along with the help of the members of the school newspaper, the Core, set off on a journey of clues and lies to solve the mystery of the Ludlow house. Hildy won't settle for anything less than the truth and is quite perturbed when there are many lies floating around town. Soon there is a clash of the newspapers and a desperate fury to solve the mystery. Who could be behind the haunted house? Could it really be ghosts or is it just greedy people?

This was a really cute book and great for all ages. I'm so glad I got the chance to read it, as it is now one of my favorite books. It mixes mystery, high school, and even a little romance into one great heap of a book! Hildy is a lovable character who I couldn't get enough of. Everything starts to unfold at the end of the book and just made me keep turning the pages. Joan Bauer has once again created an unforgettable book which will be loved for many years to come. The writing is excellent, the characters are great, and the storyline is fantastic. For anyone looking for a little mystery and a novel as sweet as an apple in their lives, look no further than Peeled by Joan Bauer.

*Also reviewed for Flamingnet