Haunted is a fun read with relatable central characters and a great and varied background cast. I particularly enjoyed the appearance of a TV chef who is fun to watch on screen but pretty obnoxious in real life. Middle grade readers will enjoy the blend of mystery to be solved and kitchen sink issues to empathise with, I think. I certainly did. It's a great follow-up to the first book and further fleshes out what is promising to become a solid series. I'll look forward to reading the third instalment when it arrives!

" Haunted” was terrific! Very easy to get sucked into this story and the ‘haunting’ experiences with Alex and the “Eye Spy” crew. I had a wonderful time reading this fun book, and I think the plotlines were original enough to keep my attention (even if some parts felt a bit familiar). I enjoyed the characters as they felt real and not contrived-- Really liked Alex, but also the others were good too (Donna, Emerald, Jimmy, Harry, Furze…) Tessa Buckley writes very descriptively and with a lot of energy, so we are never bored—very important for this age range. Like when younger teens can be the ‘heroes’ but done so in a somewhat believable manner (not totally contrived or preposterous settings) and that is done nicely here. Even I was hooked trying to solve the mystery and figure out the clues… This book is geared toward younger readers, but I think it is written strongly enough to have a wider crossover appeal. A quick book that I read in one sitting – or maybe I just didn’t want to put it down! Recommend for ages 13 and up. (5 stars). s