Recently, I reviewed a book I remembered from my childhood, Mary Downing Hahn’s The Doll in the Garden. In the comments on my social media, someone recommended I review another of her books, The Girl in the Locked Room. I picked up a copy and just finished it, and while it gives some similar vibes to Hahn’s other work, it explores some different themes and feels more modern. The main character has an iPad, which definitely places it after my childhood, which is probably why I hadn’t heard of it before.

Jules is an only child who moves frequently with her parents due to her dad’s job restoring old houses. At their latest home, there’s a locked door on the second floor, and when Jules looks through the window from outside, she sees a ghost girl. Her new friend Maisie (whom she meets at the local library) tells her about the legend of a family murdered in the house: the mother, father, and their daughter, Lily. Jules and Maisie decide to find Lily so they can help her come to terms with what happened – or maybe even find a way to save her family.

This one is a bit darker than Hahn’s older work, so I wouldn’t recommend it for younger elementary readers. It feels more appropriate for middle school, especially considering some of the plot (murder).

That said, I did find it a bit harder to follow toward the end. (Spoiler for the end) The resolution felt somewhat flat: Lily and her family survive in an alternate universe, but in the main timeline, they still die. It’s an interesting idea, but it didn’t land as strongly for me. It felt kind of rushed at that point.

Overall, it wasn’t bad – I just didn’t enjoy it as much as The Doll in the Garden. I think I tend to prefer Hahn’s more classic work.

Still, this is one I’d feel comfortable passing along to my 10-year-old niece, so that’s where this copy is going next.