Deep and Dark and Dangerous

Deep and Dark and Dangerous

by Mary Downing Hahn

Reading level: 4.0 ~ Genre: Horror/Supernatural

Chapters: 22 ~ Pages: 187

*SPOILER ALERT*

At home in Maryland, Ali discovers an old photograph in a book from her mother's childhood. The mystery begins with a of picture of Claire (Ali's mom), Dulcie (Ali's aunt) and someone whose name starts with a T was taken at Sycamore Lake some 30 years before. 'T' had been torn out of the picture, but why?

When Ali asks her mom about T and the place it was taken, Gull Cottage in Webster's Cove, Maine, her mother says she remembers nothing. A few weeks later, Dulcie and Emma (Ali's cousin) make an unannounced visit to request Ali come to Maine for the summer to babysit Emma while Dulcie works. Claire is adamant that it is too dangerous to go but her husband says to allow it.

A month later, Ali finds herself at Gull Cottage, a place her family abandoned after the mysterious death of Teresa 30 years earlier. The cottage was restored, the place seems peaceful except for the dark shadows lurking about.

Emma and Ali meet Sissy - a mean, spirited child with lots of influence on Emma. She later turns out to be Teresa in ghost form. Through various adventures Emma and Ali learn more and more about Teresa and what happens to her.

The more time they spend at the cottage, the more everyone because depressed, suspicious, and mean-spirited. Everyone is having nightmares and then one night Sissy finally reveals who she truly is and what it will take to make her stop haunting and harming the family.

The family tries to tell the police the truth after all these years but they would not listen. So instead, they tell the newspapers. The body is found, Sissy is finally at peace after a real burial, and the family is healed. The end.

My Opinion

My previous experience with Mary Downing Hahn left me worried about the content that I would find within the pages. I was pleasantly surprised at the story within and felt that it is an appropriate story for the intended audience. I would give this book 4 - 4 1/2 stars and I am not being generous as with the last book. This book has not won any awards and, in my opinion, it is much more award worthy than The Dead Man in Indian Creek.