Module 9: The Dollhouse Murderers

Book Summary:

Amy's dolls are trying to tell her something. Each night she leaves them a certain way and in the morning they have moved. Can they be the key to finding out who murdered her great grandparents, or are they the murderers themselves?

Book Citation:

Wright, B. R. (1983). The Dollhouse Murders. New York, NY: Scholastic.

Impressions:

This book started off a bit slow to me but eventually I really got into it.  I like the idea of taking something girly (dolls) and adding a twist that the boys can get into.

Reviews:

From Publishers Weekly

Wright's taut, suspenseful novel proves a solid choice to kick off the Live Oak Mysteries audio series. The attic is always a great place to look for nuggets of one's family history, but when 12-year-old Amy explores her great-grandparents' attic, she uncovers clues to a chilling family secret. As Amy and her Aunt Claire sift through clothes, trinkets and other memorabilia, Amy comes across Aunt Claire's long-forgotten dollhouse, a finely crafted replica of the house they are in. Aunt Claire seems unusually distressed about the dollhouse and Amy is determined to find out why. The real fun begins when Amy learns that the dolls in the dollhouse move of their own will and that they seem to be trying to tell her something. After a little sleuthing at the local library, Amy learns that her great-grandparents were murdered years ago and that Aunt Claire's fiance? (who died in a car accident that same night) was the prime suspect in the unsolved case. Before long, Amy unravels the mystery, helping Aunt Claire to resolve her feelings about the past. A subplot about Amy's relationships with her parents, younger sister and best friend adds depth and warmth to this crisply paced tale. Stewart handles the narration with aplomb, using her voice to give listeners a hint of each character's personality. Her portrayal of Aunt Claire, who delivers a few chillingly snappish retorts to Amy, is particularly strong. Ages 8-up. (Mar.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Library Uses

A great way to use this book would be to introduce the genre mystery.