Ghost Hunt, Vol. 3
Grade 8 Up This entertaining story is more or less a formula cozy mystery, but with a Japanese setting and no murderers. A local high school hires a paranormal detective agency to investigate its many strange occurrences, and Naru, the 17-year-old CEO, and his gang of psychics arrive on the scene. Drawing on the uneven history of the paranormal while learning about the secretive personalities that thrive in the exclusive school, they soon are involved in dangerous traps. Naru and his secret admirer, Mai, fall into a well. A terrifying ghost descends through the ceiling as they check out a haunted scene. Eventually, Naru concocts a ruse to bring everyone together in one room, where, in typical sleuth fashion, he recounts each episode and then names the culprit in their midst. The story reads smoothly and has an engaging plot. The artwork is uncolored panels. Readers will recognize the common manga expressions of surprise, anger, love, and jealousy in the black-and-white line drawings. Also, each character is relatively distinct, avoiding the common letdown of so many beautiful people that you can't tell them apart. If relatively cerebral, black-and-white manga has a home in your library, consider this title.John Leighton, Brooklyn Public Library, NYCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.