The Thirteen Doors of Black House - by Laura Lavoie (Paperback)

About the Book

"After a falling out with her best friend, twelve-year-old Maya goes on a family vacation to the haunted mansion of a famous mystery writer that contains thirteen ominous yet magical doors"--

Book Synopsis

The Thirteen Doors of Black House is a fast-paced scary mystery that is destined to become a classic haunted house book for kids.
--Fleur Bradley, award-winning author of Daybreak on Raven Island and Midnight at the Barclay Hotel.

Maya Murtagh can't wait to spend a week at Black House, a looming seaside mansion that was once home to her favorite mystery author, Augusta Black. After a falling out with her best friend and journalism partner, she needs ideas for a juicy new story that will repair their friendship and earn them a coveted regular column in the school newspaper. Black House is the perfect place to spark inspiration.

But when Maya and her family arrive at the mansion, the host who greets them is totally creepy. So are the thirteen doors inside Augusta Black's old office, each one carved with an eerie symbol. Add in the unshakeable feeling that someone--or something--is watching her, and Maya becomes convinced: there's a mystery to be solved here, real. . . or supernatural. Each of the thirteen doors hides a secret but opening them leads to dire consequences. When too many doors are open and Maya and her cousins are unable to close them, not only are they and the mansion at risk, so are their parents who are left stranded in town. Maya receives some help from an unexpected place, but will it be enough to save them?

Told over the course of one thrilling day, The Thirteen Doors of Black House is a fast-paced mystery that is sure to hook young readers. A little bit spooky, and a little bit funny, it perfectly pairs the magic of vacationing with your family with the magic of an old, storied house.

Review Quotes

"Crackling dialogue and unsettling apparitions abound in this eerie prose debut, a gripping puzzler full of mystery and ghoulish giggles by Lavoie."

--Publisher's Weekly

"The Thirteen Doors of Black House is a fast-paced scary mystery that is destined to become a classic haunted house book for kids."--Fleur Bradley, award-winning author of Daybreak on Raven Island and Midnight at the Barclay Hotel.

"This eerie debut novel from prolific picture book writer Lavoie is a fast-paced, soon-to-be classic
haunted house story."--Booklist

About the Author

Laura Lavoie has written Vampire Vacation (Viking, 2022), Monster Baker (Roaring Brook Press, 2023) and the forthcoming picture books Duck, Duck, Taco Truck (Doubleday, 2024) and COUSINS! (Roaring Brook, 2025). She holds dual master's degrees in education and mental health counseling and began her career working as a counselor for young kids. She is a mom of two daughters, ages 8 and 6. You can learn more about her at lauralavoieauthor.com. The Thirteen Doors of Black House is her first novel.