Ben’s Goodreads Review of Ghost Hunters Adventure Club
Ghost Hunters Adventure Club and the Secret of the Grande Chateau by Cecil H.H. Mills
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Literary juggernaut, Dr. Cecil H.H. Mills has made a transition into young adult literature that is delightful as it is surprising. Many thought that the failure of his magnum opus “Cerberus, From on High” would be a career ender, but Mills proves that even bankrupting one’s publisher is not an insurmountable challenge for a mind as sharp as his.
If one sets aside the creator, though, and examines Ghost Hunters Adventure Club on it’s own merits, it is a fun and genuinely funny parody of children’s mystery books of the past. The book assumes that its reader is familiar with things like The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. My one complaint would be that the book relies too much on J.J.’s endless stream of improv-comedy style humor. J.J. is just a little too extra for my tastes and his schtick does wear out fast.
If I were to judge the book solely on it’s own merits it would probably get a 3-star rating. What really takes the book to a 4-star rating for me is the author’s personality. Dr. Cecil H.H. Mills is a character unto himself. To really get the most out of the book it’s important for readers to seek out some background on the man himself.
