The Ghost of Raven Hill (Raven Hill Mysteries, #1) (Raven Hill Gang S., #1)

by Emily Rodda

Even though I've been looking for years, I've never managed to track down all 30 of the Teen Power Inc series. I really hope at some point these are released in ebook format. Or reprinted as paperbacks. I'm not really fussed but I would definitely like to read all of them in some format. Still over the years I've read a great many of them and have recently been rereading the ones I have. (And scouring auctions and used bookstores for missing copies.)

Anyway Teen Power Inc is brilliant. They're lighthearted mysteries featuring a cast of six teenagers who start their own odd job business to earn money. Each book is narrated by a different character. There's Liz who is the mother hen. She is passionate about equality and fairness and helping others. Her best friend is Sunny who is super sporty. She spends a lot of her time exercising and attending taekwondo and gymnastic classes. Tom is the class clown of the group, always ready with a joke and his sketchpad. Elmo is the reporter. He joins the group in the first novel, when the gang accept a job as the new delivery people for the Pen (the local newspaper) that Elmo's father owns. Nick is described as being "cool". He's always ready with the right words and the charm. And last of all is Richelle who is the fashionista and kind of an airhead. Each book focuses on the adventures and mysteries the group fall into when they start a new job.

In the Ghost of Raven Hill, the gang are introduced and form Teen Power Inc. Their first job is to deliver the Pen (the local newspaper) when the existing delivery kids are lured away by a rival newspaper. Liz has the idea for Teen Power Inc and as such she is the narrator for the first novel.

Since the death of Elmo's grandfather, the Pen has been having financial difficulties. Printing errors, stories being leaked and office fires have all led to the Pen being in danger of closing down. While trying to help save the Pen, the gang find themselves knee deep in danger and intrigue and have to put the clues together to solve who wants to destroy the Pen and why.

The mystery is really good and there were a lot of twists I didn't see coming. For a middle grade novel they're surprisingly deep. Well it's a cross between middle grade and young adult whatever you call that. I love all the characters and enjoyed them piecing together the clues. I can't wait to read the next one.