House of Dark Shadows is the first of three (currently) thrillers in the Dreamhouse Kings series by Robert Liparulo. Aimed at the tween crowd, this book is a fast-paced page-turner that will not fail to disappoint either the teen or even adult reader. There are plenty of reviews at online booksellers, the publisher's website, and the author's site to provide details of the content and storyline, so I won't repeat any of that here. I will say, however, that story was reminiscent but by no means a copycat of one of my favorite children's books, A Wrinkle in Time. For parents curious about the suitability of this series for their children, I would recommend reading the six-page Prologue, which gives a teaser of what is to follow in the story. In my opinion, this intro is the most thrilling part of the whole book, so if this part is not too intense, nothing else in this book should prove to be too much for your young readers.

While I wholeheartedly recommend this series for any parent or tween looking for a wonderful thriller, perhaps the best endorsement I can give actually comes from my twelve-year old daughter. Historically, her favorite books have been classics, specifically Robinson Crusoe and Journey to the Center of the Earth. Upon finishing House of Dark Shadows, however, my daughter gleefully proclaimed, “Dad, I have a new favorite book.” I shouldn't think that Mr. Liparulo would mind his work being placed alongside these great stories of the English language...even if by a twelve-year old!