The Ghost in the Third Row

Jessica Lopez Illustration It happened one sunny, carefree summer when Nina wants to try something new. She's eleven, and running and singing are two of her favourite things in the world. So she felt somewhat confident that her upcoming audition for a theater play is a good idea. But why a stage look......more

Sixth-grader Nina “Nine” Tanleven made the audition for The Woman in White to be held in Syracuse’s Grand Theater. (It’s not the Wilkie Collins’ novel, but a play based on a real-life tragedy in which the lead actress died at the self-same theater.) No surprise that the titular ghost Nine spots in t......more

This was the book that started my love of reading in second grade. I loved the main character, Nina Tanleven, a curious girl with a great voice. It had everything, mystery, suspense, friendship, hated rivals, and a beautiful backstory involving the old theater where they were performing. Thank you, B......more

Childhood favorite via 1988. I'm glad I saved my copy because it isn't even available anymore. My boys have really started liking mystery ghost stories. This is a nice one that is not too scary but keeps them guessing. My youngest was very happy with the ending because "Even though it was sad, it wa......more

I remember seeing this book and this series in the bookstore when I was reading all of Bruce Coville's other books as a kid. I never picked them up for some reason. Maybe because they were about ghosts instead of aliens or magic. I think my young self would have liked them. My adult self sure enjoye......more