 | Doll House Author: Gillespie, D. W. | |
| Price: $22.58 | ||
Summary:
Garrett never met his grandfather, Burke, but he’s heard the stories from his mother. Burke was an enormously successful writer, but he was also notoriously cruel, especially to his family. After he passes away suddenly, Garrett and his mother are told that his enormous fortune is hers... if they agree to spend a week at his estate. Garrett realizes that the house isn’t what it seems. An old typewriter clicks away on its own. There are sounds in the night that come from the basement.
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (05/01/26)
School Library Journal (06/01/26)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 06/01/2026 Gr 5–7—The dolls and puppets in this read will send shivers down spines. Garrett Weathers, a lanky, blond 13-year-old, is floored when a random lawyer shows up on his doorstep. His estranged grandfather has just died, leaving him and his mother a grand and unbelievable fortune. The catch? Garrett and his mother must spend a week in his grandfather's estate, Inkwell Point, before they can pocket the money. Seems simple enough, until they take residence in the manor known locally as the Doll House. Garrett is now taxed with finishing his grandfather's story, but as he grows closer to his grandfather through the mystery of Inkwell Point, readers will begin to question if it might be a mystery best left cold. This novel toes a delicate line between fantastical and realistic horror. Each chapter's end grips readers as they desperately try to put the puzzle pieces of the Doll House together alongside Garrett. Generational and familial trauma is the backbone of this spooky story, and Gillespie handles the topic with grace and realism. The pace is gripping, the dolls horrifying, and the ending tender and true. The descriptions of the dolls will stay with readers who may find themselves asking why Garrett ever entered the house in the first place. VERDICT A gripping, thrilling, and bone-chilling read; perfect for fans of "Goosebumps" and other middle grade horror stories.—Ashton Conley - Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
