The Strangers (Greystone Secrets, #1) by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on April 2nd 2019
ISBN: 0062838377
Pages: 416
Goodreads

Siblings Chess, Emma and Finn Greystone live in the suburbs with their mother. Chess is a bit more serious and reserved than his siblings. Emma spends her time solving math problems for fun while young Finn can be a goofball at times. When Emma notices twenty-three “weird things” in one day, she begins to worry that something might be wrong. That same evening,  the Greystones are startled when a news story details the kidnapping of three children in Arizona. The kidnapped children share the same names and ages as Chess, Emma and Finn. After hearing the news of the kidnapping, Mrs. Greystone mysteriously disappears leaving the children with another family in town. Out of concern for their mother’s safety, the Greystone children investigate the strange occurrences and are shocked by what they discover. The narrative switches from Chess, to Emma and Finn giving readers a sense of what each character is thinking and feeling. The blend of mystery, adventure and fantasy will appeal to many Haddix fans. A sense of excitement builds as the characters solve codes to help locate their mother. Margaret Peterson Haddix’s new middle grade series will keep readers guessing right up until the end. If you add The Strangers to your library collection, be prepared to buy the next book in the series when it hits shelves. (Grades 4-7)

Reviewed by Cathy Potter, Falmouth Middle School, Falmouth