Samantha Wolf Mysteries, Book Eleven - The Secret of Sanctuary

Thirteen-year old Samantha Wolf and her best friends, Allyson Parker and Cassy Covington, are back for another mystery in the eleventh installment of the Samantha Wolf mysteries by Tara Ellis.  Since there is always a somewhat lengthy break between my reading of each book in this series, it takes me a bit to get used to the present tense style of writing.  I still have not figured out why Ellis chose to take this route when writing this series, but I give her credit for sticking with it - eleven books, and still going strong (the twelfth book is out on Amazon, and I need to get it). 

The Secret of Sanctuary is a unique story, as Ellis brings into the mystery characters from an adult mystery series she writes called "The Secret of Sanctuary Cozy Mysteries," written under the pen name of Tara Myers and featuring a veterinarian named Ember Burns (who has red hair, go figure).  Cassy's older sister, Lisa, takes the girls (and Sam's brother Hunter, as well as Ally's brother John) for a week's vacation to the mountain town of Sanctuary for a week's vacation of camping, free from any and all danger and mystery.  Of course, this is Sam Wolf we are talking about, so we know from the get-go there is going to be some kind of mystery in Sanctuary (particularly since the local vet also happens to be a mystery-magnet as well!).  As with all of Ellis' prior books, this one has a slow build up before the reader learns what the mystery actually is.  In this case, it involves an archeological dig near the very campsite where the girls are camping and an old legend involving the cry of a Banshee.  A local old-timer says the Banshee has not been heard in years, but the professor and his five students messing around with the effigy mound could very well call the Banshee back to protect the sacred site.

Ellis does a great job of mixing in old legends with possible treasures, along with misunderstandings and mysterious strangers to create a mystery worth reading.  The strange sounds in the night ... the deadly trap with a wild bronco ... the crying girl in the bathroom stall ... the two men who don't seem to fit in with the rest of the town ... the disconnecting of the RV's battery ... Sam can't help but smell trouble brewing, and when she and Ally take off on their own to follow a potential suspect, it leads them right into the middle of it all - and they find themselves in greater danger than any they've faced before!  Ellis may start off a bit slow, but she definitely builds the danger and suspense towards the end, so that you can't put the book down until you've found out just how it's all going to end!

Now, admittedly, I knew nothing about Ellis' other series prior to reading this book.  My first discover of this was the introduction for this book, which tells readers about her adult mystery series.  I found the name "Ember Burns" rather amusing, and the town and its citizens rather quaint.  Maybe one day, I might go back and purchase the first book in that series just to see how it reads.

One thing I can definitely commend Ellis on is her dialogue and banter among the kids.  Sam and her brother, Hunter, definitely act like siblings.  And the camaraderie among Sam, Ally, and Cassy reads naturally, each with their own personality, playing well off the others.  It's also nice to see how she has not only aged the characters physically as the series progresses, but she has matured them, so that some of the childish rivalry we saw in the first several books has become more of a playful banter and, at times, a level of respect for one another.  Even Sam, who is the main character, has learned some self-control, as well as an ability not to fly off the handle with her brother and his teasing.  It's things like this that keeps the series real and enjoyable to read.

While one of the culprits turns out to be someone that is not so surprising, Ellis does provide a major twist with this person's co-conspirator.  I did not see that coming at all, but once revealed, it does rather make sense.  In fact, if you pay close attention as you read, the clues are there.

Overall, this is definitely one of the better books in the series.

RATING:  9 copies of True Stories of Terror to Keep You Up at Night out of 10 for another great story with a bit of an archaeological lesson thrown in for good fun!