A remote summer camp
A baffling mystery
Ghosts, ghosts, ghosts . . .
It’s Bee’s first time at summer camp, and she’s not excited about it. Being around other people is hard for her, plus she knows nothing about campfires, swimming, or canoes.
When she first arrives at Camp Blue Heron, it’s pretty much as Bee expected. The other girls either make fun of her or ignore her, and the woods give her the creeps: she keeps hearing far-off music, and there’s something unearthly about it.
Then she meets Zippy—an oddball too, but with confidence and insider knowledge from many summers spent at Camp Blue Heron. And Zippy has discovered a mystery: the older girls from the Hawks’ tent are sneaking out at night, and none of the camp staff seem to realize it.
Zippy and Bee are on the case, and with the help of an unlikely ally, they soon find out there’s more going on than just summer-camp hijinks. How are the Hawks getting out at night? What is the deal with the (very cute) mysterious boy working with the groundskeeper? Where is the music coming from? And what does the reclusive camp founder know about all of it?
What the critics say
"An enchanting meld of ghostly magic, inspiration from a beloved fairy tale, the otherworldly rituals of summer camp, and the thrills of an adolescent summer spent in nature."
-- Kirkus Starred Review
"Steady pacing and elegant prose combine to craft a warmly bewitching tale about young love and heartache."
-- Publishers Weekly Starred Review
"Her writing is ethereal and evocative, evoking the dangers and glittering possibilities of summer nights away from home."
--Kirkus Starred Review
“Lush prose, strong characterizations, and a foreboding tone combine for an immersive read that ramps up the chills”
-- Mahnaz Dar, Spellbinding Summer Reads, Kirkus
Winner
Crime Writers of Canada Award of Excellence
Best Juvenile/YA Crime Book 2026
Finalist
Ann Connor Brimer Award for Atlantic Canadian Children’s Literature (Atlantic Book Awards) 2026
Snow Willow Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice Award 2026
Video Interview with the Author
Here's an interview with writer Vanessa Shields where we talk about my inspiration for The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall, summer camp, ghosts and just how many drafts I wrote before I was happy. We were interrupted once by dogs and twice by whales. Thank you Vanessa!