Spooky lucas reviewI enjoyed this story very much. The voice of the main protagonist, almost 14-year old Drew, Normal with a capital N, is engaging, likeable and distinctive. The sleepy town of Lucas – more a widening of the road than a town – is well observed, with a host of distinctive minor characters. Lucas feels like a very nice, safe – apart from the tornadoes – friendly and neighborly place to live. The plot is slightly scary (for someone who gets easily scared) but is probably about as least chilling as any sad story of premature death and unquiet hauntings can be. It’s also nicely suspenseful – a mystery which our teenage detective gradually unravels with the help of his friends. The character of Cassie is particularly well observed, but I think that Mike with his checkered family history could also evolve into an interesting character in future volumes.I would definitely recommend this book. If I have a slight hesitation, it’s that the mystery unfolds perhaps a little too slowly for younger readers. Not for me: I loved it, with the details and authentic flavor of rural Texas, but I suspect the target audience may not have quite such patience.I also liked the fact that Drew has chores as a matter of routine. This might seem a petty point, but (teacher here) I think chores are vastly under-estimated as a necessity for building a sense of responsibility, plus self-management, capability, independence and organizational skills. Children who are accustomed to chores, and chipping in, never have that unhealthy sense of entitlement – often associated with helplessness – and expectation that the world should wait on them.Overall a soundly written, very enjoyable story, elevated by an exceptionally strong first person narrative voice.