There's Something Sinister in Center Field by Robert P. Ottone

Genre: Middle Grade Ghost Mystery

Format: Paperback ARC 

Pages: 128

Rating: ★★★★★

Synopsis:

Casey knew the Owera Valley Kingfishers were slated to win it all. With star center fielder Danny surrounded by a motley crew of talented ball players, she knew the team was poised to mimic New York's own Dynasty for dominance that season.

That is until Casey's dad, the coach of the Kingfishers, made a scheduling mistake which forced the team to practice at a historic and altogether too-creepy ballfield.

A ballfield with a secret.

A ballfield with a cemetery just beyond center field.

With Danny's very soul in the balance, the Kingfishers must face a gang of ghoulish spectres in a winner-take-all best of three series. Can the team come together under Casey's leadership and win the most important series of their young lives?

Review:

"Give me a fastball just outside the zone any day. Give me a wooden bat over an aluminum all day long. Give me that crack when the bat hammers the sweet spot until the cows come home."

The love of the game. Out for the win of the year.

13-year-old Casey loves baseball, and spending time with her dad who is the coach for the Kingfishers baseball team. When the Kingfisher team ends up playing on an old historic ball field, they are challenged to a best in three series. But their opponents are not human. They are playing to save their star center fielder and good friend, Danny. If they do not win, they will lose him to the ghastly ghosts forever. 

Kids who love baseball will certainly connect to and enjoy this. Even more so if they are fans of a little spookiness. They could easily relate to the diversity and age of the characters and possibly some of the challenges of their young lives.

Friendship bonds, family bonds, and the determination it takes to endure any challenge. 

There is a lot of fun to this story, a few chuckles sprinkled in, and a big dusting of heart. 

*This gets all the stars from me because reading it with the perspective in mind that it's written for middle grade and the fact that I work as an elementary school librarian, I know what the kids enjoy reading. I am positive that this would be a hit for many.

*Thank you so much, Robert P. Ottone and Cemetery Gates Media for the complimentary copy.

Goodreads Author Link:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/

Amazon Author Link:

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Robert-P.-Ottone/author/

About the author

Robert P. Ottone is the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of THE TRIANGLE and is also the best-selling author of CURSE OF THE COB MAN, THE SLEEPY HOLLOW GANG, THE VILE THING WE CREATED and NOCTURNAL CREATURES.

His short fiction has been collected in WRAPPED IN PLASTIC AND OTHER SWEET NOTHINGS as well as HER INFERNAL NAME & OTHER NIGHTMARES.

He holds two master’s degrees in Education, as well as an MFA in Children’s Literature.

A bagel-loving fabulist of spooky absurdity, Ottone enjoys cigars, cocktails and time with his wife.

Publisher Link:

https://cemeterygatesmedia.com/

Review Links:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6617849587

https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/