The Secret of Moonrise Manor - (A Raven Gallows Mystery) by Stephanie Bearce (Hardcover)

About the Book

Twelve-year-old Raven Gallows, a budding detective and mortician, investigates a mysterious death linked to her mother when a mummified body discovered in a haunted hotel holds crucial clues, leading her and her friends to uncover a hidden stash of stolen art and a secret society.

Book Synopsis

Wednesday Addams + Sherlock Holmes = Raven Gallows--a curious girl who uses her budding skills as a mortician and a scientist to investigate a mysterious death at her small town's haunted hotel.

Raven Gallows lives in a funeral home and is determined to become a famous detective. Her first case is one close to home--find the truth surrounding her mother's puzzling death six years ago.

When a mummified man is discovered behind a wall at the Moonrise Manor Hotel, Raven is shocked to see that the body is clutching her mother's gold and silver locket.

Raven gathers her friends--Cosmina Wilde, who thinks she can talk to ghosts; Miles Farnsworth, who works at the haunted hotel; and Eric Wong, who possesses unparalleled computer skills--and sets out to learn the identity of the mummy. As they follow the clues, they discover more than they bargained for, including a stash of stolen art and a legend of a secret society.

The Secret of Moonrise Manor is a story about family, friendship, and the courage it takes to pursue the truth.

Review Quotes

Selected for the 2026 Upper Elementary List

-- "Read Aloud Indiana" (11/18/2025 12:00:00 AM)

-- "Publishers Weekly" (1/24/2025 12:00:00 AM)

"In a spooky but delightful way, this mystery is a cross between Scooby Doo and The Addams Family. Clearly a series-starter, Bearce's debut will hold appeal for middle-grade scientists, budding detectives, and perhaps those with a taste for ghost hunting."-- "Booklist" (11/19/2024 12:00:00 AM)

About the Author

Stephanie Bearce is a history detective and a science nerd who loves turning her discoveries into books for kids. She is an award-winning author of thirty-five traditionally published nonfiction books; The Secret of Moonrise Manor is her fiction debut. Stephanie frequently presents at conferences, schools, literature festivals, and libraries around the country. A winner of the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award and the SCBWI Work in Progress Grant, Stephanie's books have also been selected for the NSTA Recommended Reading List.

She lives near St. Louis, Missouri, with her family.