The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street

by Lindsay Currie

  I open Rachel’s latest text message and send her the picture I just took. She’s been asking for days now to see what everyone looks like, but I didn’t have anything to send her. Now I have a zombie, a spiritualist, and . . . what was Richie again? Oh, yeah, a hot dog. Ha! My eyes drift to the corner where his abandoned costume is lying in a heap, and I giggle. I hope Rachel can come here soon, because she’ll love these guys and they’ll love her. I just know it.

  Setting down my phone, I kick my feet up onto the table and enjoy the chaos. Richie dangling a fake spider in Nina’s face, Andrew laughing so hard he’s about to fall off his chair . . . again . . . and Reno, propped in the corner with a tiny fake mustache stuck to his face. It was hard giving up Rachel. Moving here. Leaving behind everything I love. But I realize now that I’ll grow to love Chicago just as much. My friends are cool. My neighborhood is amazing. Even Shady Street isn’t half bad anymore! If it’s possible to owe a ghost, I totally do.

  Thanks, Inez. For everything.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Thank you for reading Tessa’s story! Although I wrote The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street, it would not be in your hands right now without the support of so many incredible people. Below are those incredible people; I hope you’ll take a moment out of your day to read about them and how they helped bring Tessa’s journey to the shelves.

  Thank you to my agent, Kathleen Rushall, for believing in Peculiar Incident and championing it from the very first draft I dropped in your inbox. Your support and keen editorial eye have helped to make my little ghost story a reality, and for that I’m forever grateful.

  A huge thank-you goes out to my amazing editor, Amy Cloud. Your insight, encouragement, and patience have been beyond inspiring. I’m grateful for the countless hours you spent reading and rereading this novel, the brilliant edits you provided, and the life you breathed into Tessa’s story throughout this process. Watching Peculiar Incident transform from a mass of jumbled words that my brain spit out to a fully formed novel has been a dream come true, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with you on it.

  To the entire publishing team at Aladdin/S&S—THANK YOU! From the moment I signed my contract for this book, I’ve experienced nothing but pride. Pride because every step of this process has been handled with passion and attention to detail. Thank you to publisher Mara Anastas, to deputy publisher Mary Marotta, to art director Jessica Handelman, and to managing editor Chelsea Morgan. Your support and hard work on this book mean the world to me.

  Hugs, virtual cupcakes, and all the smiley emoji faces go out to my amazing group of writerly friends, who not only supported me throughout the drafting process for this novel, but inspire me with their talent every single day. Thank you to Jessica Lawson, Jenna Lehne, Jess Keating, Becky Wallace, Jenni Walsh, Marci Curtis, Lynne Matson, and Tracey Neithercott. I’m forever grateful to know (and love) you ladies.

  Thank you to the talented and fabulous artists who sent me fan art inspired by Peculiar Incident—Gabrielle Jones and Jessica Bates. You two are the original members of Tessa’s Art Squad, and I could not be more honored to showcase some of your work on my website!

  And to my family . . .

  I owe you the biggest thanks of all. I owe you not only for giving me the time and space to dive into this world when I needed it, but also for believing in me.

  Rob, Ben, and Ella—you three are my biggest, best, and most wonderful journey. You inspire me to be a better mother and writer every day with your kindness, empathy, intelligence, and beauty. There would be no books without you. I love you all to the moon and back.

  John—if I could press a button and show teenage Lindsay how we turned out, I’d do it in a heartbeat. Thank you for being my laugh when I need one, for going on ghost tours with me on date nights, for swapping dinners with me when I hate mine, and for simply being you. There would be no books without you, either. I love you.

  Mom and Dad—you let me bring home the stray animals, put on the “performances,” write the poems, sing the songs, and read the books. You helped me become exactly who I needed to be: a writer. Thank you!

  Bob, Sue, and Dave—in-laws might get a bad rap, but I seriously lucked out with you guys. Your support and encouragement on this book—on every book—mean a lot to me. Thank you!

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Author photograph by Alan Klehr

  Lindsay Currie lives in Chicago with one incredibly patient hubby, three amazing kids, and a 160-pound lapdog named Sam. She’s fond of tea, Halloween, Disney World, and things that go bump in the night.

  LINDSAYCURRIE.COM

  Aladdin

  Simon & Schuster , New York

  Visit us at simonandschuster.com/kids

  Authors.SimonandSchuster.com/Lindsay-Currie

  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  ALADDIN

  An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division

  1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020

  www.SimonandSchuster.com

  First Aladdin hardcover edition October 2017

  Text copyright © 2017 by Lindsay Currie

  All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

  ALADDIN and related logo are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

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  Jacket designed by Jessica Handelman

  Interior designed by Mike Rosamilia

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Names: Currie, Lindsay, author.

  Title: The peculiar incident on Shady Street / by Lindsay Currie.

  Description: First Aladdin hardcover edition. | New York : Aladdin, 2017. |

  Summary: When lights start flickering and temperatures suddenly drop, twelve-year-old

  Tessa Woodward, sensing her new house may be haunted, recruits some new friends to help her unravel the mystery of who or what is trying to communicate with her and why.

  Identifiers: LCCN 2016055681|

  ISBN 9781481477048 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781481477062 (eBook)

  Subjects: | CYAC: Haunted houses—Fiction. | Ghosts—Fiction |

  Friendship—Fiction. | Mystery and detective stories. |

  BISAC: JUVENILE FICTION / Horror & Ghost Stories. |

  JUVENILE FICTION / Mysteries & Detective Stories. |

  JUVENILE FICTION / Social Issues / Friendship.

  Classification: LCC PZ7.C9354 Pe 2017 |

  DDC [Fic]—dc23

  LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016055681