Greenglass House by Kate Milford follows the adventures of a young boy named Milo as he attempts to uncover the secrets of his house, his family, and maybe even his own identity. This book is filled to the brim with fantastical details and witty characters, containing themes of courage, honesty, and mystery. The book starts off with wonderful imagery of Greenglass House itself, with its many stories and ginormous stained glass windows on each floor. The house is actually an inn as well and hosts guests from time to time, specifically smugglers. It’s winter break for Milo and all he wants to do is have a relaxing holiday with his parents, when something unusual happens — the guest bell rings. Milo is immediately disappointed because they almost never have guests during his break from school, and now he’ll have to give up his break to help host the mystery guest. However, as soon as his parents welcome the guest in, a bell rings again. Both Milo and the guest are startled as if neither of them expected another guest to arrive. But, much to Milo’s dismay, the bell continues to ring until there are a group of cold, unrelated guests standing in the foyer. None of them seem to know each other, but the more Milo watches their side glances and suspicious looks, the more he’s sure their timely arrival can’t be a coincidence. Pairing up with the cook’s daughter, Meddy, Milo sets off on a daring adventure around his house to find out the true reason for everyone’s arrival. However, Milo soon realizes that no one is who they seem to be, especially those he holds closest to himself. This book was a page-turner, filled with unexpected twists and turns. I definitely did not expect the ending and enjoyed all of the details and imagery. However, this book, although a mystery, moves very slowly at first, as the author takes time to set the scene and introduce characters. This was the reason I rated it a 4/5 instead of 5/5. Greenglass House is more of a fun mystery than one that holds you on the edge of your seat the entire time.
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