THE SECRET OF LAUREL OAKS - Softcover

"If you read this book late at night, as I did, in a dark and quiet house, as I did, you may feel the same chill I did--the someone-is-looking-over-your shoulder chill. The heebie-jeebies. The creeps. This is a genuinely spooky and engrossing ghost story, filled with fascinating historical detail."--Jennifer Armstrong, award-winning author of "The Dreams of Mairhe Mehan "on "The Secret of Laurel Oaks"

"Lois Ruby's "The Secret of Laurel Oaks "is an intriguing mystery that takes the contemporary heroine (and the reader) on a spirited journey back and forth from a haunted house to the slave-owning family that once owned it....We are in capable hands with Ruby's deft story telling powers and her devotion to historical truths. A terrific read."--Sonia Levitin, award-winning author of "Strange Relations," "The Goodness Gene," and "Dream Freedom"
Praise for THE SECRET OF LAUREL OAKS:

"If you read this book late at night, as I did, in a dark and quiet house, as I did, you may feel the same chill I did--the someone-is-looking-over-your shoulder chill. The heebie-jeebies. The creeps. This is a genuinely spooky and engrossing ghost story, filled with fascinating historical detail."--Jennifer Armstrong, award-winning author of "The Dreams of Mairhe Mehan "on "The Secret of Laurel Oaks"

"Lois Ruby's "The Secret of Laurel Oaks "is an intriguing mystery that takes the contemporary heroine (and the reader) on a spirited journey back and forth from a haunted house to the slave-owning family that once owned it....We are in capable hands with Ruby's deft story telling powers and her devotion to historical truths. A terrific read."--Sonia Levitin, award-winning author of "Strange Relations," "The Goodness Gene," and "Dream Freedom"

"A genuinely spooky and engrossing ghost story."--Jennifer Armstrong, award-winning author of "The Dreams of Mairhe Mehan"

"YAs will enjoy the characters' struggle between reality and myth in this innovative 'ghost story' overflowing with the power of love, friendship, and courage."--"KLIATT"

"This plot-twisting ghost story is full of history, friendship, romance, betrayal, and jealousy."--"School Library Journal"

"The bits of truth that Lois Ruby weaves into the story are what make it mysterious and chilling. This is a great book for learning about plantation life, but reading it at night will definitely give you the creeps."--Bookloons.com

A genuinely spooky and engrossing ghost story. "Jennifer Armstrong, award-winning author of The Dreams of Mairhe Mehan"

YAs will enjoy the characters' struggle between reality and myth in this innovative ghost story' overflowing with the power of love, friendship, and courage. "KLIATT"

This plot-twisting ghost story is full of history, friendship, romance, betrayal, and jealousy. "School Library Journal"

The bits of truth that Lois Ruby weaves into the story are what make it mysterious and chilling. This is a great book for learning about plantation life, but reading it at night will definitely give you the creeps. "Bookloons.com""

A genuinely spooky and engrossing ghost story. Jennifer Armstrong, award-winning author of The Dreams of Mairhe Mehan

YAs will enjoy the characters' struggle between reality and myth in this innovative ghost story' overflowing with the power of love, friendship, and courage. KLIATT

This plot-twisting ghost story is full of history, friendship, romance, betrayal, and jealousy. School Library Journal

The bits of truth that Lois Ruby weaves into the story are what make it mysterious and chilling. This is a great book for learning about plantation life, but reading it at night will definitely give you the creeps. Bookloons.com

If you read this book late at night, as I did, in a dark and quiet house, as I did, you may feel the same chill I did--the someone-is-looking-over-your shoulder chill. The heebie-jeebies. The creeps. This is a genuinely spooky and engrossing ghost story, filled with fascinating historical detail. Jennifer Armstrong, award-winning author of The Dreams of Mairhe Mehan on The Secret of Laurel Oaks

Lois Ruby's The Secret of Laurel Oaks is an intriguing mystery that takes the contemporary heroine (and the reader) on a spirited journey back and forth from a haunted house to the slave-owning family that once owned it....We are in capable hands with Ruby's deft story telling powers and her devotion to historical truths. A terrific read. Sonia Levitin, award-winning author of Strange Relations, The Goodness Gene, and Dream Freedom

-If you read this book late at night, as I did, in a dark and quiet house, as I did, you may feel the same chill I did--the someone-is-looking-over-your shoulder chill. The heebie-jeebies. The creeps. This is a genuinely spooky and engrossing ghost story, filled with fascinating historical detail.- --Jennifer Armstrong, award-winning author of The Dreams of Mairhe Mehan on The Secret of Laurel Oaks

-Lois Ruby's The Secret of Laurel Oaks is an intriguing mystery that takes the contemporary heroine (and the reader) on a spirited journey back and forth from a haunted house to the slave-owning family that once owned it....We are in capable hands with Ruby's deft story telling powers and her devotion to historical truths. A terrific read.- --Sonia Levitin, award-winning author of Strange Relations, The Goodness Gene, and Dream Freedom

"If you read this book late at night, as I did, in a dark and quiet house, as I did, you may feel the same chill I did--the someone-is-looking-over-your shoulder chill. The heebie-jeebies. The creeps. This is a genuinely spooky and engrossing ghost story, filled with fascinating historical detail." --Jennifer Armstrong, award-winning author of The Dreams of Mairhe Mehan on The Secret of Laurel Oaks

"Lois Ruby's The Secret of Laurel Oaks is an intriguing mystery that takes the contemporary heroine (and the reader) on a spirited journey back and forth from a haunted house to the slave-owning family that once owned it....We are in capable hands with Ruby's deft story telling powers and her devotion to historical truths. A terrific read." --Sonia Levitin, award-winning author of Strange Relations, The Goodness Gene, and Dream Freedom

When Lila and her family visit Laurel Oaks Plantation in Louisiana, her parents and brother scoff at the claim that the house is haunted. But secretly, Lila suspects there are ghostly presences willing to communicate with her, and her alone. One spirit eager to tell her story is Daphne, a slave girl at Laurel Oaks in the 1840s, who was blamed for the poisoning deaths of two girls and their mother. Daphne's spirit senses that Lila is the very person she's been waiting for, the one who can prove her innocence so her spirit can rest at long last. Shifting back and forth from Lila's world in the present to Daphne's world in the past, the true story of what really happened that fateful night finally comes to light.

Laurel Oaks is a thinly disguised version of the legendary Myrtles Plantation in Louisiana, which is on the Smithsonian's list of the ten most haunted places in America. This novel was inspired by the author's visit to the plantation and her experiences there.