Review: X Marks the Haunt by Lindsay Currie

X Marks the Haunt

by Lindsay Currie

Release Date: January 6, 2026

2026 Delacorte Press

Ebook ARC; 304 Pages

ISBN: 978-0593811672

ASIN: B0F8NC2WG5

Audiobook: B0F9QGCDFS

Genre: Fiction / Middle Grade / Ghosts

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

4 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Thanks to his mother’s job at a local graveyard, twelve-year-old Will Stone has some unique talents. For one, he knows exactly how a burial vault works and why they’re used. For another, he’s great at genealogy and can decode centuries old records. 

 
But when a centuries old crypt key is lost, his normally peaceful existence at Graceland cemetery is shattered. Trees wither and die. The lake becomes covered with a sinister green slime that threatens to choke out anything living in it. And suddenly, the graveyard’s reputation isn’t the only thing in jeopardy . . . Will and his friends' safety is, too.

A dark force has been unleashed within the cemetery gates, and along with his friends Stash, Michelle, and Henry, Will must use his unique skill set to figure out which restless spirit is draining the graveyard of life, and how to end the haunting for good.

 

My Thoughts

X Marks the Haunt was a really fun middle grade ghost story that I finished in one day as I couldn't put it down.  I have read quite a few MG novels set in graveyards and cemeteries, but this one focused quite a bit on the genealogy of the graves, how they were located, and how a family member could find someone whose grave didn't have a marker.  All of this information was blended quite nicely within an interesting ghost story that would definitely appeal to readers of this age group. 

 

Will is the main character in the story and he loves the fact his mother is the director of the Graceland Cemetery, a cemetery which actually exists in Chicago (and don't even get me started on the deep dive I did when I discovered that!!). However, he is also lonely, having only one true friends, and because one of his classmates is being bullied because his family owns a funeral home, Will is reluctant to let other kids know where his mother works until one fateful class trip.  I really enjoyed Will's character development as he grew to trust other people in his class and opened himself up to new friendships while navigating the difficulties of his existing friendship as this was happening.  The other characters were a lot of fun to get to know and I really liked how the author incorporated these new friendships into both Will's life and into the story.  It felt real and genuine, making Will understand that the can share his passion for the cemetery with others and stand up for what he admires against those who tease him about it.

 

The story was a lot of fun as well.  It did take a lot of time for the action to get going with regards to the ghost story, but I truly didn't mind as I was enjoying the interactions between the students and anticipating what was going to happen.  I absolutely love cemeteries so I liked learning about this one.  I've been to Chicago and honestly, if I had known this was there, I would have done a tour.  While it was quite light on the supernatural and the 'frightening' compared to other middle grade novels I have read, and I also didn't feel the sense of tension and danger for these kids, what was happening was still a bit scary and heck, going into a cemetery at night is frightening no matter what. I also really enjoyed the little bits of lore that were thrown into the story as well.  There were many themes to explore in this book; friendship, family, loyalty, secrets, rumours, vengeance, revenge, lying, sickness, and death. 

 

Verdict

X Marks the Haunt had a setting that pretty much set the whole tone of the book, a cemetery. I enjoyed the story and thought the character development was really good. The plot did take a while to get going, and because it's light on the scary side, would be a great book for those who are looking to dip their toes into the genre and don't want something too scary.  For me, the friendship was the highlight of the book, but the writing style certainly kept me engaged and entertained.  While it looks like a standalone, I am really hoping there will be a sequel featuring these characters (and this cemetery) as this was a lot of fun to read.