The Phantom Tower by Keir Graff

Even though they're twins, Colm and Mal (sometimes their mom calls them "Malcolm" collectively), don't agree on much of anything. Mal likes things organized and planned; he's a realist who enjoys building house layouts in Minecraft. Colm is a dreamer, a rule-breaker, and sometimes a trouble-maker. But they both agree that they don't want to move from Texas to Chicago. Unfortunately, after their father's death two years ago they're still tiptoeing around their mom and Colm especially doesn't feel like he can complain or act out, especially after all the trouble he's gotten into recently. So, off to Chicago they go.

The boys are cautiously interested in the historic apartment building they move into, and they meet an interesting, if slightly mysterious, girl named Tamika. But the professor their mom is working for is weird and there's something... off about the building. As the secrets of the tower and it's phantom twin, trapped in time, begin to be revealed, the boys realize that this is more than a fun adventure; they're facing some serious dangers.

This is a mystery, an adventure, and a time-travel fantasy all in one, but it's tied together by an exploration of how people grieve and how it can be painful and difficult but is important to move on with your life after losing a loved one. There are some truly scary moments, but overall it's a fairly gentle fantasy with a whiff of Minecraft and "following the clues" mysteries.

Verdict: While not a must-purchase, this is a good backlist title for readers who like mysteries with a hint of magic and danger but are not fans of epic, Warriors-style fantasy.

ISBN: 9781524739522; Published August 2018 by Putnam; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library