Daughter & Me Talk about The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing

Daughter and I like to read many of the same books, and I thought it’d be fun for us to start discussing some of our favorites here on the blog.

Last year, we were both blown away by Shelia Turnage’s THREE TIMES LUCKY. When the follow up book, THE GHOSTS OF TUPELO LANDING came out, we couldn’t wait to use it at our first book discussion.

Description of THE GHOSTS OF TUPELO LANDING from Turnage’s web page:

Miss Mo LoBeau – half of the (probably) world famous Desperado Detective Agency – is back!  Mo and Dale went famous for about a week after solving a murder in Tupelo Landing, NC – population 148 minus one (murder.) Now sixth grade has started, and for Mo it’s back to being regular.

Regular doesn’t come easy to a girl like Mo.

So when her beloved Miss Lana accidentally buys an inn with an unidentified ghost in the fine print, Mo’s eager to take the case. It’s a case full of tough questions: Who’s haunting the old inn?  And why? And will interviewing a ghost land Mo and Dale some extra credit in history? 

Mo and her best friend Dale – aka the Desperado Detectives – set out to solve their second big case only to find out the inn might not be the only thing in Tupelo Landing that’s haunted by the past.

With some unexpected help from the slick new kid in town – Crenshaw, Harm Crenshaw (as in Bond, James Bond) – Mo and Dale discover the truth about a lot of things.

Even themselves.

We decided it’d be best to decide on five questions we’d each answer about the books. We proudly present Mom/Daughter book thoughts!

1. Would you recommend the book and why?

Mom: Oh, yesssssss! I recommend both of Ms. Turnage’s books. She has a knack for language, character, and setting that make everything come alive in the story. There are marvelous plot twists and secrets unfolding around every corner. And her humor and heart are perfectly balanced.

Daughter: I would recommend her books to anyone who loves a little mystery, a whole lot of fun, and just a splash of surprise! Even though I don’t like mystery (except for Ruby Redfort books), these books really capture your attention and I can sometimes figure out the answer before Mo and Dale do (You do? I never figure it out - Mom)!

2.  Which character is your favorite and why?

Mom: This is a tough one! They are all so wonderful and quirky. I guess it has to be Dale Earnhardt Johnson III. I have a soft spot for the ever-faithful best friend. Dale is hilarious, thoughtful, brave (in his own way), and talented. Who else writes lullabies for their amphibian pets? I’d love to call him a friend.

Daughter: I think Sal is my favorite. She is quirky and fun in her very own way! She has a little shyness and a splash of funniness to go along with her normally businesslike, let’s-get-things-done attitude. Like pancakes and maple syrup, her personalities fit together nicely.

3. Tell about your favorite scene or line from the story (no spoilers!).

Mom: "The Ghost Stakeout" is my favorite scene. Immediately, Harm, the new boy in town, asks what to do if the ghost touches him. Dale answers, “A ghost touch? . . . Speaking as a professional? I’d scream like a first grader and run for my life.” I love that Dale! And Mo is so fearless, she makes me want to be brave too.

But my favorite line is Miss Lana’s. “The truth is like spandex, sugar. It may not look like a good fit at first, but if you ease into it and wiggle around, it winds up fitting like your skin.” Amen, Miss Lana. Amen.

Daughter: I’m not sure what my favorite scene is. I could not pick when there are so many great scenes in the book (this is true – Mom). I couldn’t even pick my favorite line (so many to pick from – Mom). Just knowing that I have such a good book to read is pretty cool (heart exploding with joy at hearing this – Mom).

4. Is the story set in a place you’d like to visit? Why or why not?

Mom: I would love to visit Tupelo Landing. In fact, I feel like I’ve been there many times since I grew up in the area this story is set. Ms. Turnage has a way of making the setting a character as well, and it is a character I love very much.

Daughter: Tupelo Landing sounds like a great place to explore! I don’t like big cities as much as I like small, rural towns. Tupelo Landing is pretty much like my hometown the way Turnage wraps her characters, settings, and small-town feelings into a winning book.

5. Did you laugh or cry?

Mom: Both!

Daughter: Laugh. I don’t understand why anyone would cry at this book. It’s not sad but I don’t cry at anything in books (she doesn't - how are we related?). Turnage has laugh-out-loud humor and secrets sunk so deep into the plot that you begin to wonder how she could have written it so perfectly!

Please add your thoughts or answer the questions in the comments. We'd love to hear from you. 

Also, enjoy this book trailer for THE GHOSTS OF TUPELO LANDING we found!