A translated book from Sweden — I always enjoy reading books from other countries— if anything to get an idea of concepts that are interesting in their countries and cultures.
This story follows the story of a little girl with TB sent to Raspberry Hill sanatorium and her experiences there. By Chapter 8 — I was still wondering — what is the Mystery ? Then chapter 9 brings in the story about a fire where people had died — and the mystery begins as does the conspiracy theories about the place. I enjoyed the read — great for age 13 and older ( hence the 4 star rating ) as younger might get nightmares . The story was well written and enjoyable and I got invested in the character Stina immediately. A great read — recommended .

Thank-you to Netgalley and Pushkin Press for this ARC , this is my honest review.

Stina is a 10 year old girl, who knows she is going to die. When her family has the opportunity to give her a second chance at life, they take it. After being sent to Raspberry Hill Sanatorium, things are not quite what they appear to be.

As an adult reading this, I found it amazing. The story kept me gripped and wanting more. It puts you in the mind of a child that knows that their time is coming to an end. Some stuff was predictable (once again I'm looking at this from the perspective of an adult), but the last twist/reveal got me. I will definitely be getting the physical copy of this book when it is released in September.

This book is pretty dark for 9-12 year old's. If you have a child that can handle this type of story, then get it for them. As a parent I would read it first before giving it to them, just to make sure that it is the type of book you are okay with your kid to read. I would recommend this book to Middle school aged kids (13-15).

I love middle grade horror books but I didn't expect this story to be so dark. The build-up is great and even though Stina's voice is innocent and hopeful, the setting and looming horror can still give you chills.

The Mystery of Raspberry Hill is a dark and suspenseful middle grade ghost story/thriller. I'd originally planned to read it aloud to my 10-year-old son but wanted to pre-read it first to make sure that it wasn't too spooky – he's a pretty sensitive kid and doesn't do well with scary stuff. And, well, let's just say that I won't be reading him this one, as it's pretty dark for a middle grade novel. It is an excellent story, however, and I think a thicker-skinned (or slightly older) kid would enjoy it immensely.

This story is well-written and enjoyable, and even though I'm outside of its target audience by a few decades, I found it entertaining. The “mystery” isn't really all that mysterious – I saw the twist coming from early on – but again I'm an adult and not a preteen. Stina is a likable and courageous main character, and I rooted for her as she explored Raspberry Hill Sanitarium and struggled to regain her health. I loved her relationship with her mother and siblings, and I'll admit that I might have gotten a bit teary-eyed at the end.

Subjects in this book that might be scary for young or sensitive children: mortality, sickness, death, loss of a parent, evil adults, separation from parents, and ghosts.

Final rating: four stars. If you have a middle grader who can handle the subjects above, they would likely find The Mystery of Raspberry Hill to be a thrilling and unputdownable read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for providing me with a copy of this book to review.