The Books of Elsewhere, Volume Four: The Strangers

It’s Halloween. But not for Morton, who’s trapped in Elsewhere. Good thing Olive has a plan: Swallowing her dread of the McMartins, she sneaks Morton out and takes everyone trick-or-treating. But when they’re followed by a creature who’s not all he seems, they’re in for a surprise—something, or someone, is living in Mrs. Nivens’s abandoned house. Yes, strangers have come to Linden Street. And though they claim to be her allies, Olive has a bad feeling. She returns home late Halloween night to discover something worse: Her parents are gone.

Desperate to get them back, Olive strikes an unbalanced bargain with Annabelle McMartin and loses something incredibly valuable in the process—something that could mean doom for the house, and for Elsewhere itself. Turning to her uncertain allies, Olive attempts to sever the McMartins’ power at its root, unleashing a flood of darkness and terror that could overwhelm not only her, but the house and everyone in it. To mend her mistakes, Olive must determine who to trust. Will she put her faith in her own worst enemies to save the people and the home she loves?

Recognition for The Books of Elsewhere, Volume Four: The Strangers

“The series’ many fans will be happy to revisit Olive and friends (including three memorable talking cats)... They’ll even be glad to see the frightening Annabelle McMartin, whose reappearance leads to a stunning conclusion. And they’ll certainly look forward to more Elsewhere.”
- Booklist Online

“Something that sets this series apart from most Middle Grade fantasies is that the magic is right there, filling the main character's house. In most domestic fantasies, there's maybe a magical item that grants wishes, or takes the kids on journeys, but here Olive is surrounded by enchantments in her own home, making it both sanctuary and locus of danger, which adds considerably to the tension. ...In short, gripping, and the introduction of new characters and new twists that challenged Olive afresh made it interesting.”
- Charlotte's Library

“The book is filled with funny characters, including misfit protagonist Olive, who once again finds incredible strength to save the people she loves, and three loyal and likable talking cats.”
- Common Sense Media

“In the fourth installment, Mrs. West does a remarkable job of building on the suspense of the previous books... A five out of five book for me.”
- Log Cabin Library

“Five out of Five Stars... This is book 4 in the Elsewhere series and I can’t believe I haven’t read any of them before! Seriously put this on your reading list now.”
- CityBookReview.com