Burgess's (Smack) ghost story for younger readers somewhat awkwardly mixes palpable suspense with rather highfalutin meditations on the nature of memory and mortality. Short, feisty David lives with his father in a rambling old London apartment building. When the 12-year-old discovers that he can crawl into the building's disused ventilation system, he can't resist using it as a super-highway for playing tricks on his neighbors. A visit to the apartment of the ancient Mr. Alveston yields unforeseen consequences—David's arrival unleashes a frightened, angry ghost. This poltergeist youth first spurs David into a destructive prank against Mr. Alveston, and later escalates the mayhem by taking matters into his own ghostly hands, nearly destroying the old man's apartment in the process. Eventually, the boy and the old man strike up the predictable unlikely friendship—less expected, however, is the way in which David resolves the difficulties between Mr. Alveston and the ghost. While reluctant readers will likely be drawn in by David's mischief-making, the unwieldy ghost and the claustrophobic allure of the ventilation system, they may struggle with the novel's rather lofty conclusion. On the other hand, experienced readers who might relish mulling over the ending might not take to David's upstart character; the audience for this novel is hard to pinpoint. Ages 9-12. (Apr.)
