As a writer, I like to take my characters—and you, the reader—to familiar places in a most unfamiliar way. In Spook Squad, Abbey and her squad are on the hunt for powerful and dangerous artifacts in some of the most famous Minnesota landmarks.
First, a little background
Spook Squad is the third book in the Abbey series after Abnormally Abbey and Class Clown. For those unfamiliar with Abbey, she is a 14-year-old gifted/cursed with the ability to interact with the dead. Ghosts have come to her since she was a child, but it’s not as glamorous as it sounds. Life can get scary when the dead intrude.
Throughout her journey, Abbey has wanted to keep her unusual abilities on the downlow, but someone has discovered her secret.
That someone is a government agent who coerces Abbey to use her abilities to recover dangerous relics. She tells the story of a roguish fellow, Manfred Krug, who traveled the world as a fabled trader in the 1920s. As his diary details, Krug returned from Shanghai with unusual boxes that held the power to gather and focus supernatural energy. The agent warns that if the relics fell into the wrong hands, it would be a disaster of biblical proportions.
Enlisting her ride-or-dies, Abbey, Kelly, and Lexi search some of the most haunted places in Minnesota. But someone else—someone dangerous—is after those same artifacts, and they’re right behind Abbey and her spook squad.
Minnesota landmarks
When you think of the area’s famous—and infamous—historical landmarks, what comes to mind? The Glensheen Mansion? Maybe the James J. Hill House? What about the Cathedral of Saint Paul?
They’re all in the book.
The Glensheen Mansion Abbey takes an unofficial late night tour of the infamous Glensheen Mansion in Duluth, on the shores of Lake Superior. Built between 1905 and 1908 for Chester Congdon, a prominent lawyer and industrialist, the 39-room mansion features lavish interiors with oak paneling, marble fireplaces, and fine furnishings. The estate spans 12 acres and includes formal gardens, a carriage house, and a boathouse. Glensheen is also known for its connection to a notorious double murder in 1977, which has added a layer of intrigue to its history.
The James J. Hill House Abbey is after another of the spirit boxes at the James J. Hill House, a historic mansion located in St. Paul, Minnesota. Built in 1891 for railroad magnate James J. Hill, the founder of the Great Northern Railway, the mansion spans 36,000 square feet with 42 rooms. It features grand halls, intricate woodwork, stained glass, and modern amenities for its time, such as electric lighting and indoor plumbing.
Cathedral of Saint Paul Bullets are flying when Abbey is searching the Cathedral of Saint Paul. Located in St. Paul, Minnesota, the majestic Roman Catholic cathedral is one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. Built between 1906 and 1915, the interior is adorned with grand marble columns, intricate stained glass windows, and impressive sculptures. The cathedral’s massive copper dome, which rises 306 feet above the ground, is a defining feature of the Saint Paul skyline.
Abbey’s search for dangerous artifacts leads her through some of Minnesota’s most haunted and historic landmarks, where the stakes couldn’t be higher. From sneaking through the eerie halls of Glensheen Mansion to dodging danger in the grand James J. Hill House and Cathedral of Saint Paul, each location holds secrets that could change everything. But with someone dangerous on their heels, Abbey and her friends are in for the fight of their lives.
Curious to see how it all unfolds? Dive into Spook Squad and experience the supernatural adventure firsthand—available now!