Tunnel of Bones

City of Ghosts No. 2

Victoria Schwab

Cassidy Blake could be a totally typical 12-year-old girl, except that her best friend Jacob is a ghost, her parents are hosts of a reality TV show in which they hunt specters, and Cassidy has a gift for moving through the Veil between this world and the next.

The last time we ran into Cassidy, she and her family were ghost hunting in Edinburgh. This time, they’re in Paris, doing the typical touristy stuff: Eating croissants, visiting the Eiffel Tower, and… oh,yeah! protecting the City of Lights from being destroyed by an angry ghost.

Cassidy, Jacob, and the crew visit all of the landmark sights of Paris and find that thanks to the city’s dramatic history, there are ghosts everywhere: the Jardin des Tuileries, the Louvre, Père Lachaise Cemetery, Notre-Dame de Paris, the metro, and — of course — the Paris Catacombs.

Despite her young age, or maybe because of it, Cassidy feels an immense responsibility to protect her family. That means she’s repeatedly drawn into dangerous situations that put herself — and the people she cares about — at risk. But thanks to old friends and a deepening understanding of the spirit world, she triumphs more often than she fails.

This story delivers escapist fun that transports you straight to the most iconic places in Paris. It’s also a story of bravery, friendship, and the high cost and benefits of loyalty to the people we love the most.

When we reach the street, I stop, breathless not from the climb but from the sight in front of me. We’re standing at the edge of a massive square. A circle, really, surrounded by pale stone buildings that reflect the late-afternoon light. Gold trim shines on every surface, from the sidewalk rails to lampposts, fountains to balconies, and in the distance, the Eiffel Tower rises like a steel spear. Mom spreads her arms, as if she can catch the whole city in one giant hug. ‘Welcome to Paris.’ — Victoria Schwab

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