Name: The mystery of Harper House
Rating: 5.0 (1 reviews)

Chapter 1 The trouble with maple street

If you'd asked twelve-year-old Danny Carter about his summer plans two weeks ago, he'd have shrugged and said, "Nothing much." After all, summers on Maple Street were pretty much the same every year: hot days, melted popsicles, and trying to dodge chores. But this summer? This summer was shaping up to be the most epic one yet-and not necessarily in a good way.

It all started with a dare.

"Bet you won't do it," said Tommy Greene, grinning wide like the Cheshire Cat. Tommy was Danny's best friend, but he had a knack for getting them both into trouble.

Danny squinted at the old, abandoned house at the end of the street. Everyone in the neighborhood called it the Harper House, though nobody really knew why. It had been empty for as long as Danny could remember, its peeling paint and broken shutters giving it a spooky, forgotten vibe.

"You're chicken," Tommy teased, flapping his arms and making clucking sounds.

"I'm not chicken," Danny shot back, though his voice wavered a little.

"Prove it."

Danny swallowed hard. The dare was simple enough: go up to the house, touch the front door, and run back. Easy, right? Except for the fact that the Harper House was rumored to be haunted.

"C'mon, Danny," urged Sarah, Tommy's little sister, who had tagged along. She was holding a half-eaten bag of Skittles and looked way too excited for her own good. "You're not scared, are you?"

"I'm not scared!" Danny said, louder this time, as if saying it out loud would make it true. He took a deep breath, wiped his sweaty palms on his shorts, and started walking toward the house.

The gravel crunched under his sneakers as he approached. Up close, the house was even creepier than it looked from the street. The windows were dark and empty, like hollow eyes, and the porch sagged in the middle, threatening to collapse under the slightest weight.

"Danny, don't forget to knock!" Tommy called out, laughing.

Danny rolled his eyes. No way was he knocking. He wasn't that stupid. He stepped onto the creaky porch, heart pounding in his chest, and reached out to touch the door. His fingers had barely brushed the wood when-

SLAM!

The door swung open, making Danny jump back so fast he tripped over his own feet and landed on the porch with a thud.

"Danny!" Sarah screamed.

But it wasn't a ghost or a monster standing in the doorway. It was a girl. A girl about their age, with wild red hair, freckles, and a mischievous grin.

"Who are you?" she asked, hands on her hips.

Danny blinked up at her, too stunned to answer. Behind him, Tommy and Sarah ran up the porch, their curiosity getting the better of them.

"I thought this place was abandoned!" Tommy blurted out.

The girl shrugged. "It's not. My name's Hazel. My dad just bought this place. We moved in last week."

Danny felt his cheeks burn. He'd just made a fool of himself in front of the new girl.

"Uh, sorry for, you know, trespassing," he mumbled, scrambling to his feet.

Hazel's grin widened. "No worries. I've been watching you guys from the window. You're pretty brave, coming up here."

Tommy elbowed Danny. "See? I told you it wasn't haunted."

"Yeah, right," Sarah muttered. "You were just as scared as Danny."

Hazel laughed. "You guys are funny. Want to come inside?"

The three of them exchanged nervous glances. The Harper House-or whatever it was called now-still gave off major creepy vibes. But Hazel didn't seem scared, so maybe it wasn't so bad.

"Sure," Tommy said, always the first to jump into anything.

Danny hesitated but followed. What could go wrong?

As it turned out, a lot.

You'll also like

Beneath His Ugly Wife's Mask: Her Revenge Was Her Brilliance

Lukas Difabio

4.9

Elliana, the unfavored "ugly duckling" of her family, was humiliated by her stepsister, Paige, who everyone admired. Paige, engaged to the CEO Cole, was the perfect woman-until Cole married Elliana on the day of the wedding. Shocked, everyone wondered why he chose the "ugly" woman. As they waited for her to be cast aside, Elliana stunned everyone by revealing her true identity: a miracle healer, financial mogul, appraisal prodigy, and AI genius. When her mistreatment became known, Cole revealed Elliana's stunning, makeup-free photo, sending shockwaves through the media. "My wife doesn't need anyone's approval."

Rebirth: Married My Ex-Husband's Enemy

4.8

Lucia Balstone thought she had chosen the right man to spend the rest of her life with, but he was the one who ended her life. Their ten-year marriage seemed like a joke when her husband stabbed her with a dagger. Fortunately, God is never blind to people's tears. Lucia got a second chance. She was reborn at the age of 22, before all the terrible things had happened. This time, she was determined to avenge herself and let those who hurt her pay! She made an elaborate list of her goals, and the first thing on her list was to marry her ex-husband's enemy, Alonso Callen!

Hell In His Eyes, Heaven In His Kiss

Obie Pratt

4.3

Gabriela learned her boyfriend had been two-timing her and writing her off as a brainless bimbo, so she drowned her heartache in reckless adventure. One sultry blackout night she tumbled into bed with a stranger, then slunk away at dawn, convinced she'd succumbed to a notorious playboy. She prayed she'd never see him again. Yet the man beneath those sheets was actually Wesley, the decisive, ice-cool, unshakeable CEO who signed her paychecks. Assuming her heart was elsewhere, Wesley returned to the office cloaked in calm, but every polite smile masked a dark surge of possessive jealousy.

The Masked Heiress: Don't Mess With Her

Rabbit

4.9

Yelena discovered that she wasn't her parents' biological child. After seeing through their ploy to trade her as a pawn in a business deal, she was sent away to her barren birthplace. There, she stumbled upon her true origins-a lineage of historic opulence. Her real family showered her with love and adoration. In the face of her so-called sister's envy, Yelena conquered every adversity and took her revenge, all while showcasing her talents. She soon caught the attention of the city's most eligible bachelor. He cornered Yelena and pinned her against the wall. "It's time to reveal your true identity, darling."

The Heiress Spoiled by Four Brothers and One Devilish CEO

PageProfit Studio

4.5

In her past life, she trusted the wrong people-and betrayed the one man who loved her most. Blinded by lies, she pushed her fiancé into ruin. Yet even as the world turned against him, he forgave her. And in the end, he slaughtered all her enemies, before using the final blade to follow her into death. Now reborn, she swears to rewrite her fate. This time, she tears apart the fake innocents, crushes the traitors, and rises in brilliance-only for one purpose: to win back the heart of the man she once destroyed. But little does she know. He never truly left. From the shadows, he has already laid his trap, created a world where she can only fall-back into his arms. A love once buried in blood and regret will now reignite amidst vengeance, redemption, and fate's cruel game.

Reclaiming Her Crown, One Step At A Time

Elia O'loughlin

5.0

Noelle was the long-lost daughter everyone had been searched for, yet the family brushed her off and fawned over her stand-in. Tired of scorn, she walked away and married a man whose influence could shake the country. Dance phenom, street-race champ, virtuoso composer, master restorer-each secret triumph hit the headlines, and her family's smug smiles cracked. Father charged back from abroad, mother wept for a hug, and five brothers knelt in the rain begging. Beneath the jeweled night sky, her husband pulled her close, his voice a velvet promise. "They're not worth it. Come on, let's just go home."

The mystery of Harper House

Contents