The Secret of the Underground Room: A Johnny Dixon, Professor Childermass Book

Gruff and lovable Father Higgins is one of the better supporting characters in John Bellairs' many books. Now the evil-battling priest slips into the spotlight in an intriguing ghost story. Though not Bellairs' best, it's a chilling and fast-paced thriller for the pre-Stephen King set.Johnny Dixon is depressed when his friend Father Higgins is transferred to a different parish. Father Higgins isn't much happier, since he dislikes his new congregation, and his estranged mother has just died. Soon he visits his friends Johnny and Professor Childermass, claiming that a ghost has been trying to contact him, that he is sleepwalking, and he shows them a strange glassy half-plate with golden fishes in it, and a cryptic rhyme.Soon afterward, Father Higgins vanishes. The professor, Johnny, and Fergie go to England in an effort to track him -- and find that he is in the grip of a demonic dead knight, part of the pirate De Marisco knights that died long ago -- after some sold their souls to the devil. Now the evil knight known as Masterman is trying to set his old comrades free...This book has the staples of a good Bellairs book -- evil sorcerers/ghosts/monsters/beasties that will either destroy the world or conquer it, spinechilling chapter endings, cryptic rhymes, and a lot of witty banter between Childermass and other characters. It's not quite as horrifying as some of the other Bellairs books, but it's definitely a good ghost story. Perhaps its greatest weaknesses are that the pacing seems to meander, and some of the plot twists are a bit strained. (Where did Bellairs get the line, "And in case you're wondering, he has developed his powers of ESP"?)Johnny and Fergie are good as always, the meek Charlie Brown altar boy and the cocky gutsy kid who complement each other like peanut-butter and jelly. Father Higgins is given extra dimension, provided with his sad past with his estranged mother and his wish that he had reconciled with her. And Professor Childermass is his usual grumpy, irritable, generous and brave self."Secret of the Underground Room" is not Bellairs' best, but it's definitely a solid ghost-story with

The Secret of the Underground Room by: John BellairsHave you ever been in an underground room full of dead knights? Well, see how Johnny Dixon handled it in The Secret of the Underground Room.This book is about a boy named Johnny Dixon who traveled all the way to England to try and help a friend who is possessed by an evil spirit. What I learned was that friendship can go a long way.I really liked this book because it was full of magic and very exciting. Will Johnny save his friend or will he lose him?

I like this book because it gives an eerie sense of evil lurking around every corner. Even though Johnny Dixon is the main character, Professer Childermass always plays a huge part in the story. The settings are vivid and interesting, they include an crumbling church, a cemetery, and the inn, where Masterman, the evil knight, uses a spell which knocks the Professer unconscious. This is a very involved mystery with a few ups and downs.