Spotlight on Anne Loader McGee

Anne Loader McGee, an immigrant from New Zealand, is descended from a Maori princess. She is an award-winning writer of YA novels and stories. Her work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times and numerous Internet e-zines. Her novel, Anni’s Attic won the Young People’s Division of the International Peace Award. She is also the author of the Cedar Creek Mystery series and co-author of the “Sing Out Loud” instructional singing books for children.

Her first published novel was Anni’s Attic. Written in the first person, the novel reveals the life of 11 year-old Jennine Parkington during the Civil War. Her father, Phillip Parkington is a Northern sympathizer. Shortly after her mother’s death, Phillip takes Jenn away from their New Orleans home to live with his sister outside of Savannah, Georgia. Phillip leaves to fight for President Lincoln, as Jenn must contend with her “ill-mannered 12-year-old cousin, Annise Bouvoir, who could not even speak French like a proper lady.”

Anni’s Attic provides readers with an inside look at the atrocities of the Civil War through the eyes of a young teenage girl. It is also a wonderful character study of two cousins who at first are at each other’s throats, but in time learn to depend on each other as they develop deep love and respect. This is one novel every middle school and high school student should read.

McGee has a history of visiting haunted houses. She says, “I’ve visited many haunted homes in different countries. In each case, I have been left with the sense that stories lie hidden behind walls just waiting to be unlocked and told.” In one Victorian home a poltergeist whispered to her the tale of Violet Marlatt. McGee says, “It seemed only right that I should put pen to paper and let others know what I heard.”

And so the Cedar Creek Mysteries were born. In the books, a young teenage girl, Mallory Gilmartin, has recently moved from Philadelphia to Cedar Creek, a rural Virginia community. Mallory hears about Violet Marlatt’s story from her mom. It seems that Violet had disappeared fifty years ago from the mansion overlooking Mallory’s new home, and folks believe her ghost has returned to haunt the mansion.

Mallory takes it upon herself to uncover the mystery of missing Violet as readers meet McGee’s quirky characters. The Mystery at Marlatt Manor combines suspense, psychic powers, and scary story readers won’t be able to put down.

In The Mystery of the Missing Ming Mallory Gilmartin is back unraveling a devious plot regarding a Ming vase stolen from librarian Edna May Florentine’s home. To make matters worse for Edna May, someone is accusing her of stealing the vase from his home thirty years ago.

The cast of characters in this second book of the Cedar Creek Mysteries include Aggie Hobbs, Mallory’s 60 something grandma and her sidekick Kyle. Added to the mix is Mallory’s gift of communicating with the dearly departed. McGee swirls this around with her magical wand creating a thoroughly enchanting novel that readers won’t be able to put down.

Once you have finished with the first two Cedar Creek Mysteries, you’ll be happy to know a third is in the works. “The Mystery Beneath Midville Museum” is being written and should be ready for publication by 2016.