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The third grade class in Ghostville Elementary is different than most. It has ghosts. Only three of the students know this, though; Jeff, Nina, and Cassidy are the only ones permitted to see the ghosts. The trio have become familiar with their spooky companions, but now they have another nuisance to deal with, as Andrew's father has bought the Blackburn Estate and Andrew can't stop bragging about it. Even worse, Calliope is acting odder than usual, floating around like a sick ghost and screaming with no sound.

They decide they have only one way to help Calliope. They have to convince Andrew to give them a tour of his new house, so that they can figure out what is bothering Calliope. Blackburn estate is a creepy place. Jeff feels like someone is following him, and it's true - the ghost of Calliope's evil uncle, who wants her treasure, is lurking. When they find Calliope's treasure, it turns out it is nothing more than a collection of letters between Calliope and her friend Amy, because friendship is the greatest treasure of all.

It was interesting reading this, the tenth book in a series that I had never read before. The unusual environment was established in earlier books, but it was easy for me to catch up on the setting and dynamics. Younger readers should start with book one. The plot was entertaining, a touch spooky, and humorous. Kids will like it. I found that I enjoyed the other series by the same writers - the Bailey School series - more than this book. In that series, the supernatural element is always a mystery. whereas here, the ghosts are indisputably present. However, for early readers who like ghost stories, this is a good choice. The book is creepy, but adventurous more than scary. ( )