The Phantom Tower by Keir Graff

My name is Colm, and my twin brother Mal and I recently moved onto the fourteenth floor of Brunhild Tower. My mom didn't understand why the rent was so cheap, but her new boss recommended the place. One day, I noticed an elevator button for the thirteenth floor that wasn't there before (the number is unlucky to some people). The button only appears during midday and leads to the Phantom Tower. Tamika joined us in exploring the place, but we've uncovered a disturbing mystery about this spectral world. We don't understand how the elevator and tower work, and we don't know why my mom's boss visits there. He tried to keep me from leaving, and he said he needs twins for his plans. I don't trust the guy, and we may need help from the princess on the seventeenth floor. 

The first third of the book found the twins exploring the building and the surrounding area, and some clues were dropped. It wasn't real interesting. Things got a little more intriguing once Tamika and the princess joined the plot. The book turned into a ghost story, and magic was a possibility. The elevator became the portal between the towers. The introduction of the Phantom Tower was compelling, as it resulted from a brotherly prank that backfired. Colm was very distraught when his brother disappeared! The story behind the tower was unusual, and it needed its own resolution to solve the twins' problems. It included a bit of history, a bit of greed, and a bit of love. As often occurs in novels, the conflict was compounded because the kids needed to keep everything secret from their mother. Colm figured she wouldn't believe him anyhow, since he had a history of lying and making up stories. Overall, the book was quite entertaining and presented unique situations. Lovers of ghost stories and mysteries should really enjoy it.