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Locust Grove Today
By the People, for the People
Award-Winning Author Pens Ghostly Young Adult Novel
Jane Haltmaier's debut YA novel "The Secret of Spirit Lake" features resilient characters overcoming difficult pasts.
Published on Feb. 24, 2026
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Award-winning local author Jane Haltmaier has published her debut young adult novel "The Secret of Spirit Lake", a haunting tale of courage, friendship, and bonds that transcend time. Inspired by her volunteer work with abused children, the book follows a teenage girl named Amy who discovers a restless spirit while moving into a grand Victorian house on a quiet North Carolina lake. The story intertwines with the past of an orphaned nanny named Penny who once lived in the same house and had to protect the children in her care from hidden dangers.
Why it matters
Haltmaier's novel explores themes of resilience and overcoming adversity, drawing from her real-life experiences mentoring teenage girls through book clubs. The story's atmospheric settings and relatable characters are expected to resonate with young adult readers.
The details
The Secret of Spirit Lake follows 15-year-old Amy as she grapples with feelings of isolation after moving with her family into the Victorian house on Spirit Lake. Amy discovers a mysterious tower bedroom where whispers of the past linger. Eighty-five years earlier, orphaned nanny Penny lived in the same house and was determined to protect the children in her care from hidden dangers. As Amy and Penny's worlds intertwine through a restless spirit haunting the tower, Amy must uncover a long-buried truth about Penny's fate.
- The Secret of Spirit Lake is Haltmaier's debut YA novel and is available now wherever books are sold.
The players
Jane Haltmaier
An award-winning local author who has published her debut young adult novel "The Secret of Spirit Lake". Haltmaier was inspired to write the book after retiring from a 30-year career as an economist at the Federal Reserve Board and doing volunteer work with abused children, where she led book clubs for teenage girls.
Amy
The 15-year-old protagonist of "The Secret of Spirit Lake" who discovers a restless spirit while moving into a grand Victorian house on a quiet North Carolina lake.
Penny
An orphaned nanny who lived in the same Victorian house 85 years earlier and was determined to protect the children in her care from hidden dangers.
What they’re saying
“The heart of a good story lies in protagonists who face challenges and rise to meet them, like the teenage girls I mentored in my book clubs.”
— Jane Haltmaier, Author
What’s next
The Secret of Spirit Lake is Haltmaier's debut YA novel and is available now wherever books are sold.
The takeaway
Haltmaier's novel explores themes of resilience and overcoming adversity, drawing from her real-life experiences mentoring teenage girls through book clubs. The story's atmospheric settings and relatable characters are expected to resonate with young adult readers.
