Hi there! I’m Laura Parnum, author of spooky but humorous books for kids, including Peril at Price Manor (Harper 2023) and The Haunting of Bellington Cottage (forthcoming from Harper in July 2025). When I’m not writing my own books, I’m editing other people’s books and helping out in school libraries. I live in Philadelphia with my family and reptiles. You can follow me on Instagram, Twitter, and Bluesky
PERIL AT PRICE MANOR
WINNER of the 2024 Carolyn W. Field Award from the Pennsylvania Library Association for best book for young people by a Pennsylvania author or illustrator
“Parnum’s imaginative and satisfying debut is packed with high-spirited hijinks.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Parnum’s whip-smart narrative pokes fun at its own genre with a classic middle-grade cheekiness, giving each character depth beyond their archetypes.”
—Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“Parnum keeps the scares gentle but gooey via lively prose that conveys a vibrant setting.”
—Publishers Weekly
Peril at Price Manor
Halle Thompson is determined to someday play the Damsel in Distress in a horror movie. She takes acting lessons, practices fainting, and has the most perfect of all perfect horror movie screams—something her mom and classmates could do without. When she seizes the opportunity to deliver flowers to Price Manor, home of the famous horror movie maker who lives just outside of town, she is sure she will get her big break. Meanwhile, at Price Manor, a strange creature is attacking the household staff. The movie maker’s 12-year-old twins are sure it’s just another one of their father’s elaborate pranks. But when Halle shows up and discovers the very real horror scene, she must stop thinking like a Damsel in Distress and start thinking like a Heroine.
Spooky Middle Grade 