Front Desk meets Stephen King! In this perfectly frightening middle grade read, a twelve-year-old boy moves into a creepy motel where breaking the rules doesn’t just mean getting kicked out—it means disappearing for good.Dylan has a bad feeling about the Good Night Motel. Ever since he and his mom got kicked out of their apartment, their new living arrangements have given him a serious case of the creeps. The roof is sagging; the wallpaper is peeling. The weird twin owners have painted-on smiles like Victorian dolls, and the handyman always seems to be lurking.
And, of course, there are the Rules. Break three, and you’re out for good.
Dylan couldn’t care less until he’s cornered by a kid who claims to know the truth about this place. The real truth. You see, when people break the rules, they don’t just get kicked out of the motel. They
disappear.
And Dylan and his mom could be next.
On sale: October 6, 2026
Age: 8-12 years
Grade: Grades 3-7
Page count: 288 Pages
ISBN: 9798217031450
Reading level: Lexile: 740L | Fountas/Pinnell: Y
TEHLOR KAY MEJIA is the bestselling and award-winning author of middle grade and young adult fiction, including
It Happened to Anna and
Paola Santiago and the River of Tears, which is in development at Disney as a television series to be produced by Eva Longoria. Tehlor strives to create stories which showcase the importance of community, radical inclusion, and abolitionist values. He lives with his child, wife, and two small dogs in Oregon.
"An
unnerving supernatural jaunt" —
Publishers Weekly
"
The story is well-paced, with many enjoyably shivery moments and images....Delicious scares for readers who enjoy being grossed out." —
Kirkus Reviews
"Mejia delivers
a story as creepy as it is compassionate, exploring themes of community, sanctuary, and care for those too often overlooked by the wider world." —
Booklist
