Being a girl and in the forest amongst snakes, bears, bugs, dirt and worms is bad enough, but while on their camping trip, a group of girls soon find themselves embroiled in a very potentially lethal situation.  The trip through terror begins as the girls are hiking to the campsite. The heroine of the tale discovers several new twenty-dollar bills in the brush a small way from the worn trail. 

Later, having set up camp, Kim and her best friend, Kelly, go out to explore, only to find much more than they had bargained for.  Who exactly is the man that is attached to the foot they found?  When the girls begin to disappear one by one, they learn that someone or something is up to no good in the forest.  To make matters worse, the dark entity, bent on deviltry, has taken not only many of the girls, but the chaperone's cell phone, and the walkie-talkies as well. 

The darkness holds many secrets, and the forest hides many foes. Can Kim's sleuthing mind solve the case before the enemy in the dark destroys them all? The life of her best friend, and the others sits on the razor’s edge. 

Being a short book written for young people, THE SECRET IN PHANTOM FOREST is one of several in a series with the subject matter and story line geared to girls’ ages 10 to 13.  Young girls will easily identify with the character’s prattle and animated expressions. A few of the very real fears and concerns are entertained in a very light manner.  I found it reasonably entertaining albeit it was a book for the young mistress of the family.

As far as the "mystery" was concerned, I am not able to say how engaging it was, or how problem-solving tasking it could be for young ladies, as I had the mystery pegged, and the main criminal factor identified almost immediately.  I would like to have seen a change in the identity of the criminal mastermind.  Though it was good to see a girl portrayed as a strong personality and not helpless, I had trouble with Kim (the sleuth) treating her supposedly best friend, Kelly, in a condescending and bossy manner.  I'm sure my daughter would identify with Kim, however, as she is pretty rough on her two brothers.