MY REVIEW
Quagmire by Sam Campbell is the kind of middle-grade mystery that pulls you in fast and keeps tossing new questions at you.
Cooper Knox is spending the summer at the old Pink Fountain Motel when things suddenly get weird. A local friend disappears. Strange clues start popping up. And before Cooper knows it, he and Penny are sneaking around, following mysterious maps, and getting themselves into situations that are probably a terrible idea.
Which, of course, makes them very fun to read about.
Cooper is a great narrator. He’s funny, awkward, curious, and brave even when he’s completely freaked out. Penny is the perfect partner for him, and their back-and-forth adds plenty of humor between the creepy moments.
The Georgia setting is another highlight. Swamps, mossy trees, dark waterways, storms, and an aging motel give the story a wonderfully eerie atmosphere without making it too scary for younger readers.
Underneath all the mystery, there’s also a sweet story about friendship, family, loss, and holding on to the things that matter.
Quagmire is funny, spooky, fast-moving, and full of twists. A really entertaining middle-grade mystery.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Quagmire
Written by Sam Campbell
Ages: 8–12 | 179 Pages
Publisher: Independently Published (2026) | ISBN-13: 979-8197255112
Publisher’s Book Summary: Cooper Knox joined the Gator Island Public Library’s weekly book club to get his mind off his parents selling his late grandfather’s motel—not help solve a missing persons case.
But old Mr. O’Malley has become a dear friend, so when the local news reveals his boat washed ashore unoccupied, Cooper’s determined to find his fellow club member. The only clue? A crude map left behind by Mr. O’Malley.
As summer days grow hotter on Gator Island, twelve-year-old Cooper, along with Mr. O’Malley’s granddaughter, Penny, navigate the winding canals and marshes in hopes of finding the missing bookworm. But following the map also means plunging into the Dark Swamp, where a legendary monster is said to be lurking….
Can Cooper find Mr. O’Malley AND save Pops’ motel before it’s too late?
Praise for Quagmire:
“This novel is perfect for third or fourth graders looking for contemporary realism with a dash of mystery and endearingly quirky characters.” —Kirkus Reviews
PURCHASE LINKS
Amazon: https://link.amazon/B083tm778
Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/2078/9798197255112
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sam Campbell began writing his first novel at the age of fourteen, which was (surprise surprise) total garbage. He hopes he has improved since then. When he’s not writing, he likes to read, work out, and watch movies with his family. He also suffers from a terrible addiction to McDonald’s frappes. Mocha, of course.
Website: https://www.samcamwrites.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samcamwrites/
GIVEAWAY
Five lucky winners will each receive a signed paperback copy of Quagmire by Sam Campbell, and one grand prize winner will take home an extra-special Quagmire prize pack featuring a signed paperback, a bookmark, stickers, and a Pink Fountain Motel keychain!
*Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
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