A spine-tingling Halloween mystery for middle school. In “The Library After Hours,” strange things are happening among the stacks — and only sharp analysis of setting and mood will reveal who (or what) is behind it.

This is Case File MH-01: The Library After Hours — the Halloween Grades 6-8 case in the DeskMade Detective Agency series. A self-checking ELA Whodunnit with a mature, atmospheric mystery-noir aesthetic that hooks older readers — perfect for October without sacrificing rigour.

HOW IT WORKS: Students work through evidence stations, answering close-reading questions about a literary text. Each correct answer eliminates a suspect until only the culprit remains — fully self-checking.

SKILLS COVERED:
• Analysing setting and how it shapes a story
• Identifying mood and atmosphere
• Author’s word choice and imagery
• Citing textual evidence; close reading

WHAT’S INCLUDED:
• Print-and-go student case booklet (PDF)
• Full answer key (PDF) for instant marking
• Editable Google Slides version for digital or projected play

PERFECT FOR: Halloween and October lessons, reading and English, early finishers, enrichment, substitute/cover lessons, and seasonal fun.

Part of the DeskMade Detective Agency ELA Whodunnit series — classroom-ready mysteries that do the prep for you.