The Abandoned Theater by Dana Robertson

Item: The Abandoned Theater
Author: karenbaron

Posted May 26, 2025 by karenbaron in Children's, Mystery, Review / 0 Comments

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Abandoned Theater

by Dana Robertson
Series: Alderland #1
Published by Independently Published on May 1, 2025
Genres: Middle Grade Mystery
Pages: 184
Format: Kindle, Paperback
Source: the Author
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Get Your Copy at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million

Deep in the woods of the Winnodov property sits the abandoned theater. Something mysterious happened during the last performance there - the same night Mr. Winnodov disappeared. Eight years later, it’s happening again. A group of mischievous teenagers sneaks into the theater. And now, one is missing. When 12-year-old Beth Shoner learns who the missing teen is, she sets off with two friends to find him. But what they discover is more astonishing than they could ever have imagined. Now, Beth must defeat an evil plan unleashed long ago that threatens to destroy countless worlds, including their own.

The Abandoned Theater by Dana Robertson is about three children going on a mystery-filled fantasy adventure.

Will Beth find the missing teen?

Beth Shoner

Our protagonist is twelve-year-old Beth Shoner. She and her two friends are on summer vacation when they learn that a group of teenagers entered the abandoned theater that no one has stepped into for eight years. Beth is an intelligent young woman who knows that her aunt is hiding things from her, and she decides to get answers for herself. I loved Beth and how she wanted to find out the truth, no matter how awful it could be.

The Mystery

There are two mysteries in the town of Springvale, and for poor Beth, it’s more like three. The first one happened eight years ago, when one of the theater’s owners disappeared during a play, and that is around the same time as Beth’s mystery about what happened to her parents. The last mystery is about the teen who has disappeared, much like the one from eight years ago. Beth and her friends solve all three mysteries, and I have to say it’s a big game-changer for Beth.

Five Stars

My rating for The Abandoned Theater by Dana Robertson is five stars, and I recommend it as an excellent middle-grade read. Ms. Robertson has done a fantastic job creating this book and world. I can’t wait to see what happens next. Although a marvelous read, it starts a bit slowly, but gets better.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Abandoned Theater by Dana Robertson.

Until the next time,

Happy Reading!

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About Dana Robertson

Dana Robertson lives in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. She completed a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Psychology with Trent University in Peterborough Ontario, followed by a graduate creative writing program with the Humber School for Writers in Toronto, Ontario.

She writes fantasy, mystery, science fiction and middle grade fiction. When she’s not writing, she enjoys traveling, nature, hiking and reading.

The Abandoned Theater is her debut novel and book one of the Alderland Series.

Reading this book contributed to these challenges: