Review: Great mystery and romance story for the Young Adult reader.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 6, 2012
Climbing through a window, late at night, to check out a listing for an English cottage, is what starts Madison on her quest to solve the mystery behind the original owner's past. Madison is a real estate agent who flips houses, because she is afraid of staying in one place. It is the perfect job until she falls in love with this listing.It isn't an easy purchase, and once she has moved in, the mysteries begin. Hidden keys, and plastered walls hiding secret rooms, intriguing messages, uninvited guests, are all clues to the puzzle. Madison is not alone in this quest; she has several close girlfriends who get involved. Molly Greene describes their close friendship in great detail throughout the story.Of course, there has to be romance. That's where Cole comes in. Madison is very cautious in her feelings for Cole, and Cole is a patient man, because he falls for her the minute he set eyes on her. He also plays an important role towards the end of the mystery.There is much going on in Mark of the Loon;  the true meaning of friendship, compassion for Madison's deep rooted problems, the blossoming of an innocent romance, the history of the original owners, all leading to the solved mystery.The story is jam-packed with wordy details and descriptions that impeded my reading. I like to read a book in one sitting, but found I had to take quite a few breaks.I think Madison's main partner in crime, Gen, would have been sufficient for the story. Less is more, regarding her other friends, because they weren't significant enough, therefore adding to the jam-packed effect.The ending tied up all the loose ends in a couple of chapters. Sprinkling some of the conclusions a bit throughout the last half of the story, may have allowed the reader more time to appreciate the solving of the mystery.Molly Greene's imagination is superb. Mystery lovers will certainly enjoy sharing the ride with Madison and her friends solving the mystery of Mark of the Loon.