Review: An eleven-year-olds quest to solve a mystery yields surprising results! A perfect read for children interested in mysteries!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 29, 2012
When the detective kit she ordered arrives the same day strange glints of light eminent from the vacant house across the street from her own, eleven-year-old Jessie Hanson knows the first thing she'll be investigating. After questioning her father, who's the lawyer in charge of settling the deceased owner, Mr. Johnson's, affairs, she discovers no one should be in the house. Jessie decides not to tell her father about the strange lights.The next day Jessie's best friend Tina is over when she notices a man standing in the window of Mr. Johnson's house. He sees her just after she snaps a photograph of him. When the friends go downtown to get the photograph developed, the stranger gains access to Jessie's house. Claiming to be there to measure for carpeting, he fools the woman babysitting Jessie's little brother into letting him inside. Going up to her room, he discovers the camera's film is gone and abruptly leaves in search of the girls.The Secret of Willow Lane is the first installment of a new mystery novella series aimed at children aged nine to twelve. Reminiscent of the Nancy Drew series of books, Author Virginia Rose Richter has written an engaging tale filled with suspenseful moments that will keep even the most easily bored middle-school student entertained. Jessie's character is extremely inquisitive and her quest to solve the mystery happening in the house across the street from her yields surprising results. This story was lengthy enough to develop the characters without being over-written, which was wonderful because it won't intimidate young readers.