An attic can hold many secrets, including the letters 12-year-old Colin finds in a stranger’s house. It’s his summer job helping Mom in her business of helping people get rid of junk. Should he throw them away? Maybe not.

Upon reading a few of the letters, Colin finds a back and forth exchange between two best friends, Rosemary and Toby. His first look convinces Colin he must keep the letters and find out why these two stopped being friends way back in the 1970s.

An engaging story becomes even better by adding another character. Here we have Nevaeh who lives in the same town. She also finds a letter, but this one sounds like a confession to a crime. Her dad is the “Junk King” given he is in the junk hauling business. He thinks the guilty party is Colin’s Mom.

The letters eventually lead to the friendship of Nevaeh and Colin. As more clues unfold, the letters are found to be connected in unexpected ways. Together they try and solve the mystery, hopefully somehow tracking down Rosemary and Toby who might have answers.

Two modern day kids trying to make sense of the 70s made this one of my favorite reads this year. The focus on treatment of women in the last century will be eye opening for young readers.

The fast paced read alternates between Colin and Neveah’s third person narration. This first story in the MYSTERIES OF TRASH & TREASURE series will leave you anxious to see what comes next.

FIVE MORE THINKS TO LIKE ABOUT: THE SECRET LETTERS by Margaret Peterson Haddix

1. The small town of Groveview, Ohio provides the perfect setting for this engaging plot. It works so much better than having the setting be a large city. Neighborhoods and family are front and center.
2. I finish reading some mysteries and although they are well written, the likelihood of the event happening is slim. With The Secret Letters I was in all the way and found it very believable.
3. If you lived in the 1970s, you’ll get a nostalgic feel for the era. Others will learn about such things as Pong, the Bicentenial Quarter, and many 70s television shows. The author has a great summary of all the highlights covered in the story in her back pages notes.
4. The anxiety Nevaeh and Colin bring forth is about family and friendship. It’s one that will resonate with readers.
5. The two families are quite different, but you come away knowing that there is compassion and love coming from each.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Margaret Peterson Haddix grew up on a farm near Washington Court House, Ohio. She graduated from Miami University (of Ohio) with degrees in English/journalism, English/creative writing and history. Before her first book was published, she worked as a newspaper copy editor in Fort Wayne, Indiana; a newspaper reporter in Indianapolis; and a community college instructor and freelance writer in Danville, Illinois.

She has since written more than 40 books for kids and teens, including Running Out of Time; Double Identity; Uprising; The Always War; the Greystone Secrets series; the Shadow Children series; the Missing series; the Children of Exile series; the Under Their Skin duology; and The Palace Chronicles. She also wrote Into the Gauntlet, the tenth book in the 39 Clues series.  Her books have been honored with New York Times bestseller status, the International Reading Association’s Children’s Book Award; American Library Association Best Book and Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers notations; and numerous state reader’s choice awards. They have also been translated into more than twenty different languages.

Haddix and her husband, Doug, now live in Columbus, Ohio. They are the parents of two grown kids.

(For more about her books and events, Visit Margaret’s Author web page)

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