Readers who prefer layered characters over racing plot should seek out the more subtle works of Judy Blundell or Kathryn...
An American teenager becomes an Allied spy for the French Resistance during World War II in this briskly paced historical to novel.
Seventeen-year-old Betty Sweeney, aka Adele Blanchard, is thrilled to abandon the staid safety of her European boarding school after she is approached by dashing SOE (Special Operations Executive) agents looking for unassuming young women to serve as spies behind enemy lines in France. “All I have to do is drop into a foreign country, aid and train members of the ever-growing Resistance movement, sabotage railways, travel the country on a bicycle while concealing top-secret information, blow things up, and try not to get killed.” At the end of every cliffhanging chapter, intrepid Adele finds herself in a different do-or-die situation, whether it’s unobtrusively trying to carry her bicycle through rough water under an enemy-occupied bridge or leading a German soldier to certain death in the labyrinthine Paris sewers. She is also caught in a love triangle between French farmer-turned-fighter Pierre and downed American pilot Robbie, one of whom is not destined to live to see the end of the war. The fast pace, well-realized setting and fascinating espionage details help make up for the stereotypical characterizations and stiff dialogue.
Readers who prefer layered characters over racing plot should seek out the more subtle works of Judy Blundell or Kathryn Miller Haines. (Historical fiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: June 19, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8027-2299-7
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Walker
Review Posted Online: March 27, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
An enticing, turbulent, and satisfying final voyage.
Adrian, the youngest of the Montague siblings, sails into tumultuous waters in search of answers about himself, the sudden death of his mother, and her mysterious, cracked spyglass.
On the summer solstice less than a year ago, Caroline Montague fell off a cliff in Aberdeen into the sea. When the Scottish hostel where she was staying sends a box of her left-behind belongings to London, Adrian—an anxious, White nobleman on the cusp of joining Parliament—discovers one of his mother’s most treasured possessions, an antique spyglass. She acquired it when she was the sole survivor of a shipwreck many years earlier. His mother always carried that spyglass with her, but on the day of her death, she had left it behind in her room. Although he never knew its full significance, Adrian is haunted by new questions and is certain the spyglass will lead him to the truth. Once again, Lee crafts an absorbing adventure with dangerous stakes, dynamic character growth, sharp social and political commentary, and a storm of emotion. Inseparable from his external search for answers about his mother, Adrian seeks a solution for himself, an end to his struggle with mental illness—a journey handled with hopeful, gentle honesty that validates the experiences of both good and bad days. Characters from the first two books play significant secondary roles, and the resolution ties up their loose ends. Humorous antics provide a well-measured balance with the heavier themes.
An enticing, turbulent, and satisfying final voyage. (Historical fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-06-291601-3
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2021
A suspenseful and evocative gothic mystery.
Amid a murder investigation, a teen orphan finds herself heir to a multimillion-dollar estate.
On Washington State’s Orcas Island in 1918, 18-year-old Lucy Nowhere enjoys the nature surrounding her but dreams of leaving, seeing the world, and attending the University of Washington. Discovered adrift in a canoe as a newborn, Lucy was taken in by the wealthy, reclusive shipbuilding magnate Mr. Dakon Sanders, who made her a servant—and gave her an education—on his large estate, which he named Nowhere. Blond, blue-eyed Mr. Sanders disapproves of her going to college. He shocks Lucy with the revelation that he knew her father—and promises to tell her more if she stays. That evening, she finds Mr. Sanders’ decapitated head floating in the marina, and her hopes of finding answers about her identity are dashed. When it emerges that Lucy will inherit everything, she realizes she must stay and uncover what’s going on. With a growing list of suspects, more suspicious events occurring on the island, and rumors of the involvement of the “half eagle and half fish” demon Orkus and his army of “sea wolves,” Lucy must uncover secrets and find the killer before she becomes the next victim. Against a beautifully described natural setting, Lee creates a dark, haunting, suspense-filled atmosphere with a touch of the supernatural. Combining science and myth, this is an exciting story with a multiethnic cast that explores identity, friendship, trust, and caring for nature.
A suspenseful and evocative gothic mystery. (author’s note) (Historical mystery. 12-18)Pub Date: March 17, 2026
ISBN: 9781665978965
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Sarah Barley Books/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Dec. 12, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2026
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