THE MYSTERIOUS LOPSIDED LETTER

A trio of friends in 1785 Boston must solve an unsettling mystery.

Joseph is often teased about the exploits of his famous father, Paul Revere; meanwhile, Judah Touro is quick to make clear he’s a Patriot, in large part because his late father had been a Loyalist during the Revolution. Judah and his family live with his cousin Catherine’s family, and the three children find joy, acceptance, and fun in their clubhouse shed. Catherine’s father, Moses Michael Hays, invites Jewish families into his home on the Sabbath, as synagogues aren’t permitted in Boston. When printed flyers circulate stating that Moses Hays has insulted Christianity with his unlawful gatherings of Jewish people, the children are appalled and determined to find the culprit. Incidents involving unlikely red herrings leave them no closer to answers. But Catherine studies the flyers carefully, noting the lopsided, slanted “J’s.” When she remembers where she previously saw them, the suspect is clear, but the children must find a way to catch him. Characters speak with just the right syntax for their 18th-century setting, with Lucas’ detailed black-and-white illustrations bringing scenes to life; Schwartz has crafted a fascinating window into the era. As explained in the backmatter, the young protagonists and their family members are based on actual people, and Boston law did in fact prohibit Jews from building synagogues. All characters present white.

A thought-provoking and insightful historical mystery.