SECRETS OF THE BROKEN HOUSE

Middle school sleuths investigate a local curmudgeon’s murder in this cozy small-town mystery.

Geraldine Guss is known in Everson, Georgia, for her dilapidated house, sharp tongue, and frequent threats to sue her neighbors. When narrator Tucker and his friends Clemmie and Sadie find Geraldine—who’s widely known as “Fussy Gussy”—dead, the town has plenty of suspects to go around. Tucker, whose father is the local police chief, has a knack for observation and deduction that Clemmie calls his “Sherlock thing.” They put the skill to good use, along with Clemmie’s logic and Sadie’s creativity, as they investigate the crime. In a town that’s usually “as exciting as watching a banana pudding set,” the murder fuels gossip among the lively cast, which mainly reads white (Clemmie is cued Black). The three young protagonists share easy, dialogue-driven banter, while humorous nicknames and folksy phrases invigorate the secondary characters and setting. The plot, which is suspenseful but neither gory nor scary, unfolds in short chapters that will hook seasoned and striving readers alike. Meanwhile, caring adults share gentle life lessons—“Someone shouldn’t have to be liked in order for them to get justice.” A secondary thread involving conflict with a (former) best friend gives Tucker added dimension, and he must solve this interpersonal dilemma along with the murder.

A satisfying mystery infused with humor, warmth, and charm.