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The Back Door of Midnight (Dark Secrets)

by Elizabeth Chandler
224p. 978-1-44240-626-1.
COPY ISBN
Gr 7 Up—When Anna O'Neill Kirkpatrick receives an invitation from her great-uncle Will asking her to visit him and her great-aunt Iris as soon as possible, she goes willingly. She had lived with them as a child after her mother was killed in a robbery, but was then put in foster care and later adopted by her loving foster mother. When she arrives, she finds that her uncle was killed in a fire, that the perpetrator has not been caught, and that her aunt is either senile or crazy. Anna sets out on her own to investigate the murder and discovers her family history in the process. She soon learns that some family secrets are to die for. Chandler does a fantastic job of keeping readers on edge and creating a suspenseful mood and tone. This is an excellent stand-alone book that is sure to be popular.—Sherry Rampey, Gaston Branch Library, SC
A heart-pounding ending will have readers turning pages at a fast clip. Anna’s intelligence, finely tuned sarcasm, and surprising vulnerability make her a winning protagonist. Her struggles with her budding psychic powers add a heartfelt theme of self-discovery to the novel. Zack, the cocky, secretive boy next door, is an excellent foil for Anna—and a charming romantic interest. The unfolding murder mystery is impressively elaborate and unpredictable.

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