Absolutely Truly
A Pumpkin Falls Mystery

Warm and loving, this book is one of my favorite middle-grade novels in recent memory. Truly is hilarious and fairly self-aware for a twelve-year-old. Her father, like her whole family dynamic, is complicated, interesting and ultimately hopeful. The mystery was fun, the bookshop setting perfect, and......more

A delightful story where no character is obnoxious, kids act like kids without being sarcastic, and adults are portrayed realistically. Golden lines... "He went on to explain that as water cools below the freezing point, the molecules slow down and start to stick together, forming crystals...those st......more

AESTHETIC REVIEW: The polished floor of a dance studio / musty old book stores / soft and gentle Labradors / bird-watching / owls gliding past a moon / slush melting on old carpet / snowball fights / mysterious messages / daring investigations / military talk/ the shrill of a coach’s whistle at a swi......more

A cozy mystery for middle grade with a recipe at the end just as it should have. Truly Lovejoy and her family are transplanted to Pumpkin Falls, New Hampshire, after her dad is injured in Afghanistan. She is the middle of five siblings and has hit her growth spurt before the boys her age -- hitting......more

Seventh grader Truly Lovejoy (her real name) is moving back to Pumpkin Falls, New Hampshire so that her Dad and Aunt can run the family bookstore. Pumpkin Hollow is a small town with lots of interesting characters and history. And while everyone is welcoming to the Lovejoys, Truly misses her cousin......more