If your middle schooler liked National Treasure, he/she may enjoy this book, the first in a new, smart mystery series by attorney turned author Deron R. Hicks.
Secrets of Shakespeare’s Grave (Houghton Mifflin, 2012) tells the story of twelve-year-old Colophon Letterford and an ancient treasure left to her publishing family. While the story started a bit slow, the descriptions of Manchester, the family home, complete with it’s swoon-worthy library, drew me in. Whispers of the treasure, gems from Shakespeare, and the curious oddities the family amassed kept me interested, turning pages, even when I hoped Colophon would do more. And do more she did. The second half of the book picked up speed, as her brother and an older eccentric cousin, both joined the hunt. In fact, I may have stayed on my treadmill this morning, longer than intended, because I lost track of time and miles. All in all, an engaging read with a satisfying conclusion that left me wondering what adventure, pray tell, comes next.
Goodreads description: Twelve-year-old Colophon Letterford has a serious mystery on her hands. Will she discover the link between her family’s literary legacy and Shakespeare’s tomb before it’s too late? Antique paintings, secret passages, locked mausoleums, a four-hundred-year-old treasure, and a cast of quirky (and some ignoble) characters all add up to a fun original adventure. Readers will revel in a whirlwind journey through literary time and space in real-world locales from Mont St. Michel to Stratford-Upon-Avon to Central Park!
