A Faith-Filled Mystery for Younger Teens

Leslea Wahl reviews Secrets in September: a Christian middle-grade mystery by Doreen McAvoy.

Secrets in September by Doreen McAvoy

Summary

Will was looking forward to eighth grade.

But will he even make it past September? 

Will Abbott expects his eighth-grade year at Fern Valley Middle School to be the same as the last seven—school, soccer, and lazy Saturdays. But when a rash of crime strikes his little town, it doesn’t take long to realize something peculiar is going on. Will is certain the class bully, Beefy Boris, is involved and suspects he’s getting help—from their own classmates! As Will and his friends investigate, they stumble upon clues leading them to suspect someone even more sinister is responsible. Can Will and his friends—including a new girl with a mysterious past—trap the criminal mastermind and reveal a secret that has haunted Fern Valley for twelve years?

Review

Secrets in September is a fun middle-grade novel, perfect for those younger teens who love a good mystery. The enjoyable characters and Christian messages intertwined throughout this book, the first in a series.

When Will and his twin sister Wendy begin their fall semester of eighth grade, little do they know that they and their friends will be caught up in a series of mysteries that will make this September one to remember. When strange things begin happening around town, Will, Wendy, and their friends start investigating. Who is the mysterious new girl in town? What trouble is the class bully involved in now? And what really happened at the creepy, abandoned house down the block?

Kindness, friendship, and faith make this story a wonderful choice for middle-grade readers. The values and faith of this group of friends was refreshing. They were average kids who sometimes made questionable decisions but, in the end, helped each other to choose the right path.

Copyright 2022 Leslea Wahl
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