Jean Bothwell (1892–1977)

Odd little book, really.

Maybe because it's so very specific to its time & place. Rural New York state, but 'feels' like England - they even have afternoon tea. Pub. 1964, but the boy Quin is recovering from polio, which was a bigger issue several decades earlier. Also a bit sexist for the 60s, as the girl, though generally spunky & active, was absolutely the more easily frightened & fussed.

V. concise - not a lot of background information is provided, not a lot happens besides that which is key to the mystery. But still, little odd nuggets of amusement were inserted, such as the girl being nicknamed Pickles because of her fondness for such foods.

I could have, theoretically, read it as a child - but imagining myself trying to, I think I probably would not have liked it. I felt like a stone skipping across a pond, getting glimpses of these people and their lives but not getting to spend enough time with them. Back then, that would have bothered me even more than it does now.

Then again, neither then nor now do I like mysteries. So I may be prejudiced.

Still, I'm giving it four stars because the characters were so intriguing that I wanted to get to know them better, and I keep thinking about the book after I've closed it and started on the next.… (mehr)