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May 7, 2024
A historical letter-writing mystery and searching for the missing ‘Adder Stone’ are two of the many compelling story arcs in this highly engaging, fast-paced contemporary YA novel. Brodie McKellon (‘The Felon’) lives with her eccentric grandmother above a Dead Letter Office—where undeliverable mail goes—having returned to her hometown after three years at boarding school. Through her eyes, we learn about her life before she left and the challenges she is facing now. Lauren Draper uses memories and flashbacks to great effect and seamlessly weaves them into the present-day narrative. In Draper’s debut, The Museum of Broken Things, characterisation proved a strength. Once again, she draws a full cast of richly detailed and well-developed characters, from Brodie’s childhood friends, Elliot and Levi, through to Dwight, the often-drunk junkyard owner. The well-crafted dialogue moves the story along and the funny banter, especially between the three friends, shows the authenticity of their long-standing friendship and genuine interest in each other. A vast range of sometimes confronting themes are tackled, such as loyalty, family, secrets, domestic violence, grief and reconciling with the past. Romance, too, plays a part and is often the content of Brodie’s many introspections. Cleverly, while all the mysteries are solved, they pave the way for new stories, making this a hope-filled coming-of-age novel that fans of Cath Crowley and Nina Kenwood will enjoy.

June 3, 2024
After three miserable years attending boarding school, 17-year-old Brodie McKellon is back in her small town of Warwick, where she’s known as the McKellon Felon for being a “wild child with a bad rep.” She’s thrilled to reunite with her beloved grandmother and childhood neighbor Elliot; she’s less thrilled to see Levi, her infuriatingly handsome former friend and current enemy. Now that she’s returned, she can focus on figuring out who stole the supposedly magical Adder Stone from the local museum and clear her name of the crime that led to her and Levi’s falling out. She’s also eager to investigate the identities of the three teenagers who lived in the town 20 years ago whose letters she acquired from her family’s Mail Redistribution Center. As Brodie learns more about Warwick and the people who inhabit it—and as secrets past and present intersect—she must navigate conflicting feelings about Levi. A lack of geographic and cultural specificity regarding Warwick and the surrounding locale somewhat dampen the emotional impact brought about by Brodie’s inquiry into its history, making for a meandering tale by Australian author Draper (Museum of Broken Things). Main characters read as white. Ages 13–up. Agent: Annabel Barker, Annabel Barker Agency.

June 15, 2024
An Australian teen returns home to an unexpected welcome--and a still-perplexing mystery she thought she'd left behind. Brodie arrives back at her loving grandmother's character-filled house--which is also the town of Warwick's dead letter office--after being expelled from her cold, unwelcoming boarding school. Because her reputation for mischief led townspeople to believe she'd stolen the Adder Stone, a powerful, magical artifact famous in town lore, just before she was sent away, Brodie expects a chilly reception from everyone, including her friend Levi, whose parents are Warwick's mayor and a police detective. Naturally, Nan is delighted to see her, and Brodie quickly falls back in with close friend Elliot. The resulting mystery involves the Adder Stone, old dead letters she's long puzzled over, and the secrets of many of Warwick's adults. The story unfolds slowly, allowing space for Levi and Brodie's relationship to sweetly bloom, with pranks and sarcastic banter thrown into the mix. While the reveal of the letter mystery may not come entirely as a surprise to readers, they'll find the time with the funny and vulnerable characters who populate this quirky town to be well spent. The central characters present white. Thoughtfully weaves a mystery into a poignant tale about a young woman finding home. (Fiction. 13-18)

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August 1, 2024

Gr 8 Up-Three years have passed since Brodie McKellon was accused of stealing the Adder Stone, a legendary town relic, and sent away to boarding school. Dubbed the "McKellon Felon" and "Red" (for being caught red-handed) more times than she can count, Brodie returns home to the town of Warwick for senior year. Since Mum died a few years back, and Dad works as a roadie, she lives with her beloved and quirky grandmother. Nan runs the town's Dead Letter Office, where boxes of undeliverable mail await their intended recipients. While navigating through rough waters of absent parents, closely held secrets, and young love, Brodie and friends Elliot and Levi remain determined to find the still-missing Adder Stone and solve the mystery of the dead letters in box 130, the only box that has never been claimed. The story paints a genuine picture of small-town teen life. Draper incorporates elements of cozy mystery into the novel, including predictability of plot. Readers will find the central characters and the adults in their lives relatable but may question the relevancy of mentioned trends in pop culture. VERDICT A sweet, enjoyable read recommended for young adult collections.-Alicia Rogers

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