I took a break from my Great American Read challenge to read a mystery book I recently downloaded to my Kindle. A Stairway to Danger is written by children's book author Ben Woodard of Bubbles the Frog fame.
In 1923, fourteen-year-old Tom Wallace and his fifteen-year-old cousin Will stumble on a decayed body in their small Kentucky town. The boys recognize the victim as a sheriff’s deputy and they immediately report it to the sheriff. Tom and Will are surprised by the sheriff’s rush to downplay the suspicious death and they realize there’s a mystery brewing.
This book was reminiscent of Mark Twain’s Huck Finn adventures and Franklin W. Dixon’s Hardy Boys series. There’s mention of Mark Twain’s books within this story, so I got a sense that this is what the author was going for.
There’s sufficient suspense and mystery for both children and adults to find here. I was fairly sure I knew where the mystery was going early on, but that didn’t take away from the story for me. The characters are likable and, for the most part, relatable and realistic.
I would have much preferred that the swear words were left out, and I’ve noticed that other reviewers mention this as well. While this might be considered genuine dialogue for characters in this age group (even in 1923), I honestly feel this might be a deal breaker for young readers. On the other hand, if this book is geared toward the YA crowd, those readers might find the story slightly juvenile. Just something to keep in mind.
I appreciated that the author included some background on the story at the end of the book. As an avid reader, I enjoy knowing how an author came up with the elements of a story. I found the author’s brief history of Shakertown interesting. Well worth the read!
4 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog
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