ISBN-13 : 978-1452108605
Reading age : 12 - 18 years
Lexile measure : 640L
Grade level : 7 - 12
Nobody's Secret
Emily Dickinson. A Mysterious Stranger. A Poem based on Murder.
One day, fifteen-year-old Emily Dickinson meets a mysterious, handsome young man. Surprisingly, he doesn't seem to know who she or her family is. And even more surprisingly, he playfully refuses to divulge his name. Emily enjoys her secret flirtation with Mr. "Nobody" until he turns up dead in her family's pond. She's stricken with guilt. Only Emily can discover who this enigmatic stranger was before he's condemned to be buried in an anonymous grave. Her investigation takes her deep into town secrets, blossoming romance, and deadly danger.
Reviews:
Junior Library Guild Selection
"A suspenseful, often humorous historical novel... MacColl demonstrates how accessible Dickinson's poetry was." - Shelf Awareness for Readers, Starred Review
MacColl once again brings a strong female protagonist to life" - School Library Journal, Starred Review
"MacColl skillfully draws from Dickenson's life to create a vision of the young poet as sharp-thinking, nature-obsessed, and determinedly curious." - Publishers Weekly, Starred review
"Gracefully folds factual elements of Dickinson's life and work into the fiction."-The Horn Book Magazine
"I would recommend this book to all readers who like history." - Reading Teen
"For readers interested in Emily Dickinson and her poetry, this would certainly be of interest." - Stacked
"This imaginative take on the young poet... will find a wide audience for both classroom connections and personal reading." - Booklist
"I would recommend this to anybody who is looking for a fun middle-grade/teen mystery. It kept me interested to the very last page." - Reading Teen
"MacColl masterfully weaves Dickinson's poetry into the tale." Library Media Connection
"MacColl takes a character that most people do not really know much about and brings her to life... fun, interesting reading" VOYA: Voice of Youth Advocates
A glint of gold where no gold should be caught her eye.
She brushed aside a patch of feathery ferns to find a gold watch with the monogram “W.”
“Proof,” Emily said aloud.
“Proof of what?”
She whirled around, shoving the watch into her skirt pocket. Henry leaned against a tree not five paces away. How had he come up behind her so silently? His face was in shadow, and she couldn’t see his eyes. He seemed an altogether different person than the charming suitor who had helped her with the baking.
“Nothing,” she said. “Did you follow me here?”
He hesitated, his lips pressed tightly together. Finally he said, “We saw you walk by Uncle’s house. I wondered if you were still meddling in our family’s affairs.”
She took a step backward. “And if I am?”
“Everyone is satisfied with my cousin’s death . . . except you.”
— Nobody’s Secret