The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson
The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson is full of mystery, humor, friendship, love and understanding. When Candice and her mother move to Lambert, South Carolina for the summer, Candice is less than excited about it. Her parents are getting divorced and they have to fix their house up to sell it. In the attic of her grandmother’s house Candice finds a letter addressed to her grandmother about a young African American woman named Siobhan Washington. The letter is full of clues that point to a hidden fortune for whoever can solve it.
On her journey to find this fortune, Candice builds friendships and relationship with some of the people in the town. Brandon, who is helping her with the puzzle, lives across the street from where she is staying. She is reluctant to befriend him at first but quickly realizes that they have a lot in common. Candice and Brandon spend their whole summer trying to figure out the pieces to the puzzle. Who is Siobhan and how is Candice’s grandmother involved?
Varian Johnson’s way of telling the two stories is amazing. She flashes between the present with Candice and Brandon, and the past where we learn the story of Siobhan Washington. Johnson keeps the story of Siobhan in line with where Candice and Brandon are in their discoveries. At the end of the story we learn how her grandmother became a part of this and why she eventually left it for Candice to solve. I recommend this book for ages 10 and up. The authors writing style fires the imagination up and you won’t be able to put this book down.
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