The Haunting of Charles Dickens by Lewis Buzbee

Meg's older brother Orion has been missing for six months. This, on top of her mother's death a few years ago, has broken their family. Meg's father goes through the motions, her aunt tries to help out as she can, and Meg is determined no one else in their family will disappear. She wants to know what happened to Orion, but doesn't know where to start.

One night she sees a strange light from Satis House, long abandoned. Too curious to stay home, Meg climbs over the rooftops of the nearby houses to investigate that strange light. What she finds is a fake seance and an old friend--Charles Dickens. They both spy on the seance, where Meg is astonished to find her brother Orion! Unable to signal him before he leaves, Meg is determined more than ever to find him.

Thus begins Meg and Mr. Dickens' adventure into the seedier side of London. The two follow clues and sightings to the underbelly of London and the child labor which keeps the city going. Their journey is full of peril and more than once, Mr. Dickens' fame as The Great Man gets them out of trouble. Or brings it down upon them.

An engrossing tale. There are hints of Dickens' work throughout, although if you aren't familiar with them it doesn't hurt the story at all. Dickens himself was a proponent of ending child labor, which he often wrote about. A great historical fiction.

The Name of This Book Is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch

Yes, this book has been out a while, but since it's more on the Juvenile side of fiction, I haven't picked it up before now.

Cassandra is an eleven-year-old survivalist. She's prepared for any--and every--thing. While spending time with her grandfathers who own an antique dealership, a box of items is delivered with an unusual briefcase inside. The briefcase is labeled "Symphony of Smells" and is filled with vials of different powders, each with a distinct smell. The box came from a magician's home, so Cassandra, with her new friend Max-Ernest, decides she needs to investigate. Once in the house, they find a secret room and a notebook with a riddle. They also meet the bad guys--Dr. L and Ms. Mauvais.

Cassandra knows the couple will be looking for her and Max-Ernest. She is proven correct when the two show up at her school. What she doesn't expect is Benjamin Blake--a classmate--disappears after Dr. L and Ms. Mauvais leave. Now Cassandra must convince Max-Ernest to help her save Benjamin from a fate they don't want to think about.

A good mystery and suspense novel, especially for the older elementary grades. This is written in the style of the Lemony Snicket books--so the narrator is extremely involved in the plot and the action. There is a lot of things going on with the plot, too much to explain here, but the book is pretty engrossing. And descriptive.

The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf

Calli's life is both good and bad. When her father is gone, it's great. She plays with Ben (her brother), her mother Antonia, and her best friend Peeta. When her father is home, life is full of fear. And Calli hasn't spoken in four years, since her mother fell down the stairs and lost her baby.

Peeta understands Calli without speech. They have a fast and steady friendship, looking out for each other. So when they are both found missing one morning, their parents assume they're together, out playing in the woods. The girls, however, seemed to have taken off in their pajamas, Calli without shoes, and both without telling anyone. Soon, everyone is desperate to find these two young girls.

This story takes place over one fateful and eventful day. It is told from the view point of Antonia, Martin (Peeta's father), Ben, Louis (Deputy Sheriff and friend of Antonia's), Calli, and occasionally, Peeta.

Well-written, a story of secrets, violence, fear, hope, and above all, family. I couldn't put it down.