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Johnny Swanson (2010)

by Eleanor Updale(Favorite Author)

3.8 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

0385616422 (ISBN13: 9780385616423)

languge

English

genre

Historical Fiction

publisher

David Fickling Books

review 1: Its something like The Mysterious Benedict Society but more thrilling involving murder and real public taunt. It started first as interesting story about a boy trying to help her mother raised their financial income through fraud adverts. However everything turn nasty when a murder of and old town doctor occur and his mother was charged with guilty. Its all down to Johnny now to prove that his mother was innocence and to find the real murderer. Who could have guess? Me not. But well, overall, its a very creative, I'd say worth reading story-book.
review 2: One of the things I love about this author's books--she also wrote the wonderful Montmorency series--is that they are like nothing else being published these days. Her characters are interesting and stick wit... moreh you after you finish the book. So it is with this one. Eleven-year-old Johnny Swanson is desperate to help his mother out financially in 1929 England. After he is fooled by a come-on advertisement in the local paper, he decides to write his own ads and earn some money. As he does so, he weaves a complicated set of lies that threaten to engulf him. Additionally, a tuberculosis epidemic has many of the town's citizens in a dither, and a doctor who has been working with some of those who are ill and quarantined ends up murdered. Due to circumstantial evidence and some gossipy neighbors who see guilt where there is none, Johnny's mother is arrested for the crime. When the police refuse to listen to Johnny's suspicions, he must take matters into his own hands. This book read seamlessly, revealing quite a lot about human nature along the way. I want more from this author! She has the gift of delivering powerful messages in well-told stories, and while I wasn't surprised at the ending, I certainly enjoyed the ride. less

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