The Mystery of Mystic Mountain

Gr 4-7--An adventure story that keeps readers guessing. Becca's summer plans are not working out. She would rather stay home to spend time with her new friend, the ever-popular Kasie, and the cute boy who just started noticing her, instead of joining her mom on a girls' trip to a spa resort. When they arrive to find that her mom booked the wrong place, the disasters keep coming. Far Away dude ranch has no Wi-Fi signal so she can keep in touch with her friends or her dad (she wonders if he even misses them). The clothing she brought was meant for a spa, not a ranch. Things begin to change when Becca opens up and makes new friends, and together they tackle a treasure hunt that requires them to solve puzzles, and for each of them, grow a sense of self. Fox deftly weaves a high interest plot with facets of young people's real lives. Solving treasure puzzles isn't something one gets to do every day, but trying to figure out who you are, and who your true friends are, is a universal experience. Readers will connect with at least one of the many characters who are uncomfortable with themselves and, perhaps, also find ways to come to appreciate who they are. VERDICT A great read for all fans of mysteries, puzzles, true love, and friendship.--Jennifer Seebauer

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Following her parents' separation, almost 13-year-old Becca Soloway looks forward to reconnecting with her mother on a "girls-only vacation," despite missing out on beach shenanigans with her friends and crush. But Far Away Ranch fails to fulfill Becca's expectations, offering no spa treatments, no wi-fi, no yoga or cooking classes; it's just a "weird," sprawling Montana lodge with hints of "something magical" within its walls. When Jon, a ranch hand near Becca's age, recruits her help in finding the long-lost treasure of local hero Pearl-Handled Pete, Becca is eager to make a (cute) new friend and do something to impress the "in crowd" back home in Connecticut. While chasing clues, meeting otherworldly spirits, and rebuffing a greedy social media star, Becca learns that the only treasures worth fighting for are the kind that can't be spent. Convenient plotting and inconsistent characterizations aside, thoughtful conversations about death, friendship, shifting family dynamics, and the power of storytelling permeate this frothy summer adventure by Fox (Carry Me Home), which bristles with gentle thrills and chills. Jon and Becca cue as white. Ages 8-12. Agent: Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary. (Oct.)

Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

A well-written mystery adventure bolstered by high stakes and a burgeoning friendship.