Yours Truly (Pumpkin Falls Mystery #2)

Gr 4-8--Pumpkin Falls, NH, is a long way from Austin, TX, but it is the place that Truly Lovejoy and her family now call home. It's where her dad's family is from, and when her father was injured in the war in Afghanistan, it's where they returned to be part of the family business, Lovejoy's Books. Mackenzie, Truly's cousin, is visiting from Texas and wants Truly to show her around the town. At this time of year, the biggest thing going on is the Maple Fest. The syrup is flowing, and the town is beset by tourists eager to soak up the charm of quaint Pumpkin Falls. However, someone is sabotaging the maple tree taps, and tensions are rising as people start suspecting one another. The protagonist and her friends resurrect Pumpkin Falls Private Eyes, which originated in Absolutely Truly, in order to investigate. In the meantime Truly and Mackenzie unearth another mystery: a diary left behind by the protagonist's ancestor, the original Truly. As the kids search for the story behind the diary, they begin to wonder if it ties into anything that is currently going on in Pumpkin Falls. Fans of the first book will not be disappointed in this mystery, while new readers will fall in love with Truly and her family as they cope with all the excitement and mystery in Pumpkin Falls. VERDICT A well-written and engaging light mystery. Recommended for most school and public library middle grade collections.--Laura Fields Eason, Parker Bennett Curry Elementary School, Bowling Green, KY