The Secrets of Lake Road by Karen Katchur

Secrets, secrets and more secrets. Karen Katchur's debut novel, The Secrets of Lake Road, is full of secrets. New secrets, old secrets, boring secrets, deadly secrets. If it sounds like a bit much, well, it isn't. This author makes it all work.

The main voice in this novel is 12-year-old Caroline who is at her grandmother's lake house for the summer, just like she is every year. Her mother and brother are with her, but her mother only plans to stay for a day or so. She cannot stand to be there for very long. Why? It's one of the secrets.

Caroline's father isn't there at all. He is a long-distance truck driver who is used to being away from his family. He really doesn't mind at all. Why? Another secret.

And then there's Caroline's brother. He doesn't miss his dad at all. Why? You guessed it!

One of the best qualities of this novel is in the fact that the author does not dwell on anything for too long. She sets up the scene (secret), gives you just a enough information to tease you, and then moves on.

It worked for me.

Karen

Read alike author: Susan Wiggs