Middle Grade Review: Bletchley Riddle

 

With the war ramping up in England, Lizzie is supposed to traveling by ship to her grandmother in America. But at the last moment, she gets off the ship. She's too focused on discovering the truth about her mother. Lizzie doesn't believe that her mother's dead. She shows up at the address her brother gave her - an office in London. Her brother is actually at Bletchley Park working on breaking codes.

Lizzie gets herself a job as a messenger in the park. During her nonworking hours, she's desperate to uncover information about her mother's whereabouts. She must work fast because there's someone from MI6 hanging around the Park talking as if her mother were a spy - a traitor. Lizzie's determined to get answers and she's not afraid of asking for help - even if her brother isn't interested.

When a coded message appears, Lizzie knows the truth. Her mother isn't dead. A meeting is set. Could it actually be her mother or is it a trap?

My Thoughts: I loved this book! It's the perfect blend of mystery/thriller and historical fiction. It's set-up as a dual narrative between the siblings. I loved how different they were - and yet how they did come together. I loved the moments at Bletchley Park. I found them fascinating. I loved reading about the real people and how things worked at the Park. While this is a longer book, I didn't want to put it down. I needed to see how everything turned out. 

Cover Thoughts: Fantastic

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: A must have middle grade historical mystery for your school and public library's collection.