Synopses & Reviews
Sixteen-year-old Jane Peck has ventured to the unknown wilds of the Northwest to wed her childhood idol, William Baldt. But her impeccable training at Miss Hepplewhite's Young Ladies Academy in Philadelphia is hardly preparation for the colorful characters and crude life that await her in Washington Territory.
Thrown upon her wits in the wild, Jane must determine for herself whether she is truly proper Miss Jane Peck of Philadelphia, faultless young lady and fiancée, or Boston Jane, as the Chinook dub her, fearless and loyal woman of the frontier.
An exciting new novel from Jennifer L. Holm, author of the Newbery Honor Book Our Only May Amelia.
Review
“As a storyteller, Holm is superb.” School Library Journal
Review
“A first-rate story not to be missed.” ALA Booklist (starred review)
Review
“The fascinating details and humor herein are sure to hit home with fans of historical fiction.” Washington Parent
Review
"Salerni grounds her story in local Revolutionary War lore, creates a spirited heroine with enough self-reflection to feel convincing and crafts a suspenseful plot that skirts sensationalism. This unusual romantic mystery stands out."
—Kirkus
"Salerni constructs an absorbing, atmospheric, and dense work of historical fiction."
—Publishers Weekly
"Readers who enjoy historical fiction, as well as mystery, will enjoy Salerni's tale of witchcraft, hunt for lost treasure, and the real-life mysterl that surrounds some grave sites from the Victorian era that were actually encaged."
—VOYA, 4Q 4P J S
"This one's perfect for a rainy night, a comfy blanket, and a cup of tea."
—Bulletin
"Immensely readable. . . Hand this fast-paced, creepy tale to fans of mysteries, forensics, paranormal and historical fiction, and the CSI TV series."
—Booklist
"Salerni is a masterful storyteller who uses eloquent prose to craft a suspenseful historical mystery that is absolutely impossible to put down."
—School Library Journal, starred review
Synopsis
In 1867, Verity Boone returns to her hometown, Catawissa, Pennsylvania, to marry a man she has never met. When she finds out that her mother's grave is in an iron cage outside the cemetery, she tries to get an explanation, unleashing violence and eventually revealing family secrets, including murder.
Synopsis
The year is 1867, and seventeen-year-old Verity Boone is excited to return from Worcester, Massachusetts, to Catawissa, Pennsylvania, the hometown she left when she was just a baby. Now she will finally meet the fiancé she knows only through letters! Soon, however, she discovers two strangely caged graves . . . and learns that one of them is her own mothers. Verity swears shell get to the bottom of why her mother was buried in “unhallowed ground” in this suspenseful teen mystery that swirls with rumors of witchcraft, buried gold from the days of the War of Independence, and even more shocking family secrets.
About the Author
Jennifer L. Holm is the grandniece of Alice Amelia Holm, a Finnish-American girl born on the Nasel River in Washington state during the nineteenth century. The recent discovery of her grandaunt's diary and her ancestors' adventures in the Pacific Northwest inspired the character of May Amelia.
Ms. Holm produces television commercials and lives in Brooklyn, New York, where she is working on her next book.