Synopses & Reviews
A Fire Destroys . . .
A Treasure Appears . . .
A Crime Unfolds . . .
An Edgar Award Winner, Best YA Novel 2015
A Chicago Public Library "Best of the Best" 2014
A Booklist Editors' Choice, Books for Youth 2014
A Booklist Top Ten Crime Fiction for Youth 2014
When Saba Khan’s apartment burns in a mysterious fire, possibly a hate crime, her Chicago high school rallies around her. Her family moves rent-free into a luxury apartment, Saba’s Facebook page explodes, and she starts (secretly) dating a popular boy. Then a quirky piece of art donated to a school fund-raising effort for the Khans is revealed to be an unknown work by a famous artist, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, and Saba’s life turns upside down again. Should Saba’s family have all that money? Or should it go to the students who found the art? Or to the school? And just what caused that fire? Greed, jealousy, and suspicion create an increasingly tangled web as students and teachers alike debate who should get the money and begin to point fingers and make accusations. The true story of the fire that sets events in motion and what happens afterward gradually comes together in an innovative narrative made up of journal entries, interviews, articles, letters, text messages, and other documents.
Review
"This art mystery is that rare book that will be passed around by teens as well as teachers in the faculty lounge, discussed and dissected and immediately reread to scour for hidden clues and motivations. The incidents at Highsmith School will stay on readers' minds long after the last page." --Booklist, starred review Review quotes
Review
"Where there's smoke, there's fire . . . and apparently, valuable art! When the Khan family's home is mysteriously burned to the ground, the funds from a priceless painting come to their rescue. Through unique journal entries, articles, and interviews, a tangled web of unusual secrets unfolds." --Teen Vogue
"This art mystery is that rare book that will be passed around by teens as well as teachers in the faculty lounge, discussed and dissected and immediately reread to scour for hidden clues and motivations. The incidents at Highsmith School will stay on readers' minds long after the last page." --Booklist, starred review
"Through emails, texts, journal entries, interview transcripts, newspaper clips, and official documents that pull in the perspectives of students, teachers, and others, Klise simultaneously reveals details about what might have transpired while allowing characters' darker motives--prejudice, envy, greed--to emerge . . . The question of 'how far would [people] be willing to go to make [their] dreams come true' propels the book forward to its scandalous conclusion." --Publishers Weekly
"Relationships, secrets and lies aplenty for caper-loving fans." --Kirkus Reviews
Review quotes
Review
"Where there's smoke, there's fire . . . and apparently, valuable art! When the Khan family's home is mysteriously burned to the ground, the funds from a priceless painting come to their rescue. Through unique journal entries, articles, and interviews, a tangled web of unusual secrets unfolds." --Teen Vogue
"This art mystery is that rare book that will be passed around by teens as well as teachers in the faculty lounge, discussed and dissected and immediately reread to scour for hidden clues and motivations. The incidents at Highsmith School will stay on readers' minds long after the last page." --Booklist, starred review
"Intriguing . . . The hairpin-turn twist ending will have surprised readers leafing back through the earlier parts of the book to search for foreshadowing, and it will provoke much discussion about who's a good guy here and who's a baddie." --Bulletin for the Center for Children's Books
"This darkly ambiguous, provocative novel highlights several themes worthy of discussion, including the destructive power of secrets and the politics of generosity." --The Horn Book
"Greed, jealousy, and suspicion create a tangled web in this easy-to-read, creative and thought-provoking story set in the Chicago area with multicultural characters. Engrossing!" --Skipping Stones
"This is a book about the secret motivations that drive us all. Klise develops a set of complex characters, both teen and adult, who, because of the stolen artwork, must deal with their own beliefs about fairness, belonging, and truth. This mystery is well crafted and will leave readers guessing as to the identity of the culprit to the end. This is an excellent addition to collections where mysteries are popular and will give readers much to think and talk about." --VOYA
"Relationships, secrets and lies aplenty for caper-loving fans." --Kirkus Reviews
Synopsis
A Fire Destroys . . .
A Treasure Appears . . .
A Crime Unfolds . . .
An Edgar Award Winner, Best YA Novel 2015
A Chicago Public Library "Best of the Best" 2014
A Booklist Editors' Choice, Books for Youth 2014
A Booklist Top Ten Crime Fiction for Youth 2014
When Saba Khan s apartment burns in a mysterious fire, possibly a hate crime, her Chicago high school rallies around her. Her family moves rent-free into a luxury apartment, Saba s Facebook page explodes, and she starts (secretly) dating a popular boy. Then a quirky piece of art donated to a school fund-raising effort for the Khans is revealed to be an unknown work by a famous artist, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, and Saba s life turns upside down again. Should Saba s family have all that money? Or should it go to the students who found the art? Or to the school? And just what caused that fire? Greed, jealousy, and suspicion create an increasingly tangled web as students andteachers alike debate who should get the money and begin to point fingers and make accusations. The true story of the fire that sets events in motion and what happens afterward gradually comes together in an innovative narrative made up of journal entries, interviews, articles, letters, text messages, and other documents.
"
Synopsis
Saba Khan:
In a way, the fire might have been the best thing that ever happened to me. But maybe even writing that is t.o.o. r.e.v.e.a.l.i.n.g.
Steve Davinski:
Well, okay, yes, there has been some whispering the past couple of days here at Highsmith. Something exciting is going on, and I understand your curiosity. However, it is totally premature for us to discuss that topic today.
Jean Delacroix:
All right, then? Moving forward. I was the first person to realize that the Spoons' "garbage art" was something special. The style of the work is unmistakable.
Kendra Spoon:
I'm not sure what to say. I'm more comfortable in a behind-the-scenes, stuffing-envelopes kind of role. I'm not a spokesperson or anything. Maybe you can talk to my brother, Kevin?
Kevin Spoon:
To be honest, it still blows my mind that I am one of the people who got this going. For the rest of my life, no matter what else I do, I can tell myself: How cool that you pulled that off. You changed that family's life
About the Author
James Klise is the author of Love Drugged, which was an ALA Stonewall Honor Book and received glowing reviews. He lives in Chicago, where he works as a high school librarian. His short stories have appeared in many journals, including StoryQuarterly, New Orleans Review, Ascent, and Southern Humanities Review. The Art of Secrets is his second novel.