The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane (Black Hollow Lane, #1)
by Julia Nobel

4 out of 5 stars

Emmy discovers that her dead father left behind a mysterious box of medallions with a note urging her to keep them safe. When her mother sends her to boarding school in England, Emmy thinks the medallions have some connection to the old school. Perhaps her father was a student there at some point and copied the odd symbols that are engraved on library books and wall carvings about the school. Emmy enlists the help of her new friends, Jack and Lola, and they investigate the existence of an underground society that will go to any lengths to hide their secrets. Now Emmy isn’t even sure if her father is really dead, or if the secret society is hiding something even more dastardly.

I loved the mystery in this book! The secret symbols and hidden passages and puzzling notes hidden in the pocket of a coat. One of the best things about this mystery is the shadow of ancient history looming over every clue. The secret society appears to be hundreds of years old with a long history of working outside the law. This gave a delicious depth to the world-building, especially since our characters are living at a school that used to be an old abbey in ancient times.

Emmy is a wonderful main character. She is plucky and tough, but she gets discouraged sometimes, and needs her friends to give her some hope. I really liked how she gradually opens up about her grief over losing her father, and her friends share their own troubles with their difficult families. They are the misfits of the school, so I loved how they band together and support each other.

The writing really captured my attention and made me care about the characters. The mystery was delightful, and I can’t wait to read the second book!

To see the mild violence and other sensitive content in this book, check it out on the Screen It First website! https://screenitfirst.com/book/the-mystery-of-black-hollow-lane-2588531