Souders masterfully constructs a charming cast of characters – that includes an eyesore of a house – to furnish a puzzling whodunnit in a south Georgia town where nothing bad ever happens. But something does happen – a murder – and Tucker and his friends must dismantle the mystery before someone else gets hurt. Clues take them from the Freeze ‘n’ Breeze where ice cream is chillin’ to Mama E’s Salon where gossip is flowin’ to Bennett’s Beans where coffee is percolatin’ and the mayor is worryin’. Well-paced and delightful, Secrets of the Broken House keeps readers guessing until the end.
- Julie Lavender, author of A Gingerbread House and other books for children and adults

I'm a big fan of this author's work and this book is her best yet. I was hooked immediately and never wanted to stop reading. The characters all felt real and the small town setting took on an important role in this murder mystery as everyone knows everyone, or so they thought they did. Mysteries have always been my favorite and this one is brilliant, bringing in clues that felt natural when discovered as well as plenty of red herrings to place doubts in my mind as to who committed the crime or how it even happened. The pacing is quick and the ticking clock aspect of solving the mystery ratches up more at the end with a heart-racing twist full of danger that reaches the perfect level for middle grade readers.

This is so much more than a murder mystery though. Tucker and his best friend deal with a huge misunderstanding and Tucker must decide if his friendship is worth trying to save. He also struggles with overcoming his hurt and pride, a universal experience readers will take to heart. I laughed out loud many times with the humorous lines throughout and also fell in love with Van Gogh and his love of Tupperware (give me characters that care for animals and my heart fills with joy every time). I'm going to be recommending this book to everyone. Thank you to the publisher and @NetGalley for my review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Every young reader deserves the joy that is Secrets of the Broken House! An incredible mystery paired with endearing characters make this fast paced story a gem!