Every family has its secrets…
Summer, 1966: For thirteen-year-old Gus LeGarde, summertime always means Loon Harbor, his grandparents’ idyllic fishing resort on Great Pond. The season is a grand tradition of swimming, boating, and new adventures with his best friends, twins Siegfried and Elsbeth. But this summer, everything changes when a new lodge down the shore threatens the resort—and triggers … resort—and triggers a chain of events that will transform Gus and his friends forever.
Customers are leaving Loon Harbor in droves for The Seven Whistles, owned by the wealthy LaFontaines. The Baton Rouge family arrives with better amenities and a much larger staff—among them Wilhelmina “Willy” DuPont, a young black girl whose family works for the LaFontaines. Gus and the twins immediately bring Willy into their circle…but their friendship is soon challenged when events at The Seven Whistles take a terrifying turn.
A mysterious figure haunts the windows of women and young ladies at both camps, escalating from peeper to dangerous stalker. Then the LaFontaines’ spoiled and demanding daughter goes missing—and Willy’s innocent older brother is arrested.
Gus soon discovers that dark secrets lurk beneath the surface of the LaFontaine family, and the stakes are higher than ever imagined as they race to exonerate Willy’s brother and find the real perpetrator—before he finds them.
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An Exciting YA Mystery
In this engaging young adult novel, 13-year-old Gus LeGarde is spending his summer at Loon Harbor, a fishing resort owned by his grandparents. Every summer, he is reunited with his friends, Elsbeth and Siegfried, and they all do chores at the resort. Shortly after he arrives this summer, he meets Willy, a 13-year-old black girl, when her canoe capsizes in the Great Lake. Diving in, Gus helps her right it. As she rows away, he discovers a soaked doll with pins stuck in it that he figures fell out of her canoe. Gus and his friends suspect it’s a voodoo doll.
Willy, her aunt, and brother work at the Seven Whistles, a new resort at the lake owned by the LaFontaines. Willy takes Gus and his friends on a tour of the resort. In the lobby she gives them candy from a bowl for guests and then is accused by the owner’s teenage daughter of stealing. Willy cowers, fearing she could lose her job if she stands up for herself.
Willy invites her new friends to a campfire at the cove near Seven Whistles. There, they witness a ritual where Willy is holding the doll and chanting strange words. That marks the beginning of a series of mysterious events that occur at both resorts, including the disappearance of the owner’s daughter. While everyone searches for the missing girl, Gus discovers the LaFontaines’ treat their employees like slaves and they have dark, well-hidden, family secrets.
This is the first book I’ve read in the LeGarde Mysteries series, and it can easily be read as a standalone. The author, Aaron Lazar, did an exceptional job in describing the scenes and creating a well-plotted, exciting story. A good read!
Any of Aaron’s book is great. I read all 12 of the Gus LeGuard series and enjoyed them immensely. I do wish Aaron would come out with a cook book, I tried some of the dishes Gus made in the books and they didn’t come out as great as I thought they should. Hey Aaron, how about it?
Exquisitely enthralling entertainment…
This story is the 11th book in the Gus LeGarde series but can absolutely be enjoyed as a standalone masterpiece of mystery featuring Gus as a young teen full of innocence and admirable values. The story is set in 1966 with Gus and his two best friends, Siegfried and Elsbeth, all vacationing with their families at his grandparents’ idyllic resort, Loon Harbor. The author paints an enticing picture of a simpler time replete with characters both warm and wicked that captivate the reader and guide us on a journey full of twists and turns, emotional epiphanies, and exciting exploits. There is plenty of suspense and danger; there are heart-warming friendships, estimable loyalties, and detestable deeds which are all deliciously combined to compel the reader/listener to savor each word of this absorbing adventure. As would be expected with a story unfolding from the perspective of a 13-year-old hero, there is no offensive language. There are persons of despicable character, but they are integral to the plot. There are unsavory situations and instances of violence, but none are graphically depicted. The talented narrator in the audiobook version adds even more dimension to the story. Through voice, enunciation, and accents, he deftly imparts a unique individuality to each character. Overall, this is a gripping tale that can be enjoyed by a wide audience from young adult to seniors. Aaron Lazar is a creative and masterful storyteller who has gifted us, once again, with a beguiling and memorable entertainment experience.
I received a free copy of this story from the author and the above is my voluntary and unbiased review.