An unsent letter in a first edition copy of Charlotte’s Web leads to a hunt for treasure in this heartwarming middle grade mystery from the author of The Mother-Daughter Book Club. Now that Truly Lovejoy’s father has been injured by an IED in Afghanistan and is having trouble finding work back home, the family moves from Texas to tiny Pumpkin Falls, New Hampshire, to take over Lovejoy’s Books, a struggling bookstore that’s been in the family for one hundred years. With two older brothers and two younger sisters clamoring for attention, her mother back in school, and everyone up to their eyebrows trying to keep Lovejoy’s Books afloat, Truly feels more overlooked than usual. So she pours herself into uncovering the mystery of an undelivered letter she finds stuck in a valuable autographed first edition of Charlotte’s Web , which subsequently goes missing from the bookshop. What’s inside the envelope leads Truly and her new Pumpkin Falls friends on a madcap treasure hunt around town, chasing clues that could spell danger. Gr 4–6—Fans of the author's "Mother-Daughter Book Club" books (S. & S.) will rejoice for a new series with a similarly cozy New England setting, great characters, and literary references to beloved classics. Shortly after winter break, Truly Lovejoy finds herself at yet another school, in another state. The middle child of five, things haven't been the same in her family since "Black Monday" when her usually good-humored father was injured during his last tour in Afghanistan, losing an arm. Having to adjust to what this means for her father's career, the family finds themselves in his hometown—Pumpkin Falls, New Hampshire—so that he and Truly's aunt can take over the family bookstore. The mystery begins when Truly finds a note tucked inside a signed, first edition copy of Charlotte's Web, which sends the protagonist and her new friends on a treasure hunt through town. Though this story really pushes the "middle school private eye" trope, the mystery is not the driving force; other plot lines carry the story. Readers will relish meeting the town's diverse community of characters, exploring Truly's now tenuous relationship with her father who is struggling with PTSD, and the plight to save the bookstore from imminent ruin. The book is laden with bookish references, such as Jane Yolen's Owl Moon, that will delight young bibliophiles as they curl up and enjoy the quaint town of Pumpkin Falls.—Danielle Jones, Multnomah County Library, OR "There's never a dull moment in Pumpkin Falls with Truly Lovejoy on the case in this contemporary, feel-good series opener." ― Kirkus Reviews "Fans of the author's Mother-Daughter Book Club books will rejoice for a new series with a similarly cozy New England setting, great characters, and literary references to beloved classics. . . . Readers will relish meeting the town's diverse community of characters. . . . This book is laden with bookish references . . . that will delight young bibliophiles as they curl up and enjoy the quaint town of Pumpkin Falls." ― School Library Journal “Well-developed characters, a cozy community, and an intriguing mystery will warm hearts and pique readers’ curiosity.” ― Publishers Weekly “A cozy tale touched with meaningful, heartening realism.” ― Booklist "Calling all book lovers--this one looks like a gentle winner." ― The Christian Science Monitor Frederick, author of the Mother-Daughter Book Club, does a remarkable job of keeping this story suspenseful. There really must be more Pumpkin Falls mysteries to come! ― Library Media Connection Heather Vogel Frederick is the award-winning author of the Mother-Daughter Book Club series, the Pumpkin Falls Mystery series, the Patience Goodspeed books, the Spy Mice series, and Once Upon a Toad . An avid fan of small towns like Pumpkin Falls, Heather and her husband live in New England, close to where Heather grew up. You can learn more about the author and her books at HeatherVogelFrederick.com. Absolutely Truly CHAPTER 1 “What is THIS supposed to mean?” my father demanded as I followed my brother through the front door, our arms full of boxes. My father stalked across the entry hall, waving a slip of paper at me with his good hand. Hatcher flashed me a sympathetic look and vanished upstairs. I didn’t blame him; I’d have done the same thing in his place. No one wants to face the wrath of Lieutenant Colonel Jericho T. Lovejoy. “An F plus in pre-algebra?” The chill in my father’s voice could have single-handledly reversed global warming. “F plus, Truly?” Yes, that’s really my name. It’s a family thing. “Does that mean you almost passed, or that you failed spectacularly?” My father pinned me with one of his signature glares. I hadn’t counted on this—I thought it would take at least a week for mail from Texas to reach the East Coast. And I’d counted on being able to snag this particular envelope from the mailbox before anyone else spotted it. “Um,” I sa