Nobody's Secret

Starred review from February 18, 2013
A 15-year-old Emily Dickinson stars in the first novel in an intriguing planned series from MacColl (Promise the Night) that recasts famous literary figures as detectives. Growing up in 1845 Amherst, Mass., Emily resents a life of chores that will surely lead to her becoming a housewife. When she meets “Mr. Nobody,” a handsome traveler who seems to understand her in a way that her family and town do not, it’s a glimpse of hope. But before a romance can begin, he turns up dead. Although Emily is still recovering from illness, she is determined to uncover Mr. Nobody’s true identity so he can have a Christian burial—and to prove that his death wasn’t accidental. MacColl skillfully draws from Dickenson’s life to create a vision of the young poet as sharp-thinking, nature-obsessed, and determinedly curious. Lines from Dickinson’s poems open the chapters, which hint at how the themes and subjects they explored might have developed in her life and mind, providing tantalizing—if fictional—context for the poet’s taut verse. Ages 12–up. Agent: George Nicholson, Sterling Lord Literistic.

February 15, 2013
First in a new series that, according to marketing copy, "imagines great literary figures as teenage crime solvers"--aye, there's the rub. Fifteen-year-old Emily Dickenson encounters a young man she doesn't know in one of the fields near her Amherst, Mass., home. Playfully, they call each other Mr. and Miss Nobody, not revealing to each other their names. They meet again by chance, and then once more when Mr. Nobody is found dead in Emily's family's pond. While the rest of the town seems perfectly happy to bury the unknown man in the potter's field, Emily persists in seeing his death not as accidental, but murder. She roams the town, uncovering secrets at every turn, until at last she's solved the puzzle. But great literary figures aren't often teenage crime solvers; the device does justice to neither the historic Emily Dickenson nor to mystery lovers. MacColl has done her research, which shows in a wealth of detail that often, as in the case of Emily's father's letter, stands out as odd and doesn't advance the story. Various side characters seem mere puppets that bend themselves to Emily's will: The town doctor, for example, doesn't check for water in the deceased's lungs until Emily asks him to. Even Emily doesn't quite come alive: The novel captures her daily life and her poetry but not her living heart. MacColl's previous books are better. A disappointment. (Historical fiction. 12-16)

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Starred review from March 1, 2013

Gr 7-10-When 15-year-old Emily Dickinson meets and flirts with a handsome stranger, she feels the first flicker of romance. Then the young man is found dead in her family's pond, and the budding poet is sure that he was a victim of foul play. Determined to see that justice is done, she and her younger sister, Vinnie, investigate and discover that he is James Wentworth, heir to a fortune from which his aunt and uncle have defrauded him. Suspecting murder, Emily sets out to solve the case, almost becoming a victim herself. Life in 1845 small-town Massachusetts is painstakingly portrayed throughout this suspenseful tale. Emily is extremely well drawn, revealing her enthusiasm for and intense curiosity about the smallest of life's details, while minor characters have just enough depth to provoke interest. The fast-moving plot makes this a well-crafted page-turner. The dialogue rings true, both to the historical time and to the chronological ages and social status of the characters. The full text of "I'm Nobody," as well as quotes from other poems, not only focus readers' thoughts but also provide an easy introduction to the recluse's poetry. The author's note explains which of the novel's details are based on fact. MacColl once again brings a strong female protagonist to life, revealing pertinent and interesting information about a literary figure.-Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, formerly at LaSalle Academy, Providence, RI

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2013
Grades 6-10 In 1845, Emily Dickinson encounters a handsome young man she has never seen before in a field near Amherst, where her family is well known. Meeting someone she doesn't know is a rare treat for the young Emily, and rather than exchange names, the two playfully refer to each other as Mr. and Miss Nobody. Emily does learn that Mr. Nobody is in town to resolve some family business, but a few days later, she is shocked when Mr. Nobody is found dead in the pond next to her family home. With only a few clues to work from, she tries to unravel the mystery behind Mr. Nobody's death. MacColl, whose previous novels imagined the young lives of famous women, including Queen Victoria (Prisoners in the Palace, 2010), builds from Dickinson's famous poem, I'm Nobody! Who are you?, in this imaginative take on the young poet. Several other Dickinson poems are skillfully woven in throughout the novel, which suggests itself easily for both classroom connections and personal reading.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)