The Art of Secrets

The structure of this book, composed of multiple viewpoints and documents, almost mandates an ensemble production. Its success is enhanced by the well-acted, skillful orchestration of its five narrators. Listeners will soon surmise the distress of a school that is locked in debate over the mysterious discovery of priceless, controversial art, which is later destroyed. Ethnicities, moods, ages, and personalities of the various characters are continually reflected against context-providing letters, texts and interviews. Plot questions about who should benefit from the insurance monies and who ruined the art underlie issues relating to greed, jealousy, dreams, and the marginalization of outsiders. S.W. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine

January 27, 2014
In his intriguing second book, Klise (Love Drugged) tells the story of a Pakistani family rebuilding their lives after their apartment is destroyed in a fire set by an arsonist. Coming to their aid, students from sophomore Saba Khan’s prestigious Chicago high school plan a community fundraiser to help replace what her family lost. But when one of the items in the auction is reported missing—a collection of drawings supposedly painted by reclusive (real-life) outsider artist Henry Darger, worth half a million dollars—fingers are pointed and rumors circulate about who might have stolen it. Through emails, texts, journal entries, interview transcripts, newspaper clips, and official documents that pull in the perspectives of students, teachers, and others, Klise simultaneously reveals details about what might have transpired while allowing characters’ darker motives—prejudice, envy, greed—to emerge. Astute readers may solve the whodunits early on, but the question of “how far would be willing to go to make dreams come true” propels the book forward to its scandalous conclusion. Ages 12–up. Agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary Agency.