The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane

Emmy's dad has been a mystery to her since he disappeared on her third birthday.  Her mother has always refused to talk about him at all.  That just leaves Emmy and her mom, the parenting guru who is always moving Emmy to a new and "better" school.  It's hard to make friends when you never stick around for more than a year.

But now her mother has reached an all-time high in best (worst?) parenting.  She has a new TV show that will have her traveling all over the country, and she'll be so busy working she won't really have time to pay attention to Emmy.  So she's sending Emmy to boarding school.  In England.

Despite a rocky start at Wellsworth (including a terrible roommate), Emmy eventually starts to enjoy life at boarding school.  She's actually made some real friends for once.  Then she uncovers a surprising coincidence; her dad went to Wellsworth, too!

Determined to find clues about her father, instead, she uncovers dark truths about the school including a secret society.  The Order of Black Hollow Lane has been around for centuries, and her dad seems to be connected somehow.  Emmy and her new friends are determined to uncover the truth, but some people believe the truth should stay hidden at any cost.

Julia Nobel's mystery series starter was a pleasant surprise.  The cover puts this book squarely in middle grade territory, but the characters could easily have been older.  This is an engaging mystery with plenty of twists, a secret criminal society, and a missing father.  Great fun!  I can't wait for the next one!