The Parker Inheritance

The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This mystery-puzzler is both historical and socially conscious, and is engaging on a number of levels. Young Candice Miller is spending a summer in her grandmother's old house in Lambert, South Carolina while her mom works on her writing and her dad stays in Atlanta. She befriends Brandon Jones, a boy who lives across the street and shares Candice's love of reading, and together the two follow clues left in a letter Candice finds in her grandmother's attic. Candice and Brandon hope these clues will lead them to a treasure - an inheritance left by a mysterious citizen of Lambert - while readers learn how the inheritance came into existence through flashbacks centered on various figures in Lambert's history.

The Parker Inheritance is a solid middle grade read appropriate for any time of year, but it's especially appropriate for Black History Month. The historical flashbacks show what it meant to be Black in the South at various times, and how this history affects the present day - specifically for Candice and Brandon, who are both Black and experience racism and its effects throughout the course of the story. Several LGBTQ+ characters provide insight into the intersections of race and sexuality, and teaching moments are worked seamlessly into the action of the story. Young puzzlers who are visual learners may appreciate having a print copy of the book in order to see the clues, but I found the audio enjoyable and easy to listen to and I'd recommend it to those who prefer reading with their ears or in addition to following along with the print version.


Extras: More Historical Fiction, Technically Historical Fiction, Own Voices Contemporary Fiction, More Mysteries, or View All My Reviews