The Long Secret By : Louise Fitzhugh

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	• The Long Secret Louise Fitzhugh, Anne Bobby, 2001 average customer review:based on 23 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

The Long Secret

I bought this and another Harriet the Spy books for my grandaughter.
She has told me that she likes them very much. She is 10 years old and loves mystery stories. These books were recommended by a friend.

The Long Secret By Louise Fitzhugh

The Long Secret By Louise Fitzhugh contains many surprising twists and turns. It takes place in the small town of Water Mill during the summer and is about a 12- year- old spy named Harriet and her best friend, Beth Ellen, who are trying to figure out who is leaving mysterious notes everywhere.

The story begins when Harriet and Beth Ellen are at the local supermarket buying some cookies. After they pay the clerk for the cookies, she reaches into the cash register's drawer to give them change, but instead of pulling out money, she pulls out a note. Written awkwardly on the scrap of paper with a red crayon are the words `Jesus Hates You'. This is only the start of a whole barrage of letters that turn up, each with an appropriate saying on them that matches the life of the person who receives them. Although the letters did match the person receiving them, I found some of the religious messages to be offensive and strong. When Harriet finally gets one, she decides that it is time to take action, and she drags Beth Ellen, and Jamie, another friend of hers, into the middle of the situation.

Since most of the notes have religious sayings on them, Harriet comes to the conclusion that a religious fanatic is leaving them all over town, and her first suspect is a country girl, Jessie Mae, who is obsessed with the Bible. In case her first suspicion isn't right, she even has a back-up suspect - The Preacher. The Preacher is a tall, African American man who Harriet thinks could easily be slipping the notes into cash registers or dresser drawers because of his innocent appearance and his humble kindness to all. Even though her assumptions about the note writer may be right, I don't think that Harriet should be quick to jump to conclusions and suspect people of doing something just because they like to do an activity or have a certain style.

However, solving a mystery isn't easy, and by the middle of the story Harriet has only a few clues to help her determine the culprit. The plot thickens when Beth Ellen's parents, Zeeney and Wallace, come back from Paris and want to take her with them when they return. In this situation, I was surprised how their coming made Beth Ellen stronger, and I liked the fact that she handled the situation well, even when Zeeney got a little out of control.

As Harriet and her friends uncover more pieces to the puzzle, they also uncover themselves and reveal characteristics that they have never shown before. Will they be able to solve the mystery, or will they be stumped and forced to break up their investigation? Check out The Long Secret to find out the exciting details and the enticing ending!

I enjoyed this book because it had suspense and action, and I recommend that you read it if you like mysteries and want to know about Harriet's later adventures.

Mary Kate LA-6

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The Long Secret By : Louise Fitzhugh

I liked this book; it had many interesting and complex parts. First, one of my opinions- I think that Harriet talks very rudely to her friends and to others. She really needs to tone down her emotions and act more like the sensible and polite girl that I know she can be.

Ok... now for the actual summary part of my review...

The book mostly focuses on Beth Ellen, Harriet's "summer" best friend when Sport and Jamie aren't around. Through out the story, Beth Ellen and Harriet make new friends (like Jessie Mae, a poor country girl), and Beth Ellen's long-lost mother comes back from Paris with her new husband, Wallace. By the end of the tale, together, Beth Ellen and Harriet have solved a huge mystery and become closer than they were before. Check out The Long Secret By Louise Fitzhugh to find out the rest of the story!

- A Happy Reader

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Harriet has left New York for the summer, but she still finds enough spying to keep her busy. In fact, a mysterious note-leaver is running loose in Water Mill, and the secret Harriet uncovers is going to surprise everyone.

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