A Pattern of Secrets

by Lindsay Littleson

Can the secrets of the past save the future?

The worlds of rich and poor collide in this gripping Victorian adventure as Jim and Jessie unravel the past and its pattern of secrets…

Paisley 1876. 12-year-old Jim has escaped from the Poor House and now he must save his little brother from the same fate.

His only hope lies in a mysterious family heirloom—a Paisley-patterned shawl that has five guineas sewn into its hem—the price of freedom.

Now Jim must find the shawl and break into the big house to steal it back…

But the girl with the dark hair is always watching…

200 pages, Paperback

Published April 16, 2018

Reviews

[Rachel Rice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't realise this was a children's book when I purchased it, as it was a second-hand book, but honestly, it didn't matter. The book is written from the perspective of two characters, Jim and Jessie, two youngsters whose lives couldn't be more different but who happen upon one another and join forces to find a missing shawl weaved with love by Jim's late father. I thoroughly enjoyed it and a great way of introducing children to a part of Scottish history, in particular the town of Paisley on the outskirts of Scotland. It's really well written and thought provoking.

[Marjory Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really lovely book, set in historical Paisley, Scotland. As someone who lives nearby the area, it was really cool learning about local history while enjoying the story too.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This middle grade book is well done in showing the issues with workhouses, the despair of the working class and the gaps between the classes.

[John Fulton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paisley, in the 1870s. It's the end of the great era of weaving, and for young Jim Muir the results have been devastating. His father, formerly an independent weaver, has lost his job when "that auld swine Rowat" shut his factory, and now, behind with the rent, the entire family is being evicted. They end up in the poorhouse, where Jim and his father are separated from his mother and younger siblings. When things turn even worse, Jim takes his fate into his own hands, and, guided by a cryptic comment from his father, escapes and heads out into the world, determined to do something to save his family from poverty.

At the other end of the social scale in Victorian Paisley is Jessie, the daughter of "that auld swine Rowat". She's clever and creative, bedevilled by a dragon-like "aunt" and a nuisance of a little brother - especially the little brother, who is convinced that he's seen a burglar hanging around Rosehill, their home. There's someone sneaking around, waiting for an opportunity to break in...

The dual narrative - half Jim, half Jessie - as these two sides of Victorian society converge on a collision course provides a strong impetus for the story. There is a stark contrast between Jim's life on the streets and Jessie's life in her fancy home, and their respective growing understanding of each other's situation provides a fascinating insight into the era.

The historical detail is superb, made even more vivid by the fact that Jessie is a real person - she'll grow up to be Jessie Newbery, artist, embroiderer, teacher at the Glasgow School of Art, and one of the Glasgow Girls circle of artists in the late 19th century. Jim's a fictional character, but no less well realised, and just as convincing.

A Pattern of Secrets is a superb book, full of exciting action, well-researched social history, and vivid characters. Highly recommended.

[Debbie Cannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book. Engaging, brave, interesting characters, whom we really care about; a wealth of period and local detail that draws you right back into Victorian Paisley; and a gripping plot that propels you forward. I loved the way the narrative switches between the two main characters - Jim who has run away from the Poorhouse but is determined to rescue his family, and Jessie, daughter of the owner of the mill where Jim’s father had previously worked. I also loved the ‘extras’ at the end - a portrait of the real Jessie, and an author’s note on what happened to her, and a tour (with old photographs) of the Paisley landmarks described in the story. Brilliant writing, and another top-class piece of children’s historical fiction from Cranachan Books.

[Susan Brownrigg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I raced through this brilliant book set in Paisley.
The dual narrative was well handled, switching between Jim and Jessie at just the right moment and I loved how both stories came together for the ending.
I really felt for Jim as his world was turned upside down and was anxious for him throughout!
The Paisley historical setting was a new one for me and absolutely fascinating. I so want to do the A Pattern of Secrets tour described at the end of the book!
I have now ordered The Titanic Detective Agency as I enjoyed this so much.
A fab nail-biting adventure perfect for fans of Emma Carroll.

[Maura McRobbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story, set in Paisley when the weavers and mill workers were employed by the wealthy Rowatt family. However, when things go wrong and the main character’s family is sent to live in the Poorhouse, it inspires a search for a lost woven shawl, that has gold coins sewn into its seams. I liked reading about the differences between rich and poor in the 19th century and I can see that this story could be used as a novel study for primary children keen to discover the wonderful social history of Paisley.