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American Girl Mysteries
The Tangled Web: A Julie Mystery
Julie really likes the new girl in her class, Carla Warner. Still, there's something odd about her. The things Carla says don't quite add up, and she seems to avoid answering certain questions. At first Julie is sure there's a sensible explanation, but as Carla's stories become more outlandish, Julia can't escape a disturbing fact: either her new friend is lying--or she's in real danger.
158 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2009
16 people are currently reading
447 people want to read
About the author
Kathryn Reiss
25 books190 followersKathryn Reiss was born in Massachusetts, grew up in Ohio, and received B.A. degrees in English and German from Duke University, and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan. After college, she lived in Bonn, Germany as a Fulbright Scholar, and during this time wrote the first draft of her first novel, Time Windows.
Ms. Reiss is an award -winning author of 20 novels for kids and teens. She has been a Writer in Residence for the Princeton Arts Council, a recipient of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts Grant for Writers, and has been a featured speaker with (among others) Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, The Northern California Library Association, The International Reading Association, Fresno County Office of Education, California Reading Association, The American Library Association, and the National Council of Teachers of English. She lives in Northern California with her husband and the last of her seven children still in the nest. She is a Full Professor of English at Mills College at Northeastern University, and also teaches in the low -residency MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults at the University of Nevada, Reno.
Ms. Reiss is an award -winning author of 20 novels for kids and teens. She has been a Writer in Residence for the Princeton Arts Council, a recipient of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts Grant for Writers, and has been a featured speaker with (among others) Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, The Northern California Library Association, The International Reading Association, Fresno County Office of Education, California Reading Association, The American Library Association, and the National Council of Teachers of English. She lives in Northern California with her husband and the last of her seven children still in the nest. She is a Full Professor of English at Mills College at Northeastern University, and also teaches in the low -residency MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults at the University of Nevada, Reno.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
January 12, 2025
Well written and continues Julie’s story seamlessly. While this may have been a story I could have appreciated more when I was in the target audience range, I did still enjoy it. It’s different than other AG mysteries and it is very clear from the first chapter that one of the characters is lying- but why? That is the entire mystery. Perhaps this would have been better as a regular addition to Julie’s stories rather than a mystery? However, I’m glad I read this. I could relate to both mc’s POV and it was refreshing to see Julie’s character arc progress rather than staying stagnant as per usual most AG mysteries. I also very much appreciated the war/PTSD and disability subplot.
Would recommend.
Would recommend.
October 9, 2020
This was the first Julie mystery that I read, and it is the reason why I never bothered with any of the others when they released. I disliked this immensely, and it was my least favorite American Girl book by far. However, I forced myself to reread it this year in order to completely reread/read all of the American Girl mysteries, and I ended up liking it much better this time.
I am only raising my rating to two stars instead of three, since the mystery is utterly abysmal, but even though the plot has no suspense and it is obvious from the first chapter that Julie's new friend is a pathological liar, this is pretty good as a novel, and the final twist at the end did surprise me, and helped explain some of Carla's behavior. I think that if this book were marketed as a story about children navigating family struggles in the 1970s, rather than as a mystery, I would have liked it more when I read it in 2009.
However, I also know that I enjoyed this more as an adult. When I was closer to the target age for this book, I couldn't get past how dense Julie was to not realize that her new friend was making up stories and lying about everything, but this time, instead of focusing on how unbelievable and predictable the mystery was, I appreciated the themes related to family struggles, Vietnam War veterans, and disability. Ironically, I read this book right after I finished reading an article for grad school about accessibility in libraries, and it was interesting to read a juvenile fiction story that addressed related themes from when disability rights was first a growing public concern.
This book also has great continuity with other Julie books. I didn't appreciate that when I first read this, since I had given up on the series halfway through, but after having just read the whole thing this year, I loved how well the author wove in references to characters, situations, and experiences from the six main books, especially since she wasn't the one who wrote them. This was very nicely done, and was a natural part of the story instead of being tacked on.
I don't know if I would ever choose to pursue this for my personal American Girl library, but I would actually consider it now, and I'm glad that I was able to read a copy from the library for free and give the story another chance. Even though the mystery still does not appeal to me, this is a well-written work of historical fiction that highlights a lot of important issues from the 1970s and has a satisfying character arc.
I am only raising my rating to two stars instead of three, since the mystery is utterly abysmal, but even though the plot has no suspense and it is obvious from the first chapter that Julie's new friend is a pathological liar, this is pretty good as a novel, and the final twist at the end did surprise me, and helped explain some of Carla's behavior. I think that if this book were marketed as a story about children navigating family struggles in the 1970s, rather than as a mystery, I would have liked it more when I read it in 2009.
However, I also know that I enjoyed this more as an adult. When I was closer to the target age for this book, I couldn't get past how dense Julie was to not realize that her new friend was making up stories and lying about everything, but this time, instead of focusing on how unbelievable and predictable the mystery was, I appreciated the themes related to family struggles, Vietnam War veterans, and disability. Ironically, I read this book right after I finished reading an article for grad school about accessibility in libraries, and it was interesting to read a juvenile fiction story that addressed related themes from when disability rights was first a growing public concern.
This book also has great continuity with other Julie books. I didn't appreciate that when I first read this, since I had given up on the series halfway through, but after having just read the whole thing this year, I loved how well the author wove in references to characters, situations, and experiences from the six main books, especially since she wasn't the one who wrote them. This was very nicely done, and was a natural part of the story instead of being tacked on.
I don't know if I would ever choose to pursue this for my personal American Girl library, but I would actually consider it now, and I'm glad that I was able to read a copy from the library for free and give the story another chance. Even though the mystery still does not appeal to me, this is a well-written work of historical fiction that highlights a lot of important issues from the 1970s and has a satisfying character arc.
June 3, 2020
This is a different kind of "mystery," but one that I would have done well to read when I was 9 years old.
There is a new girl named Carla at Julie's school. Julie jumps right in and asks Carla if she wants to eat lunch with her. Julie finds Carla fascinating because she has many of the things that Julie wishes she had: a large family, a big house, and a Border Collie named Jack.
But in spite of Julie's attempts to be friendly, there are strange things about Carla that just don't make sense. As a adult, I've learned the hard way that when a story doesn't make sense, it's because stuff is being left out, and/or the person is lying. I do wish though, that I could have learned it in a book like this, rather that from actual people I thought were my friends. Julie is quite mature when the truth comes out. I, however, had a lot of unpleasant memories reading this book, knowing what Julie didn't know.
It's a good story that is well written and ties together plot elements from this time period: Vietnam Vets, disabled people/access to public buildings; and Thanksgiving/being thankful for what you have. It also skillfully ties in the Painted Ladies, the beautiful old Victorian Houses that San Francisco is famous for, and Farmer's Markets, which I didn't realize came into popularity at this time.
Julie is one of my most favorite American Girls because she is basically the age I was in the 1970's, and this is a very well done book about an important topic for young readers.
There is a new girl named Carla at Julie's school. Julie jumps right in and asks Carla if she wants to eat lunch with her. Julie finds Carla fascinating because she has many of the things that Julie wishes she had: a large family, a big house, and a Border Collie named Jack.
But in spite of Julie's attempts to be friendly, there are strange things about Carla that just don't make sense. As a adult, I've learned the hard way that when a story doesn't make sense, it's because stuff is being left out, and/or the person is lying. I do wish though, that I could have learned it in a book like this, rather that from actual people I thought were my friends. Julie is quite mature when the truth comes out. I, however, had a lot of unpleasant memories reading this book, knowing what Julie didn't know.
It's a good story that is well written and ties together plot elements from this time period: Vietnam Vets, disabled people/access to public buildings; and Thanksgiving/being thankful for what you have. It also skillfully ties in the Painted Ladies, the beautiful old Victorian Houses that San Francisco is famous for, and Farmer's Markets, which I didn't realize came into popularity at this time.
Julie is one of my most favorite American Girls because she is basically the age I was in the 1970's, and this is a very well done book about an important topic for young readers.
November 17, 2019
This was okay. The mystery here is facts that just don't add up, and why people might pretend to have a different life altogether. Peppered throughout are specific mentions of both San Francisco and 1970s themes: shell-shocked young Vietnam vets, the fight for disability accessibility rights, and the growing popularity of farmers markets/"California cuisine". It still makes me pause for a moment to consider my parents would be peers with Julie's sister Tracy, but time marches on and the youth of seniors today is history.
I wasn't originally going to include the mystery books in my American Girl exploration, but figured I may as well, for completionist's sake. I never actually read any of the old mysteries, and looking at Kathryn Reiss's bibliography it looks like she did novels in the historical mystery line that aren't connected to the doll series- am curious about those.
I wasn't originally going to include the mystery books in my American Girl exploration, but figured I may as well, for completionist's sake. I never actually read any of the old mysteries, and looking at Kathryn Reiss's bibliography it looks like she did novels in the historical mystery line that aren't connected to the doll series- am curious about those.
November 8, 2012
Maybe it's just because I'm not in the intended audience, but it took me only a few pages to figure out that Julie's new friend . I wonder if the target age group would be so quick to pick up on it. It was realistic that it took Julie the length of the book to fully realize what was going on. Also, I know that these books try to focus on redemption wherever possible, but this may have been a bit of a stretch.
October 20, 2015
It was the first day of school when Julie realizes that there's a new girl in her class named Carla Warner. Knowing Julie she obviously knows she wants to be friends with her. When Julie invites Carla to eat lunch with her she finds so much about her but something seems off. Are Carla's stories about her family real or does she not want anyone to find out about her real life?
March 6, 2009
This story teaches a good moral---lying is wrong. I liked the 70s theme. This was a fun read.
July 28, 2009
Unlike other "mystery" books, this book isn't really that mysterious. Worth reading but not the best book.
May 24, 2024
I've had this book since childhood and I'm glad I finally read it. Carla Warner wove a tangled web of lies and Julie finally catches her new friend in the lies. But she helps her friend reconnect with her shell-shocked brother and helps make their Thanksgiving brighter. A lovely book with wonderful writing and such fabulous characters. I loved American Girl growing up. Just a little sad it took me over a decade to read this book haha
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2020
The decision to keep the plot clear, until all the ends were tied up, made it a slower read, while you knew where it was going. Definitely a good lesson on why we don't tell lies. Trust issues were explored in a good way. Not too heavy but worry over trust occurs when you have been told untrue things,
May 12, 2021
The mystery is pretty easy to figure out for the reader ... but it's also believable. I never felt like Julie was stupid for missing obvious clues. The clues were only obvious to me because I knew I was reading a mystery and had read the title of the book.
While I generally prefer more suspenseful mysteries, this is a relaxing read, with enough historical trimmings to keep history fans engaged.
While I generally prefer more suspenseful mysteries, this is a relaxing read, with enough historical trimmings to keep history fans engaged.
June 10, 2019
I thought this book was fantastic! I love mysteries, and this one taught a good lesson. It wasn’t the best book I have ever read, but it was really good, and it was fun to unravel the mystery. I recommend this book to any mystery, or American girl fans!❤️
August 17, 2023
I actually really liked this one. It's definitely an important lesson for kids to spot liars whose lives seem a tad to good to be true. Love the disabled representation as well. I'd say this is a 4.5 read (rounded to 5) and one of the better mystery books I've read from American Girl.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 23, 2025
A quick and fun little mystery. Had a good message about honesty.
The book concluded with this quote:
"O, what a tangled web we weave,
When fist we practice to deceive." -Sir Walter Scott
As with all Historical American Girl books, we get a little peek into the past, in this case the 1970s.
The book concluded with this quote:
"O, what a tangled web we weave,
When fist we practice to deceive." -Sir Walter Scott
As with all Historical American Girl books, we get a little peek into the past, in this case the 1970s.
April 9, 2018
ooh it was a good mystery
Read
September 7, 2019I'm well above the target reading level for this, so it was really easy to figure out the mystery. It was still fun to read. I really like Julie and Carla. Julie is definitely my favorite AG now
September 29, 2020
To come
January 13, 2022
This is one of the main reasons why I started to love mystery novels.
January 7, 2025
4.25: honestly very wholesome. Rounded up to 4.25, really looking forward to reading more in the series!
Read
May 5, 2025very cute
August 25, 2025
The ending made me shed a few tears.
February 6, 2012
there is a new student in julie's class. she tells everyone that she has a twin brother named tim who attends a private school for pianists, as does her high school-aged brother, tom. she also has a brother in college, named todd, a sister in kindergarten named nancy, & a baby sister named debbie.
i like that i can remember all the names of this girl's fake relatives, but i can't remember her name, & i already returned the book to the library.
she also tells everyone that she lives in one of the big fancy painted ladies in a neighborhood that is kind of far away from the school. julie is really impressed. she feels resentful that she, her mom, & her sister are all crowded together in a small apartment, & that she doesn't have a bunch of baby siblings running around, or a fancy dog that knows lots of tricks. she thinks her new friend has the best life.
until she & ivy run into the new friend at the farmer's market. she's working one of the booths & julie recognizes the skinny, haggard-looking woman working beside her as a woman she saw picking through trash cans not long ago. the new girl explains that the skinny woman is barb & that she's bad news. she's a "thief" & the new girl claims that she is working "undercover" to keep an eye on the woman & report back her findings to her father, who is a successful doctor/private detective. julie becomes very concerned when the new girl returns to the booth & barb seems to menace her with a knife. because i know that when i am an evil villain who is being investigated for thieving out of trash cans, i always make sure to menace children with knives in full view of the public. especially at the farmer's market. it's really difficult to get sucked into the mystery when julie & ivy are being so fucking dense.
allow me to add that the new girl is introduced & gives everyone her incredible backstory within the first twenty pages of the book. at that point, i was like, "oh. i bet she's an only child who doesn't have a dog at all & lives hand-to-mouth in some depressing apartment with her mother, who was the woman shown trash-picking in the first chapter." & seriously, the way that julie freaks out & "gets chills" upon seeing someone picking through trash is really fucked up. she acts like she saw the woman administering a speedball to an infant or something.
the new girl does do a pretty good job of fooling julie at times. julie bumps into the new girl out walking a dog that fits the description of the dog she says she has & can do lots of tricks & stuff. julie then pressures the new girl into allowing julie to walk her home. the new girl goes to a painted lady & invites julie inside. julie is pretty wowed by how huge the house, but is confused about the lack of kids' toys or other signs that a big, boisterous family full of professional-grade teen pianists & detective/doctors lives there. then a man comes home & the new girl hustles julie outside in a panic. julie is concerned that her new friend seems to be so afraid of her father.
at this point, i was like, "duh. new girl is a dog walker & this is the dog walker's house." & this was confirmed a few chapters later when the new girl misses school. julie stops by the fancy house to drop off her homework & just lets herself inside. no one is home & julie takes the opportunity to wander all over the house & peek into every room. i wouldn't do that even at the home of my dearest friend. julie needs to learn some manners. then the gray-haired dude comes home & is like, "who the fuck are you? oh, you're friends with my dog walker?" he gives julie the new girl's real address & of course it's a depressing walk-up & the new girl lives alone with barb. she tries to convince julie for a second that all her stories are true & that she's actually just deep DEEP undercover spying on barb, or that the door to a linen closet actually opens into a hallway filled with bedrooms for all her other siblings (which is swiftly debunked when julie opens the door & discovers...linens). finally she admits everything & says she just wanted to feel what it was like to have a great life. blah blah blah. we all saw that coming from the third page.
the one surprise is that an especially cranky & sullen disabled vet that hippie hank helps out with down at the veteran center is the new girl's older brother, whose name really is todd. julie convinces todd to join the other veterans at her place for thanksgiving dinner, & she invites the new girl & barb. the family is really excited to spend the holiday together, & julie's older sister describes todd as "dreamy," even though he's in a wheelchair. they spend a good part of the day flirting over what records what they like. julie gets a brainstorm to ask the guy with the dog & the huge fancy house to hire barb as a live-in housekeeper. he has enough bedrooms for barb, the new girl, & todd, & he has an elevator, to accommodate todd's wheelchair. ~*~happy endings~*~
pretty saccharine stuff.
i like that i can remember all the names of this girl's fake relatives, but i can't remember her name, & i already returned the book to the library.
she also tells everyone that she lives in one of the big fancy painted ladies in a neighborhood that is kind of far away from the school. julie is really impressed. she feels resentful that she, her mom, & her sister are all crowded together in a small apartment, & that she doesn't have a bunch of baby siblings running around, or a fancy dog that knows lots of tricks. she thinks her new friend has the best life.
until she & ivy run into the new friend at the farmer's market. she's working one of the booths & julie recognizes the skinny, haggard-looking woman working beside her as a woman she saw picking through trash cans not long ago. the new girl explains that the skinny woman is barb & that she's bad news. she's a "thief" & the new girl claims that she is working "undercover" to keep an eye on the woman & report back her findings to her father, who is a successful doctor/private detective. julie becomes very concerned when the new girl returns to the booth & barb seems to menace her with a knife. because i know that when i am an evil villain who is being investigated for thieving out of trash cans, i always make sure to menace children with knives in full view of the public. especially at the farmer's market. it's really difficult to get sucked into the mystery when julie & ivy are being so fucking dense.
allow me to add that the new girl is introduced & gives everyone her incredible backstory within the first twenty pages of the book. at that point, i was like, "oh. i bet she's an only child who doesn't have a dog at all & lives hand-to-mouth in some depressing apartment with her mother, who was the woman shown trash-picking in the first chapter." & seriously, the way that julie freaks out & "gets chills" upon seeing someone picking through trash is really fucked up. she acts like she saw the woman administering a speedball to an infant or something.
the new girl does do a pretty good job of fooling julie at times. julie bumps into the new girl out walking a dog that fits the description of the dog she says she has & can do lots of tricks & stuff. julie then pressures the new girl into allowing julie to walk her home. the new girl goes to a painted lady & invites julie inside. julie is pretty wowed by how huge the house, but is confused about the lack of kids' toys or other signs that a big, boisterous family full of professional-grade teen pianists & detective/doctors lives there. then a man comes home & the new girl hustles julie outside in a panic. julie is concerned that her new friend seems to be so afraid of her father.
at this point, i was like, "duh. new girl is a dog walker & this is the dog walker's house." & this was confirmed a few chapters later when the new girl misses school. julie stops by the fancy house to drop off her homework & just lets herself inside. no one is home & julie takes the opportunity to wander all over the house & peek into every room. i wouldn't do that even at the home of my dearest friend. julie needs to learn some manners. then the gray-haired dude comes home & is like, "who the fuck are you? oh, you're friends with my dog walker?" he gives julie the new girl's real address & of course it's a depressing walk-up & the new girl lives alone with barb. she tries to convince julie for a second that all her stories are true & that she's actually just deep DEEP undercover spying on barb, or that the door to a linen closet actually opens into a hallway filled with bedrooms for all her other siblings (which is swiftly debunked when julie opens the door & discovers...linens). finally she admits everything & says she just wanted to feel what it was like to have a great life. blah blah blah. we all saw that coming from the third page.
the one surprise is that an especially cranky & sullen disabled vet that hippie hank helps out with down at the veteran center is the new girl's older brother, whose name really is todd. julie convinces todd to join the other veterans at her place for thanksgiving dinner, & she invites the new girl & barb. the family is really excited to spend the holiday together, & julie's older sister describes todd as "dreamy," even though he's in a wheelchair. they spend a good part of the day flirting over what records what they like. julie gets a brainstorm to ask the guy with the dog & the huge fancy house to hire barb as a live-in housekeeper. he has enough bedrooms for barb, the new girl, & todd, & he has an elevator, to accommodate todd's wheelchair. ~*~happy endings~*~
pretty saccharine stuff.
February 11, 2024
The great AG marathon continues. Again, reading for the first time as an adult.
When a new girl is introduced at school, Julie is eager to make friends, remembering being new herself not so long ago. At first, the new friendship seems to go swimmingly, but Julie soon notices that the things Carla says about her home and her family don't always add up.
Adult readers (and likely many young readers, too) will have no trouble spotting that Carla is definitely lying, and it's not hard to guess that she's just trying to make her life look better than it is. Julie is eager to play spy or detective (like Molly and Kit, she's a Nancy Drew fan, and she's read Harriet the Spy as well), so we spend a good part of the book watching Julie track down one lie after another. But nothing truly nefarious is going on, and by the end, the real challenge is for Julie to decide whether Carla's lies have ruined their budding friendship.
Meanwhile, Julie's mom is hosting Thanksgiving for a few of the young veterans at the rehab center where Hank works, providing more discussion of the Vietnam War than any part of Julie's core series. (Not a lot, mind you, but it's still more.)
At the dinner, Julie dreams up a solution that might solve several problems. It's optimistic and seems like a bit of a stretch to me, but the way Reiss sets it up, we see Julie think of it and plan to discuss it later. We get the sense of hopeful possibilities without actually delivering an overly-convenient ending (I'm eyeing mysteries like Rebecca's A Growing Suspicion and... well, a lot of them).
Bottom line? Don't read it for the mystery, read it for Julie reflecting on friendship, boundaries, and what's really important.
More Julie babble:
Meet Julie | Julie Tells Her Story | Happy New Year, Julie | Julie and the Eagles | Julie's Journey | Changes for Julie
Good Luck, Ivy
The Tangled Web | The Puzzle of the Paper Daughter | The Silver Guitar | Lost in the City | Message in a Bottle
A Brighter Tomorrow
When a new girl is introduced at school, Julie is eager to make friends, remembering being new herself not so long ago. At first, the new friendship seems to go swimmingly, but Julie soon notices that the things Carla says about her home and her family don't always add up.
Adult readers (and likely many young readers, too) will have no trouble spotting that Carla is definitely lying, and it's not hard to guess that she's just trying to make her life look better than it is. Julie is eager to play spy or detective (like Molly and Kit, she's a Nancy Drew fan, and she's read Harriet the Spy as well), so we spend a good part of the book watching Julie track down one lie after another. But nothing truly nefarious is going on, and by the end, the real challenge is for Julie to decide whether Carla's lies have ruined their budding friendship.
Meanwhile, Julie's mom is hosting Thanksgiving for a few of the young veterans at the rehab center where Hank works, providing more discussion of the Vietnam War than any part of Julie's core series. (Not a lot, mind you, but it's still more.)
At the dinner, Julie dreams up a solution that might solve several problems. It's optimistic and seems like a bit of a stretch to me, but the way Reiss sets it up, we see Julie think of it and plan to discuss it later. We get the sense of hopeful possibilities without actually delivering an overly-convenient ending (I'm eyeing mysteries like Rebecca's A Growing Suspicion and... well, a lot of them).
Bottom line? Don't read it for the mystery, read it for Julie reflecting on friendship, boundaries, and what's really important.
More Julie babble:
Meet Julie | Julie Tells Her Story | Happy New Year, Julie | Julie and the Eagles | Julie's Journey | Changes for Julie
Good Luck, Ivy
The Tangled Web | The Puzzle of the Paper Daughter | The Silver Guitar | Lost in the City | Message in a Bottle
A Brighter Tomorrow
June 18, 2012
Julie really likes the new girl in her class, Carla Warner: Still, there's something odd about her. The things Carla says don't quite add up, and she avoids answering questions about her family. At first Julie is sure there's a sensible explanation, but soon she starts to wonder what's really going on. A disturbing discovery leads her to realize that her new friend may be in real danger!
About The Author: Kathryn Reiss was a girl not much older than Julie in the 1970's. She grew up in Ohio but now lives in a Victorian-era house near San Francisco with her husband, five children, two cats, and a very clever border collie. She always loved reading mysteries and started writing them herslef because nothing mysterious, eerie, or criminal ever seeed to be happening in her own neighborhood!
In fourth grade she told a whopper of a lie to a new girl at her school and quickly learned that honesty really is the best policy.
Kathryn Reiss's previous novels of suspense have won many awards. She teaches creative writing at Mills College. She loves to travel with her family and have afternoon tea in her garden with friends-and she is always hard at work on a new story.
This book teaches a great lesson, honesty is the best policy. I love how Julie forgave Carla in the end for telling lies, Carla was lonely and enjoyed writing stories so it was easy for her to make up a story when she started going to a new school.
About The Author: Kathryn Reiss was a girl not much older than Julie in the 1970's. She grew up in Ohio but now lives in a Victorian-era house near San Francisco with her husband, five children, two cats, and a very clever border collie. She always loved reading mysteries and started writing them herslef because nothing mysterious, eerie, or criminal ever seeed to be happening in her own neighborhood!
In fourth grade she told a whopper of a lie to a new girl at her school and quickly learned that honesty really is the best policy.
Kathryn Reiss's previous novels of suspense have won many awards. She teaches creative writing at Mills College. She loves to travel with her family and have afternoon tea in her garden with friends-and she is always hard at work on a new story.
This book teaches a great lesson, honesty is the best policy. I love how Julie forgave Carla in the end for telling lies, Carla was lonely and enjoyed writing stories so it was easy for her to make up a story when she started going to a new school.
June 29, 2009
So the mystery itself isn't really all that mysterious. You know well before Julie does what's going on, and if that bothers you in any given mystery, you probably should skip this one. However, reading a bit more about Julie's life was interesting enough to keep going and besides, I wanted to know what was with all the lies.
One thing I really liked was that unlike a lot of other AG books, when Carla's lies are exposed, Julie doesn't automatically forgive her. She still tries to do the right thing by helping Carla, but she doesn't immediately forget how Carla tricked her and how much that hurts. Even at the very end, Julie's still a little bit angry towards Carla and that's very realistic and probably my favorite touch. Julie wants to be Carla's friend and is moving in that direction, but still wonders how long it will be until she can trust her again.
One thing I really liked was that unlike a lot of other AG books, when Carla's lies are exposed, Julie doesn't automatically forgive her. She still tries to do the right thing by helping Carla, but she doesn't immediately forget how Carla tricked her and how much that hurts. Even at the very end, Julie's still a little bit angry towards Carla and that's very realistic and probably my favorite touch. Julie wants to be Carla's friend and is moving in that direction, but still wonders how long it will be until she can trust her again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2017
This one was one of my favorites.
March 11, 2012
Julie has an interesting friend named Carla Warner.She is very secretive about her family and doesn't tell Julie much.When her fibs began getting outrageous, Julie tries to find out more.It's hard to find clues but she eventually finds some.In the end, Julie finds Carla didn't tell her much about her family because she was embarrassed because her family was poor.
March 8, 2014
Well, maybe I saw this one coming from a long way off, but the journey was still a good one and how the whole thing unraveled was enjoyable and fun to read. I like Julie and her desire to do the right thing. I like her heart for other people. And I like the time period and wish I remembered more of it back when I grew up in the 70s.
February 16, 2025
Unlike many of the AG Mysteries, this was completely transparent from the beginning and was not reliant on a real "mystery," other than to Julie herself. However: that made it feel very like a lot of children's books from the 1970s, so I actually really liked that this was just a coming of age story in a mystery hat.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews