The Pearl Thief

The Pearl Thief

By Elizabeth Wein

Hyperion, 2017.325  pgs. Young Adult Fiction

In this prequel to Code Name Verity, Elizabeth Wein writes an intriguing mystery, introduces us to Scottish river pearls, acquaints us with Scottish “travellers” and the deep-seated prejudices against them, and to top it off – we get to know the spunky and intelligent Julia who is a main character in Code Name Verity. Arriving at her grandparent’s recently sold Scottish estate she takes a walk along the river.  She settles on a warm rock to rest and the last thing she remembers is an explosion of pain in her head. When she wakes up she is in a hospital bed two days later.

The novel has a cast full of interesting characters and a quirky heroine.  A bit of Scottish accent and “traveler” dialect challenge the readers’ comprehension once in a while but but try reading those parts out loud. Who doesn’t love the sound of a Scottish brogue!

 SH