It's 2009 and Tony DiMarco has moved into a new home, a house at 13 Hangman Court, that is literally falling apart from age. He is 13 and he lives in the attic. It seems that he shares the attic with other 13 year olds - all alive, but living in their own time in history. Together they solve a mystery, find a treasure and catch a murderer.

Art Corriveau has constructed a marvelous tale in this junior fiction book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. And I learned a bit of history at the same time...I had never heard of The 1919 Great Molasses Flood in Boston and was amazed to find that it was a real event. The ballplayer Ted Williams plays a part in the book, as does John F. "Honey" Fitzgerald (JFK's grandfather), Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison, and Paul Revere. A nice addition at the end is a summary of things in the book that actually happened.

The fabric of history is carefully woven into the story, each of the boys providing his part, like pieces of a puzzle, so that at the end, just in the nick of time.... ( )

I received this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

13 Hangmen kept me up late at night reading about Tony and his four new friends, all working to solve the mystery of 13 Hangmen's Court. Tony, a mystery lover, explores the house and town in search of clues. He meets Sarah Pickles working at Ye Olde Curiosity Shop in town; she's around his age and proves to be a helpful ally. Tony struggles with his suspicious neighbor, Mr. Hagmann, as well as with his own weight and confidence. With the help of his friends, he solves the mystery and proves to be more of a leader than he ever thought he could be.

I loved the idea that six teenagers from different periods in history could communicate with each other across time. The explanation behind this was very interesting, but very intricate and very scientific as well. I wondered as I read if perhaps it might be a little over some middle grade readers’ heads. I think it would be perfect for readers with a strong interest and knowledge base in math or physics, or Native American spiritualism. But otherwise, it may be a lot to take in and pretty hard to comprehend. It was for me, anyway.

Tony made quite a few big steps over the course of the book. The struggle with his weight is something readers could easily relate to, especially with the pressure from his family. Luckily, he has the support of new friends and the dedication to follow the new ways of eating and exercising that he learns. He comes across as a little unsure of himself at the beginning of the book, but as he makes friends and follows clues, his confidence grows. By the time the mystery of 13 Hangmen's Court is solved, Tony is finally able to recognize his own ability to be a strong, loyal leader.

Corriveau's writing had a quirk to it when he needed to insert a backstory that I found a little distracting. In the midst of a pretty solid narrative style with good dialogue and nice descriptions, Corriveau would introduce a backstory with a sentence to the effect of "Here's what happened: ... " What followed read more like his own notes for what he would eventually flesh out into a finished version; it was written with a matter-of-fact tone and simple, sometimes choppy sentences, a distinct contrast from the rest of his writing.

Even though there were a few aspects of 13 Hangmen that I didn't love, I enjoyed unraveling the mystery with Tony and the others. I can definitely see this being a favorite book for lots of middle grade readers, especially mystery lovers and history lovers. It's one of those books that could be read again and again; I'd like to read it again myself to see what clues I missed or misinterpreted the first time around.

Full review originally posted on my blog, PidginPea's Book Nook. ( )

Great Fun, Interesting Premise

In 13 Hangman, Tony is approaching his thirteenth birthday when his parents receive the news that Tony inherited his uncle's house in Boston. Though Zio Anthony visited the family at Thanksgiving, they have never been close, but the will stipulates that the family must to move to Boston and Tony has to live in the attic bedroom. Since Tonys twin brother drive him crazy, he is thrilled with the promise of his own room. However, when they arrive, immidiately problems pop up beginning with the next-door neighbor accusing Tony's dad, Michael, of murdering Zio Anthony. When long dead thirteen year olds begin showing up in Tony's bedroom, it only takes him a little while to to begin putting the mystery together, and save his family.

This book is well thought out, amazingly linked to history, and just great fun to read. The main character is a chunky nerd constantly on the receiving end of his brothers' ridicule. Like many kids today, he lives more in the virtual word, than the real world, but the move pushes him to make decisions and choices that he wouldn't have otherwise made, giving him power that all preteens yearn for and can relate to. The connections to history add depth for the history buff and might hook some others. This is an excellent addition to the middle school crowd that doesn't include vampires or witches. It could even be used as part of a lesson to research the fiction/non-fiction elements of the story.

Received Galley from NetGalley.com ( )