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From School Library Journal

June 1, 2008
Gr 4-6-This delightful mystery (Little, Brown, 2007) by Pseudonymous Bosch is about a secret that can't be revealed. In fact, the narrator takes great pains not to reveal too much information throughout the book, even telling the audience to "forget everything as soon as I tell it." As the story unfolds, Cassandra (not her real name!) has come upon a puzzling box of "smells" and a message from a dead magician. Cassandra and Max-Ernest (not his real name either) embark on an exciting adventure that involves a strange notebook written in secret code, a magician who has inexplicably disappeared, and a "golden lady" who seems to be ageless and will do whatever she can to stay that way. David Pittu does a wonderful job of voicing the quirky narrator and gives each character a distinct and appropriate voice. This enjoyable tale will appeal to mystery fans who relish cracking riddles and solving puzzles."Amy Joslyn, Fairport Public Library, NY"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

From School Library Journal

January 1, 2008
Gr 4-6-The pseudonymous author of this droll mystery insists that he cannot disclose the real names of its characters, or where they really live. The book is about a secret that cannot, under any circumstances, be revealed, so the author gives the story's fictional heroine and hero, two eccentric 11-year-olds, false names (think about that for a moment): Cassandra and Max-Ernest. Cass always expects disaster and carries a backpack filled with survival equipment; Max-Ernest tells jokes that nobody finds funny. They team up after discovering a secret message from a deceased magician in a box of his things delivered to Cass's substitute grandfathers' antiques shop. To learn more, they must break into the magician's house, where they find a hidden room, and, in it, his journal. They also run into a mysterious man and woman who are looking for the notebook, but Cass and Max-Ernest grab it and flee. They learn that their pursuers appear to have kidnapped several children in the past. Cass sees them kidnapping one of her classmates, but nobody believes her. Full-page illustrations incorporate chapter headings. "Secret" seems to want to be a blend of Lemony Snicket's books in their tendency to warn readers, Ellen Raskin's "The Westing Game" (Puffin, 1997) puzzles, and the oddly matched detectives of Blue Balliett's "Chasing Vermeer" (Scholastic, 2004). The author tries to make the mixture funny and mystifying, only partially succeeding."Walter Minkel, New York Public Library"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

From Publisher's Weekly

September 10, 2007
Blending the offbeat humor of Lemony Snicket and insight into the preadolescent psyche à la Jerry Spinelli with the captivating conundrums of Blue Balliett, the debut novel from a pseudonymous author is equal parts supernatural whodunit, suspense-filled adventure and evocative coming-of-age tale. When an unlikely pair of 11-year-old outsiders—survivalist Cassandra and aspiring stand-up comedian Max-Ernest—team up to solve a mystery surrounding the alleged death of an old magician and the strange and wondrous possessions he left behind, they unwittingly cross paths with the villainous Dr. L and his ageless accomplice Ms. Mauvais, who are obsessed with finding the magician's notebook. After the diabolical duo shows up at Cass and Max-Ernest's school, one of their classmates (a gifted artist named Benjamin) goes missing. Convinced that Benjamin has been kidnapped and faces mortal danger, Cass and Max-Ernest track the doctor and his glove-wearing sidekick to an exclusive and remote “sensorium” cum spa, where they uncover an arcane, alchemical, potentially apocalyptic bombshell. Relayed by an often witty, sometimes arch narrator, and loaded with brainteasers—anagrams, coded messages, palindromes and more—as well as such bounty as a brief and idiosyncratic history of Benito Mussolini, the definition of synesthesia and how Earl Grey tea got its name, Bosch's deliberately eccentric offering is likely to acquire a cult following. Ages 8-12.

From Booklist

July 1, 2007
In enormous lettering the first page warns: Do not read beyond this page! The reason? The book contains a secret so nefarious as tobe dangerous even to innocent page-turners daring enough to venture forth. The first few chapters present a tricky little exercise in metafiction in which the story about a secret is revealed as being itself too secret to tell, a ploy sure to tickle more puzzlesome readers. But then the intrusive narrator, who is equal parts snarky and delightful, strikes a deal and deigns to tell the story with fake names in Your Hometown, as long as you agree to forget everything you read as soon as you read it. Then follows a not terribly shocking story wherein two intrepid kids uncover a mysterious society bent on immortality, which gets them in and out of all manner of trouble. While some may be disappointed that there is no mind-bending secret at the bottom of it all as promised, most junior Da Vinci Coders will likely be having too much fun to notice.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)

From AudioFile Magazine

This audio begins, proceeds, and ends with an intrusive narrator who delays the story, delivers misinformation, and tries to manipulate listeners. David Pittu minimizes the annoyance factor and maximizes a story made exciting by mysteries and puzzles. Even though the narrator refuses to name the characters, we get to know the incessantly talking Max-Ernest through Pittu's speedy speech, as well as the timid heroine, Cass, who tries to quell her fears as she faces scary situations. But the showstoppers are the villains, Dr. L. and Ms. Mauvais, who seek endless youth. Pittu gives them dark, evil voices tinged with a mysterious Eastern-European accent. While the snarky first-person narrator tries to distract listeners, it's these characters who captivate. S.W. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine