The Bootlegger’s Secret

Michael Springer
Outskirts Press (2010)
ISBN 9781432757922
Reviewed by Leslie Granier for Reader Views (10/10)

 

Out of school for the summer, Mark Penn and Swede Larson are having the time of their lives - riding bicycles, playing baseball, and hanging out in their secret treehouse. One day they stumble upon a submerged vehicle and naturally decide to do some exploring.  In the car they discover an unusual cigarette case which contains cigarettes and a picture of a gorgeous woman.  However, there also happens to be a decaying corpse in the car.  They take the case and decide not to tell their parents or the police about their findings, having absolutely no idea into how much danger they are putting themselves.  Soon enough, they are linked to the cigarette case and are being watched not only by the police but also by gangsters who want the case because it contains important papers they want to recover.

Set in Minnesota in 1941, “The Bootlegger’s Secret” focuses not only on Mark and Swede’s adventures, but also on the difficulties they face as boys approaching their teenage years.  Mark seems to feel left out of a lot of things his family does, but he does not see that it is he who prefers to abandon them to be with his friend.  He is also at that awkward stage - experiencing his “first love” with a neighbor who has moved to another town but still doing so many immature things as if he is not ready to grow up.  Swede also has family problems.  Living with an alcoholic father and a mother who suffers from severe depression, Swede is often forced to fend for himself.  Swede is not particularly liked by other kids or their parents, but Mark sees him for who he is - a kid dealt a bad hand in life - one who deserves some compassion. 

The Bootlegger’s Secret”is appropriate for people age twelve-years and older.  Younger children (age nine to eleven) would probably enjoy the story, but there are some adult situations they are probably not ready to encounter.  Normally, I do not care for stories set this many years in the past, but the author did not put too much emphasis on the times.  I did like how the simpler days with tight-knit communities were portrayed.

“The Bootlegger's Secret” tells a good story and has a few unexpected twists.  It is definitely worth reading.

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