From the New York Times bestselling author of Whistling in the Dark comes an unforgettable novel that illuminates the sweet and brittle bonds of family, the tenderness of growing up, the heartbreak of longing for what weve lost, and the poignancy of finding love.FACT Unbeknownst to eleven-year-old Theresa Tessie Finley, shes in over her head.PROOF After hearing a scream and catching a glimpse of a mysterious man carrying a body beneath the flickering streetlights in the cemetery behind her house, Tessie adds solving a murder case to her already quite full to-do list.Tessie has elected herself president of the crime-stopping Mutual Admiration Societyas if dealing with her sad madness over the tragic drowning of her beloved father showering tender loving care on her sweet but weird younger sister, Birdie and staying on the good side of their hard-edged mother werent enough. With partner in crime Charlie Cue Ball Garfield, Tessie and Birdie will need to dodge the gossips in their 1950s blue-collar neighborhoodparticularly their evil next-door neighbor, Gert Klement, whod like nothing better than to send the sisters to homes. And, of course, theres the problem of steering clear of the kidnapping murderer if they have any hope of solving the mystery of all mysteries the mystery of life.A rich and charming tour de force, The Mutual Admiration Society showcases Lesley Kagens marvelous storytelling talents. Laced with heartwarming humor and heartbreaking grief, this novel is nothing short of magical.
