The Secret of the Summer Sweetheart

Book excerpt: "Nancy Drew meets The X-Files in this fun, nostalgic, and gripping whodunnit."It's 1959 and school is out for the summer. When Mary-Sue overhears reports of a monster lurking around her small seaside town, she sees the perfect opportunity to go from under-appreciated sidekick to full-time partner in The Britannica Junior Detectives--that is, if romance doesn't get in the way first. Danny Britannica is Mary-Sue's best friend and founder of the amateur sleuthing duo. While she's a bit of a social outcast, always absorbed in her science-fiction pulp magazines, he's the valedictorian, prom king, captain of the football squad, and the most eligible bachelor in town. He's also just developed a very time-consuming crush on a mysterious beatnik girl who claims that the world is about to end. Frustrated with his dismissive and distracted attitude toward her case, Mary-Sue sets out into the swamp to stubbornly solve the mystery herself. There she meets a handsome, motorcycle-riding greaser who claims that there's a government conspiracy afoot--that what she's searching for isn't a monster at all; it's an alien, and he can take her to its flying saucer. This charming, exciting, and romantic love-letter to classic amateur detectives stories is a twist-filled mystery with lots of quirky small-town characters and a touch of romance. Readers rave: "There's lots of humor, there's drama, some social commentary, and of course a big helping of mystery and suspense that keeps you turning those pages. The writing is rich and strikes the perfect tone, never taking itself too seriously, while still treating the characters as real." - Amazon Review "Gallagher updates the teenage detective trope with fully realized characters who are allowed to err, learn, and grow." - Amazon Review "A clever thriller reminiscent of a Nancy Drew mystery type of book." - Amazon Review "Engaging plot with relatable characters in a throw-back setting. I read it and loved it. So did my 12 year old daughter!" - Amazon Review This cozy, humorous, and empowering mystery is the perfect rainy-day read.