When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead is a thrilling read for anyone who enjoys mystery and suspense. The setting is New York’s West Side during the 1970s. Filled with plot twists, each chapter is guaranteed to keep you interested with every page. Despite all this, it is still easy to follow along with the storyline and is engaging.
The twelve-year-old protagonist, Miranda Sinclair, faces the enigma of a series of disturbing notes that warn of her friend’s death as well as the writer of the notes’ death. However, during her stay in New York, Miranda’s mother receives a letter for a game show called the “$20,000 Pyramid”. When their financial strain makes the chance enticing, Miranda’s mother agrees to the deal and begins to prepare for the show with her boyfriend, Richard.
As the novel advances, new events appear alongside various perplexing notes around Miranda, where she is given a new task or warning for each. Although the challenge of deciphering what they mean arises, Miranda fights to make sense of them, piecing together the clues. But she’s worried about whether the letters are as severe as they are said to be or if this is a prank from someone close to her.
The flawless implementation of the secrecy of the notes constructs a heavy tension between the characters, including Miranda and herself, making it an excellent read for all ages! Every chapter brings a thought-provoking addition to unraveling the climax when Miranda finally cracks the meaning behind the notes.
I find this book compelling, and it remains one of my favorite books four years since I first read it. Since then, I have read many other novels compared to this book and felt that this was one of the top mystery books in that collection. Overall, this novel is exceptional for young and older audiences seeking out a read that will surely keep you on the edge of your seat!