I looked at the reviews, which was probably a mistake, before I started writing this review. I enjoyed this book, though I figured out one of the central mysteries pretty quickly. I think that's a choice that the author made, to make it kind of obvious, but that's alright, as it made the interlocking stories no less engaging. Plus, it is for middle grades. There's a loneliness and longing to Abilene that makes you root for her, and you want to see her story through. The climax of the book, in the courtroom, is extremely satisfying.