This book was an interesting read to say the least. At the beginning of the book I had no idea what a "secret pawnbroker" was. And, to be honest, most of the way through the book I still didn't know. This book keeps you going until the end because you just have to find out what's going on. I enjoyed this quick read. It's geared towards middle school kids I would say.
Higgins does a great job with his character and plot development. The only criticism I would have is that there were a few parts where villagers were telling their secrets that got a bit repetitive. The secrets were all different, but the way the book read was repetitive, if that makes any sense. There were a few twists and turns that I was not expecting, which made for a good read.
If you are looking for a quick read to pass a weekend and you are into middle grade literature then this would be a good book for you to pick up. I believe it is part of a series as well so I'm sure I will end up reading the other books in the series.
Overall Rating: 4/5