Paris Secrets

by Sean Vogel

Overview

HOW DO A BAKING CONTEST AND A MISSION FROM WORLD WAR II COMBINE? WITH A WHISK . . . AND SOME RISK! This third book in the series finds Jake and his best friend, Ben Meyers, as partners in a televised baking contest at the famed Le Cordon Bleu cooking school in Paris during spring break. In their spare time, they are determined to search for answers regarding a 1940 photograph found among the belongings of Jake's late mother. Who is this family? Are they related to Jake? And what does the cryptic note that is written on the back mean? Following the clues and making new friends along the way, Jake and Ben begin the adventure of a lifetime, one that forever changes their view of the world and their place in it.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780999446331
Publisher:	MB Publishing, LLC
Publication date:	06/15/2021
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	168
File size:	4 MB
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

Editorial Reviews

2021-05-04
In this YA novel, best friends collaborate in a Parisian baking contest while they track down the story behind a family photograph.

Book 1 of this series saw Jake McGreevy going on a treasure hunt in Ireland. In the sequel, Jake teamed up with friends to investigate his mother’s death and a missing masterpiece. Now, it’s spring break 2013, and Jake and his best friend, Ben Meyers, both 15, are flying to Paris to participate in an international televised baking contest for teenagers at Le Cordon Bleu cooking school. They also hope to research an old photo likely taken in Paris that belonged to Jake’s mother. The search leads them to Esther Shneyer, a sister of Jake’s late grandmother. Esther tells them the family was separated during the Holocaust. Esther’s mother, Dahlia, sent her three girls to safety while she remained behind to hide the treasured possessions of families that had fled or been deported. The photo includes a clue to the hiding place, so the boys hope to discover the heirlooms’ whereabouts in between competitions. They gain some allies, including Esther’s granddaughter Sophie Lévy and Heather Baker, a fellow contestant, but face opposition from suspicious gendarmes. Will the boys’ ingenuity—as bakers or detectives—pay off? In his third series installment, Vogel offers several strong hooks. The story’s tragic historical background is dramatic and includes tales of inspiring heroism while also shedding new light on Jake’s complicated family, a throughline in the series. “I thought I was just Irish, and now I might be French and Jewish, too,” he muses. Suspenseful action scenes take readers through the sights of Paris while the baking contest is lighthearted fun, with mouthwatering descriptions of treats and some slapstick (Jake always manages to spill something on Heather).

An entertaining adventure that blends several tantalizing ingredients.

Kirkus Reviews