Review

Eleanor Jones is back!

During school community service visits at the Cooinda Retirement Village, Eleanor’s designated old person, Nance, tells her of a terrible murder that she saw and has to keep a secret. There was so much blood – blood everywhere. And she mentions names: Laura Laprete and Victor Sharp.

Eleanor is intrigued and immediately starts investigating. But it was so long ago, and Nance has dementia. Is she a reliable witness? Eleanor gets some help from library volunteers, including uni student Jem, who is intensely interested in Eleanor in a way that’s flattering, but uncomfortable.

Her friends, meanwhile, have their hands full. Detective Sergeant Holly is investigating a string of aggravated burglaries at isolated farmhouses. Namita is captaining the soccer team and tutoring Ethan, who’s working towards a uni scholarship. Alfie’s a lead in the school play. And Troy’s ex-girlfriend, Ruby, is back in town. Eleanor does not like that at all. But she and Troy are just friends, right…?

As she tracks down leads and visits old houses looking for evidence from the past, Eleanor uncovers all sorts of secrets. Dangerous ones.

*

The second EJ book is a good suspense read, albeit dealing with darker, more realistic themes and situations than the first one, as well as Eleanor’s growing dissatisfaction with her unconventional home life. In the middle of the narrative, I began to feel that it was perhaps focusing too much on Eleanor’s jealousy of Ruby, who was thinly characterised as extremely beautiful and popular, but mean. Also, when every other character and the reader know Troy’s opinions, this begins to make Eleanor appear quite poorly informed.

However, it really starts to pick up a bit past halfway, when the plot threads start pulling together, the action heats up, and the twists start twisting. True, I did predict some of the twists, but there were a couple of times when I was taken by surprise. And the ending was lovely. The book also has important messages about consent, speaking up for yourself, and the importance of having loving friends and family. (And a shout out for Amy Doak’s obvious love of libraries!)

An engaging PG read for years 7-12 fans of the first book, but be aware of its darker themes.

> Click here for content warnings (potential minor spoilers)

smoking (by an old person); dementia; murder; abusive relationships; a forced kiss and perilous situations with implied fears of sexual assault; other perilous situations; men preying on underage girls

*

Doak, A. (2024). Eleanor Jones can’t keep a secret. Penguin. https://www.penguin.com.au/books/eleanor-jones-cant-keep-a-secret-9781761342424

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