title: The Mystery of the Old Purse
author:  Richard Read 
description: <span>Review on Kids' BookBuzz (by Hannah, Age 8)</span><br /> <span>Calista and Skyler are likable characters and seem to me to be pretty typical kids, except for the fact they go into Creepy Hollow with Calista's older sister and a friend, who are teenagers.<span> </span>You can understand what the characters are doing, and why they do the things that they do.<span> </span>They usually make pretty good decisions, but make a few bad ones as well, so they are not perfect.<span> </span>Mr. Read admits the first chapter does not exactly relate to the rest of the story, but that he uses it to introduce the characters.<span></span></span><br /><br />Judge, 23rd Annual Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Awards: This y.a. novel targets the ideal audience for this type of story written in the classic Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys children's mystery style. Writing is competent with quite a bit of emphasis on helping children learn new words and increase their vocabulary. Both parents and teachers will appreciate that there are definitions of words the reader may not know. Although the book gets off to a slow start, the pacing picks up after the first few chapters. An enjoyable book that I would recommend to parents of middle-grade readers.
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  RECKLESS
  
  
  
  
  
  (PREQUEL)
  
  
  
  
  
  BY VI CARTER
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Other Books by VI CARTER
  
  
  
  
  
  A BROKEN HEART SERIES
  
  
  SAVING GRACE
  
  
  CLAIMING AMBER
  
  
  TAKING LAURA
  
  
  
  
  
  WILD IRISH SERIES
  
  
  RECKLESS (PREQUEL)
  
  
  VICIOUS #1
  
  
  RUTHLESS #2
  
  
  FEARLESS #3
  
  
  MERCILESS #4
  
  
  HEARTLESS #5
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter One
  
  
  Michael O’Reagan
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hand over the bag you little shit.”
  
  
  The rough material embeds itself into my hand as I clench my fist around the
  sack. It wasn’t just a sack; it was full of Malone’s money. He trusted me
  every night to pick it up from behind Duff’s gate and deliver it to Chambers
  pub. To go to him without the sack, would simply mean … death. Handing it over
  wasn’t an option.
  
  
  The moon glints off the sharp edges of the man’s face who moves closer to me.
  The tweed jacket he’s wearing is two sizes too big.
  
  
  “You know whose money this is?” I ask pushing down my fear. But it seems to
  have lodged itself in my throat. I was scrawny for a fourteen-year-old, but I
  was loyal and