Blood Secret by Kathryn Lasky

Fourteen-year-old Jerry Luna, mute since her mother's disappearance, is sent to her great-great aunt Constanza's house, where she discovers a trunk that draws her into the world of her ancestors during the Spanish Inquisition.



This story had so many things going for it: the setting, the wonderful old aunt, Jerry with all her problems...but the whole trunk thing seemed contrived and the story strugged to fit it in. This is close to being a good book--but just not quite there.

Rating: 7 of 10.