So often when I think of historical fiction I think of the
Civil War, World War II, and the Great Depression. And while historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, I
am always on the lookout for books that highlight lesser-known, yet equally
fascinating time periods of the past. The Spy Catchers of Maple Hill by
Megan Frazer Blakemore does just that. The novel captures the Cold War between
the United States and Russia, which fueled the “McCarthy Era”, a time between
the late 1940s and early 1950s when Senator Joe McCarthy made it his mission to
hunt down “spies” based largely on unsubstantial rumors and innuendo. Unfortunately these investigations spread
fear and distrust, turning neighbor against neighbor, leaving many to wonder
what they could believe in and whom they could trust.
“Hazel Kaplansky, star
student, holder of knowledge, solver of mysteries, and future double agent”
lives in the quaint town of Maple Hill, Vermont in 1953. It’s a quiet little town, but Hazel is determined
to keep her family safe in case of an enemy attack. She starts by preparing a fallout shelter (in the cemetery
her family runs), and then discovers “evidence” that leads her to believe spies
have infiltrated her small town.
When she reads that McCarthy investigators have arrived to interview
workers at the factory in her town, she is even more convinced. But whom can she trust to help
her? Her best friend recently
moved. The new boy in town, Samuel
Butler, might be a possibility, but he has some serious secrets of his own.
Hazel learns important lessons, both through her investigations,
the spy investigations at the plant, and her friendship with Samuel:
“Sometimes we want to
believe in something so badly, we see what we want to see instead of what’s
there. Then again, maybe if we believe
in something enough, maybe it is real.”
And while these lessons may have opened her eyes to new realities,
it is clear that Hazel will continue on, solving mysteries in Maple Hill and
beyond.
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