First published 2011
Abilene Tucker stares out at the dusty countryside as the train rocks her toward Manifest, Kansas. Her father has sent her to spend the summer with his old friend while he works on the railroad. She carries only a few belongings and her list of universals. Abilene hopes to discover who her father was as a boy in this town he once described as having a rich past and bright future. Instead she finds a worn out place that disappoints her. Then Abilene uncovers a hidden cigar box filled with old letters mentioning a spy called the Rattler. She teams up with new friends Lettie and Ruthanne to hunt for this mysterious figure, ignoring warnings to leave well enough alone. Her search leads her down the Path to Perdition to visit Miss Sadie, a reclusive diviner who tells stories from Manifest's past. The town's history reveals colorful characters and buried secrets. As Abilene learns more about what her father did here, she begins creating her own place in Manifest's continuing story.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, coming-of-age, mystery, young-adult, family-drama
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Kansas, Manifest
Period: 20th-century
384 pages · Library Binding · Turtleback Books