The Amazing Adventures of Aaron Broom: A Novel

by A.E. Hotchner

A heartwarming amateur detective story set in Depression-Era St. Louis from beloved author A.E. Hotchner.

Street-savvy, almost-thirteen-year-old Aaron Broom is parking his father's car when he witnesses a robbery gone wrong in a jewlery store across the street. To Aaron's shock his father, a travelling watch salesman in the wrong place at the wrong time, is fingered as the prime suspect in the murder. Despite seeing the real killer flee the scene, Aaron can't do much to help in the moment--no one will take a kid's word for it. Undaunted, Aaron enlists an unlikely band of friends and helpful adults to clear his father's name.
Aaron's unusual mission is complicated by the painful realities of the Depression: his father's longtime business folded, leaving the family in financial straits; his mother is in a sanatorium after a near-death experience with tuberculosis. So Aaron is forced to fend for himself while his father is held in wrongful custody: he ducks truant officers and nosy neighbors, landlords and social workers, and he bumms meals from friends and relatives alike.
In his ersatz search for justice, Aaron draws upon the resources of a world-weary paperboy, an aspiring teen journalist, a kindly lawyer, and neighborhood friend with a penchant for baking. And as they dig into the details of the case, these unconventional detectives reveal a cover-up that goes much deeper than a jewelry-store heist gone sour. Through it all, Aaron's optimistic narration and plucky resourcefulness shine through. Hotchner's latest is a rollicking ride through St. Louis at its lowest, as seen through the eyes of his most lovable narrator to date.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Mystery, Young Adult, Book Club, Novels, Adult Fiction

240 pages, Hardcover

First published July 10, 2018

About the author

Aaron Edward Hotchner was an American editor, novelist, playwright, and biographer. He wrote many television screenplays as well as a biography of Ernest Hemingway. He co-founded with Paul Newman the charity food company Newman's Own.

Reviews

[Bam cooks the books · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.5 stars rounded up. I would rank this heart-warming story as YA, suitable for ages twelve and up. Set in St Louis, Missouri during the Great Depression (probably 1933--the year when Prohibition was overturned by FDR), the story is told in first-person narrative by 12-year-old Aaron Broom. He is in a very difficult situation: his mother is in a sanitarium for treatment of consumption and now his father has been arrested and is being held in jail as a material witness in connection with a jewelry store heist where a clerk was killed. To make matters worse, Aaron has been locked out of their apartment and is being sought by a mean lady from Family Services.

What can a poor kid do to prove his father innocent? Start asking questions,'detectifying' in Aaron's own words, and figure out who was the killer. Aaron is truly a good kid, smart, resourceful, thoughtful and brave. If anyone can figure this out, he can.

Each chapter is labelled a 'Happening' in Aaron's amazing adventures. This is a quick, fun read with an interesting setting and likable characters. Whenever there's a protagonist of about this age, there's always that feeling that they are smart but not experienced enough to know how the world really works.

I received an arc of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley for my honest review. Many thanks!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a wonderful read. Set during the depression, The Amazing Adventures of Aaron Broom follows a young boy whose family has been hit hard. His mother is in a sanitarium suffering from consumption and his father has been held over in jail as a material witness to murder. With his apartment shuttered by the authorities and child services at his heels, the young Aaron Broom sets out to "detectify" the identity of the killer and free his father.
A precocious boy, he refers to the heroes of his favorite mystery books (Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple and Inspector Poirot) to solve the mystery. Aaron Broom is a delightful character -- thoughtful, selfless, dependable, honest to the core, a true friend -- he is what we wish all of our children to be.

[♥ Sandi ❣ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

A quick quirky young adult novel that takes place in St Louis during the depression. Our protagonist is Aaron, a 12 year old who ends up on his own, trying to avert child services, while also trying to get his father released from jail, for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

International best selling author A. E. Hotchner has created a wonderful story. The character of Aaron has been developed very well and becomes one that you are empathetic to and you continually pull for, hoping to see him shine. By suspending reality and just letting the story guide you this becomes a charming little fable, one that you root for the good guys and enjoy seeing the bad guys fall.

[Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading about Aaron and his adventures trying to clear his father’s name. He was resourceful and the plot moved quickly. This is a great book to read when you don’t want to read about heavy things. Aaron is very optimistic and though his life is far from ideal he looks on the bright side of everything and see the good in everyone. Sometimes to the point that his words didn’t always seem to be coming from someone twelve years old but much older.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

A wonderful heart warming story about a 12 year old boy, Aaron, during the Depression. He and his family have been having a hard time. His mother is ill and in a sanitarium and he and his father are living a very rough life. They keep an eye on the car so it's not repossessed and move apartments every few months taking advantage of free rent offers and then sneaking out when the offer expires.

His father gets a job selling watches Bulova watches and makes a call on a jewelry store while Aaron sits in the car so it can't be repossessed. A man follows hid Dad in the store and there is a sound of shots ringing out. A man runs out and his father is arrested for robbery and murder.

The story revolves around Aaron trying to get his dad out of jail, finding the real killer and mostly surviving. He can't get back into his apartment as the police have locked it up. He ends up sleeping in a hammock in a park and scrounging for food. He meets some wonderful people who are genuinely kind to him. It also shows that often people who have the least are the most generous.

I would say this is a YA book and it would be great to give them a little history on the Depression and how bad it really was. I still have my parents stories about the time ringing in my ears but my grandkids don't have that so this would be a wonderful way to learn something. It's also a great reminder to be kind to people me meet. It was really an uplifting story that I enjoyed.

Thanks to Net Galley and Doubleday for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodreads drawing.

During the depression, a kid's father is mistakenly arrested for taking part in a jewel robbery. The kid has to go it alone, and try to get his father out of jail. He has a lot of adventures and manages to eke out a living in the big city.

Pretty good.

[Nic · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I read the blurb for The Amazing Adventures of Aaron Broom, in my mind, I pictured The Sandlot if you just replaced baseball with a crime-solving caper. I wasn’t too far off the mark. The book certainly has an entertaining cast of characters from the wonderful Vernon who makes gourmet meals on a “beat-up smoky stove” to Augie, a newspaper selling kid who befriends Aaron and goes above and beyond in helping him solve the mystery of what really happened inside the jewelry store.

There’s an innocence to Aaron and to many of the characters that is a throwback to long-gone simpler times. Despite The Depression and the terrible situation that Aaron’s father and mother are in, Aaron never loses his spirit, his faith, or his soul. He finds complete strangers along the way who are willing to help him without any selfishness or expectation of getting something in return. The book has a beautiful nostalgia for a way a life and a sense of community that have been lost in modern times.

While adults will appreciate the way Hotchner captures the era of The Great Depression, I think it is teenagers who will really enjoy this crime solving caper.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Old school storytelling at its best. A heartwarming tale of a thirteen year old trying to free his father from jail during the depression. Authentic historical detail adds to the charm of this story. Perfect for the holidays.

[Rhonda Lomazow · Rating 4 out of 5]

A novel set in the depression era a young boy Aaron who takes on the role of an amateur detective.This is so atmospheric drew me right in back to a time and place an era we read about in history books.highly recommend,

[Kerry Clair · Rating 3 out of 5]

Silly little tale that really didn’t suit my taste but I can’t deny it was charming and extremely well written.

[Gaele · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick and enjoyable read, told from the perspective of twelve (near thirteen) year old Aaron Broom. He’s a big fan of mystery stories, and frequently refers to his heroes of Holmes, Poirot and Miss Marple, as his story progresses through an admittedly darker and more trying period. Aaron’s father’s business, like many in the time, has folded, and money is tight. Perhaps things could work out, but his mother is in a sanatorium for tubercular patients, and his father is currently being held as a material witness to a jewelry store heist and murder. Unfortunately, Aaron’s father WAS in the store, hoping to offload some watches and get some money for things like rent, food and life. He was unlucky enough to be shadowed into the store by the real culprit, but the police think it’s probable he was involved.

This leaves our protagonist in a pickle. The apartment is unavailable to him with his father in jail, there are people from child services looking to find him and put him in care, and he’s feeling responsible to keep the family’s car hidden from the repossession agents. All at twelve. Fortunately, aside from his determination and a clear way of sorting through information, he’s also got friends willing to help him “detectify”, and even with the scarcity of everything, and the grey cloud of the depression looming over everyone, the ability of Aaron to focus, keep moving and stay mostly positive in the face of overwhelming odds and with a bit of help from his friends is lovely.

Perfect for middle grade readers, to give a sense of Aaron and his friends, the unique problem-solving thought process and the moments where the realities of Depression-Era St. Louis feel both honest and intriguing, when seen from this perspective. It’s not a twisty-turny case, and there are some clues that fairly drop into his hands, but Aaron carefully sorts the pieces to find his answer, and gives a clever, if quick to read, story along the way.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at I am, Indeed

[MaryCatherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful book that reminded me of the sort of stories published in Boy’s Life, decades ago. As well as portraying a quick-thinking, down-but-not-defeated thirteen-year-old boy in the Huckleberry-Finn and Tom Sawyer tradition, the author wrote a riveting yarn with a mystery to be solved, friendships, kindness, and survival during the Great Depression in St. Louis, Missouri. The book is appropriate for YA readers, but this septuagenarian thoroughly enjoyed it. For a snapshot of this historical period, the book does a good job of presenting many devastating personal effects of the economic crash, as well as the hope represented by FDR’s new administration and the enactment of the New Deal. The contemporary polio and tuberculosis epidemics also figure into the story. I would recommend it to anyone who might enjoy a short and entertaining book about hard times that is also well-written and enjoyable. I would also recommend it to any young reader as a great yarn and an excellent peek into history. A thoughtful reader will make connections to our present time of homelessness, unemployment, and a need for hope.

[Dgordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aaron Broom is trying to survive the Depression when his father is arrested for being involved in a murder and jewelry store robbery. Aaron uses all his smarts and optimism to free his father, along with the help of old friends and new. A charming, heartwarming story that will melt your heart.

[Denise Westlake · Rating 2 out of 5]

Depression era, St. Louis. Good boy doing good things. Sappy. Almost fake "feel good". A lot of hype for not much. Meh.

[Lori L (She Treads Softly) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Amazing Adventures of Aaron Broom by A. E. Hotchner is a charming depression era story set in St. Louis featuring a young protagonist. It is very highly recommended

Twelve-year-old Aarom Broom (almost thirteen) is guarding his father's car from the repleviners, two guys from the finance company who would repossess the car for non-payment if they see it. His father, Fred, has an appointment at a jewelry store to show them his samples of Bulova watches - and hopefully sell them some. When his father is buzzed into the jewlery store, pulling his large sample case behind him, Aaron sees a fat man follow quickly follow his father into the store. Then he hears shots, a window shatters, and the fat man runs out of the store, tucking a gun into his waistband. The police show up and Aaron's father is soon being handcuffed and detained by the police.

Eavesdropping on the officers, Aaron learns that his father is considered a material witness and possible accomplice. He will be held without bail. Since his mother is currently at a tuberculosis sanitarium, Aaron is on his own. He quickly surmises that he needs to do some "detectifying" and find out the identity of the real robber. First he will find a way to get his father's car moved and hid in a safe place, then he is going to start looking into the jewelry store employees. Aaron wrangles together a group of friends to help him, including the building manager, a newspaper boy, an ex-neighbor girl, and a kind lawyer, all while hiding from the juvenile welfare officer, trying to find his next meal, and a safe place to sleep.

The Amazing Adventures of Aaron Broom is an old-fashioned tale about a self-reliant, determined young man whose clever sleuthing helps him find the answers he needs to free his father. There is a real sense of community and helpfulness that we don't generally see today portrayed in the novel. Are the answers a bit too convenient for Aaron to find? Sure, but Aaron is an appealing, optimistic, and undaunted narrator. Hotchner provides plenty of period details viewed in the matter-of-fact way a twelve-year-old would view them. This is a delightful, fast-paced, old-fashioned detective story that was a sheer delight to read.

(Apparently some of this story was also covered in Hotchner's autobiographical novel, King of the Hill, 1972, which I now have on my wish list.)

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Penguin Random House.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2018/0...

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Detectifying” is what narrator Aaron Broom does in “The Amazing Adventures of Aaron Broom”by A.E. Hotchner. Set during the Great Depression, Aaron and his family are barely scraping by when his father observes a jewelry store heist and is put in prison as a material witness. Since his mother is recuperating from consumption in a sanitarium, 12-year-old Aaron is on his own—locked out of his apartment and nearly penniless, but determined to free his father. Each chapter is a happening (“Happening 1, Happening 2, etc.). Often hungry, he sometimes finds a plate or less. Always, he’s stringing together clues. Danger doesn't intimidate Aaron, whose thinking cap is always put on straight. The ending is never in doubt as Aaron finds allies his own age and adults as well, but arriving is so much fun; if there are too many happy coincidences, they’re just right for a few hours of escape reading. He’s my new favorite kid detective.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twelve year old Aaron Broom is the kind of kid I wanted to be at his age- solving mysteries and selflessly helping others. I loved this homage to St. Louis during the Depression. Aaron’s witty and insightful narration tugged at my heartstrings and made the story come alive for me.

[Florence Primrose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful story of depression days in St. Louis as Aaron’s father is jailed as a material witness and his twelve-year old son, Aaron, “detectifies” to find who is at fault so Mr. Bloom can be freed.

Aaron has many interesting experiences as he is on his own since his mother is in a sanitarium.

[Sofie Hern · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I really enjoyed this book. There were a few lines that made me cringe (being the feminist that I am) but I understand that's the way things were back then. I enjoyed all the references to classic novels and authors.. I thought Aaron Broom was a likable character. I was rooting for him from the beginning. I liked most of the characters he encounters in his adventures but thought the story moved a bit too quickly (I read this in one sitting).

I am a big fan of historical fiction, with stories about the great depression being at the top of my list, which was why I requested this book. This reminded me a bit of one of my favorite books, No Promises in The Wind by Irene Hunt. It touches on the same struggles of the depression as well as kids finding ways to survive in this period.

I am a glutton for punishment and want a book to make me cry! I want to sob and curse and cry some more. Though this book didn't have that effect on me, I think I liked it. It reads like a neat story you could possibly read with your kids,. Maybe.

[Kay Hommedieu · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun book to read, even though it was set during the Great Depression, a terrible time especially for city people that had to rely more on grocery shopping than rural people who usually had large gardens.

There's not much more to say that hasn't been mentioned in other reviews or descriptions. The ending seemed to be tied up pretty quickly. 12/8/2018

Therefore I'm editing the four star rating to three stars because of the simple-mindedness of the plot being tied up without much creativity. 1/7/2019

[Bookreporter.com Historical Fiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Connecting with Augie was a big plus for me, not only was he going to detectify on Mr. Pringle, but his life was pretty much like mine, only difference his mother was dead and his father wasn’t in jail.”

Twelve-year-old Aaron Broom enters the mystery-solving scene with a bang like only a kid can. It all starts with Aaron waiting in his dad’s car, keeping an eye out for the repleviner (repo man, in modern language), while his pop goes into J&J Jewelers for a 3:00 appointment. The elder Broom sells Bulova watches, just not very many these days due to tight money because of the Depression. Broom had it made until the banks closed, and then his family lost every dollar they had except the few that were in their pockets. Making matters even worse, Mrs. Broom took ill and now is stuck in the sanitarium. So Mr. Broom does what he can, which is the reason he was at J&J. But things go horribly wrong that day, and a clerk is shot. The cops come blazing in and take Aaron’s dad out in handcuffs. Meanwhile, the kid is left in the stifling car, watching it all and wondering what to do next.

Fortunately, Aaron picked up some useful survival skills over the months that his family has had to dodge the crafty repleviner, persistent bill collectors and nagging landlords. The boy is mature beyond his years and knows when a thing simply doesn’t feel right. He also knows that he can’t handle this situation by himself. Aaron may be resourceful, but he’s still a child. So he calls on friends, longtime ones he’s held onto and new ones he figures will be helpful --- like Augie, a St. Louis Post Dispatch hawker. Aaron tells everyone the same thing: His dad didn’t shoot that jewelry shop clerk. No way. He didn’t even have a gun.

Okay, so Aaron finally has managed to convince several misfits and street hounds of what really happened. Now, though, how does he get his pop out of jail? Asking questions of everyone he can think of and poking his nose into all sorts of places for the answers really stirs up a hornet’s nest, as the saying goes. There are folks around who want him to mind his own business. But what self-respecting gumshoe --- even a 12-year-old one --- would be scared off by threats? Certainly not Aaron Broom. The kid has spunk. Spunk and some valuable detectifying skills. How he unravels the clues in order to convince the authorities, well, amazes everyone. Crooks included.

THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF AARON BROOM is both a sweet read and a compelling mystery. Just because the sleuth is only 12 doesn’t mean that the solution to whodunit is simple. In this case, it’s anything but. Well, let’s be clear, too: the young detectifyer is almost 13. And for his birthday, what Aaron wants most is to clear his dad, and then get his mom home from the sanitarium. It’s a tall order for one so young. But this kid can handle it. This is great storytelling in a fresh, unique voice.

Reviewed by Kate Ayers

[Pop Bop · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everyone Was Very Nice during the Great Depression - A Fairy Tale

Surrounded by hunger, sickness, death, and despair, it appears that during the Great Depression pretty much everyone could still spare a dime for a needy buddy. Or at least that's the sunny subtext of this odd, but oddly engaging book.

Aaron's Dad happens to be in a jewelry store when it's robbed. He ends up jailed as a material witness. The only way Aaron can get Dad out is to solve the crime so Dad isn't needed as a witness anymore. Can that even happen? Does that even make sense? I don't know, but it's the incident and premise that sets thirteen, (almost), year old Aaron and his downtrodden pals detectivating. And Aaron and his pals are just engaging enough and dryly deadpan and unironically upbeat enough to pull it off.

Everyone is helpful and nice. Everybody is everybody else's pal. All of the parts of an exceptionally complex criminal conspiracy reveal themselves in due time and in clear order. Total strangers drop everything and set aside their own problems to lend a hand.

But this isn't a real mystery book, or an historically accurate drama, or even much of a slice of life kitchen sink tale. It is a fairy tale about a spunky feisty kid and how an ideal community rallies around even under great stress. It's cheery and sunny and upbeat. It has some funny lines, some clever banter, a decent helping of street wisdom, and a street-wise Tom Sawyerish hero. It has a happy ending that practically has bluebirds tweeting over the closing credits.

I guess you could read this in either of two ways. On one hand you could go with the upbeat and cheery vibe and treat it like a light weight old fashioned boys own lark. On the other hand you could read it as a dark send up and bitter mockery, reverse mirror style, of everything that really went on during the Great Depression. (I don't think most pawn brokers came across like generous Santa Clauses.) While I doubt the author intended the latter, the book is written so that you could go either way without a problem, which is probably why I thought it was so interesting.

(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

[Steven Meyers · Rating 2 out of 5]

‘The Amazing Adventures of Aaron Broom’ has the ingredients I find attractive. It is a Depression-era story about a plucky twelve-year-old boy who is dealing with his dad being arrested for witnessing a crime. The theme echoes my happy nostalgic thoughts about discovering Mark Twain’s ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ during the summer when I was a young teenager in the mid-nineteen-seventies. Reading such books, especially around June-through-August months, is always my hope of recapturing some of that boyish enthusiasm of old.

Unfortunately, ‘The Amazing Adventures of Aaron Broom’ did not do it for me. The story wasted no time by having Aaron’s dad arrested within the first few pages. However whatever “amazing adventures” the kid had in the story were anticlimactic. Mr. Hotchner takes pains to mimic Depression-era vernacular, yet, the dialogue felt artificial. The story is seen through the eyes of Aaron Broom. His inquisitive nature is used as a tool to explain many of the social habits of St. Louis citizens down on their luck during harsh economic times. Mr. Hotchner infuses many examples of the time’s conditions such as Hoovervilles, kids hawking newspapers at street corners, speakeasies, bank closures, and a quirky yearly St. Louis tradition of celebrating something called the Veiled Prophet. Despite the Depression setting and a few deaths occurring, Aaron’s young can-do attitude kept the story light. The characters all felt one dimensional which made it impossible for me to care about any of them. The book’s climatic courtroom scene was highly unrealistic.

If you enjoy loads of sappy dialogue and being exposed to Great Depression trivia, you may like Mr. Hotchner’s story. Aaron Broom is such an inhuman goody two shoes throughout the story I wondered if maybe he was one of those pod people from ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers.’ On the plus side, I liked the book’s paperback cover design.

[Nadine Keels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aaron is right outside when a jewelry store robbery goes awry, resulting in murder. Although Aaron sees the real culprit bolt from the scene, Aaron's father is the one the cops come and take to jail. It'll be up to the "detectifying" of an almost-thirteen-year-old boy to prove his father's innocence in The Amazing Adventures of Aaron Broom by author A. E. Hotchner.

Now. I should tell some of you, don't be fooled by the young protagonist and the lads on the vintage book cover and think this is a children's book or something. Readers from Aaron's age to the age of the author—who's around a hundred years old—are bound to enjoy this tale.

An old-fashioned historical mystery it is, steeped in its Depression-era St. Louis setting, but it's not driving hard to be super-mystery-ish the entire time. During the first quarter, it kind of reminded me of reading one of those slice-of-life classics my teachers would've assigned back in school.

Then, gradually and all of a sudden, I was all in. Aaron is such a mix of maturity and innocence, of inexperience, sharp wits, and relevant, real-deal principles. (You ought to hear this kid talk about his soul.) He narrates in a distinct, blunt voice, saying what's on his mind as it comes to him, and he's also funny without necessarily trying to be.

I'd be having a bit of a laugh, and then, just like that, Aaron, his memories, and his next "happening" would break my heart. Then warm my heart. Then get my heart all pumped, like, "Yeah, you tell 'em, kid! You show 'em! Get it, Aaron!"

I suspected I'd find this novel delightful and entertaining, but I didn't expect all the substance, poignancy, and hope that comes along with it. I also didn't expect to have tears in my eyes twice or thrice, including at the end of the story, but, well. That happened.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, clever book about a resourceful boy who will do anything to save his father. It is the Depression and times are tough for Aaron and his parents. His mother is in a sanatorium for her tuberculous and his father hasn't had a job for months. They are behind on their bills and are close to eviction when Aaron sits in the soon to be repossessed Ford to wait for his father to return from the jewelry shop across the street where he hopes to sell some watches. But before he has the chance, a man comes in and robs the shop, killing a salesman in the process. Aaron sees the whole thing from across the street and is shocked when the real killer gets away and his father is arrested. Aaron knows then that he must do some "detectifying" in order to save his father. With the help of Augie, a newspaper boy, and Ella, his friend from the Hooverville shantytown, they are able to dig up clues that point to the jewelry store being a front for the mob that is controlled by a dangerous mobster from his jailcell. After finding a kind-hearted lawyer to take the case for free, Aaron is able to testify about his findings, get the culprits to confess in court that the hold-up was a sham for the insurance money and free his father. With a commendation from the mayor and a $500 reward for bringing down the mob, Aaron is able to help his father pay all the bills and rent while having some left over to give to his friends who helped him solve the case.

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Goodreads Giveaways and Doubleday for a copy of The Amazing Adventures of Aaron Broom!

This is a heartwarming middle-grade mystery novel. The main character is a delight. I wanted to read this book because I thought the setting - Depression-era St. Louis - would be fascinating, and I would imagine that the intended audience for this book would enjoy learning something about this time period while reading an entertaining story. My own family is from St. Louis, and it was fun to read about the Muny and Forest Park and other places in the city that are familiar to me.

The mystery is really farfetched and the loose ends are tied up too quickly, even for this type of novel. I want to believe in the main character’s abilities, but for a 12 year old to make these kinds of deductive leaps is just too incredible. It was unsatisfying as a result. But the rest of the story is charming and makes up for some of what is lost otherwise.

One smaller quibble: the word “broach” is used several times to mean a piece of jewelry. Technically this is an accepted alternate spelling, but “brooch” is the more commonly used version. Unless it was popularly spelled that way in the 1930s and I just don’t know about it, an editor should have caught that and corrected it.

[Ken Kugler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say that, “The Amazing Adventures of Aaron Broom, A Novel”, by A. E. Hotchner, was a fantastic read. It really surprised me even though I was attracted to its old fashion cover. The cover reminded me of something I would have expected on a Mark Twain book.
Aaron is a young boy of 12 years. One day he is in the auto of his father, watching it so it is not repossessed, it being the depression. His father is walking into a jewelry store when a man sneaks in behind him and robs the joint. His father is taken into custody while the police try to find who the murderer is.
The trials and tribulations that Aaron goes through in trying to figure out who done it is a fun and entertaining read. The characters who try to help AND hinder him are colorful and a lot of fun to read. Aaron’s vocabulary and his use of words remind me a bit of the old show, “The Bowery Boys”. He uses large words sometimes and the way he fumbles a bit is funny and endearing.

This is a book I would like to read a sequel to but a found out while reading this book the author is 98 or 101 and this is not a misprint. A. E. Hotchner is a founder, along with Paul Newman, of Newman’s Own. Who knows, maybe he will surprise me!!!!

[Susan O'Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A.E. Hotchner is known for so many things - his friendship and business partnership with Paul Newman, his biographies of famous people, his wartime and peace time adventures, his long list of published books, and this list goes on and on.

"The Amazing Adventures of Aaron Bloom" is the latest on his list of literary achievements.

Thanks to Hotchner's vivid imagination and his own life adventures, he gives us the story of Aaron, a kid determined to succeed during the Depression. He's a boy whose mom is in an sanatorium, his dad is in and out of jail, and he's just witnessed a fatal shooting and robbery at a jewelry store.

Determined to clear his dad's name, he sets out to find the true killer. Helping him are an orphaned paperboy, an aspiring teen-age journalist and a cast of slightly off-kilter adults and kids. As a result of Hotchner's skilled storytelling, readers are drawn into Aaron's lively story, cheering for his success as he overcomes bad luck and hard times. As for the ending, you won't predict the outcome of this "whodunit."

Cheers to Aaron, and let's hope we read more about him as he wriggles his way through life.

ARC provided by NetGalley

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars -- I enjoyed this middle-grade mystery of the Great Depression. Aaron Broom, who is 12 when the story begins, is caught up in the story's mystery when his father is put in jail as a material witness to the robbing of and murder in the J&J Jewelry Store. Aaron saw everything that happened and knows his father's innocent, but the only way he can free his dad is to 'detectify' and dig up enough evidence to prove that someone else committed those crimes. How he does that serves as the perfect action in front of the backdrop of Depression-era St. Louis, Missouri. From the Hooverville, to the nickel spaghetti, to selling the Post-Dispatch on street corners, to Bertha the Ford, to the language of the day, and more, the author does a good job of creating an authentic setting. My only complaint is the style of the mystery. Most of the time, the story relates the clues as Aaron finds them. On some occasions, however, the evidence is deliberately withheld or blurred to create a 'big reveal'. I felt that the author should have been consistent in his narration or presentation of this mystery.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an absolutely delightful book! I wasn't sure what to expect when I began reading about Aaron Broom, but I soon became enchanted with this young man. Aaron is a unique boy and his adventures are nothing short of amazing. As you tirn the pages, you will begin a trip through the life of Aaron Broom over several days.

From his ingenuous ways of getting into...and out...of trouble will have you chuckling while shaking your head in awe. Aaron makes friends along the way and finds ways to discover the truth behind a crime that touches him personally. And Aaron takes his friends and acquaintances along with him on his adventures.

From Aaron's amazing vocabulary, his good heartedness, his ability to grasp situations and truths at a level more mature than his age, and his high moral character will encourage you and make you wish that Aaron Broom was your brother or son. He is a hero in every sense of the word.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone! This is one I will remember fondly for years to come.