From the Bookshelf of MCLS Reading Challenge…

The Gallery

Laura Marx Fitzgerald

Start date: January 2, 2017

Finish date: January 4, 2017

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Sep 29, 2016 Amy Lafleur Meyers rated it it was amazing

Shelves: art-artists, childrens, standout, middle-grade, new-york-city, historical-fiction, received-critic-starred-review, 1920s, cover-appeal, 2016-favorites

We meet Martha O'Doyle when she is 100 years old and living in a nursing home, where she gets interviewed for her age and as the only living witness to a decades old mystery from the 1920s. Martha O'Doyle is feisty and really speaks her mind even as an older woman, in fact telling readers that other nursing home residents refuse to live on the side facing the cemetery, but that she "requested this side for the same reason I always ride in the front seat: I like to see where I'm going."(pp 6-7). We meet Martha O'Doyle when she is 100 years old and living in a nursing home, where she gets interviewed for her age and as the only living witness to a decades old mystery from the 1920s. Martha O'Doyle is feisty and really speaks her mind even as an older woman, in fact telling readers that other nursing home residents refuse to live on the side facing the cemetery, but that she "requested this side for the same reason I always ride in the front seat: I like to see where I'm going."(pp 6-7). As soon as I read this line I not only started laughing but could only put this book down for the end of my break at work.

The story goes back in time to the events that led up to the last time that Martha O'Doyle was involved in newspaper-worthy events. Martha gets kicked out of Catholic school and has to go into service as a maid. Her mother is housekeeper at the Sewell mansion where Mr. Sewell, a newspaper tycoon, throws fancy parties and entertains. However, his wife, Rose Sewell, stays in her room upstairs. Mr. Sewell and the servants all say that she's crazy but Martha wonders if that's the case. She sets out to solve the mystery of why Rose won't leave her room.

Martha O'Doyle's character is just amazing. She's curious and has a hard time keeping her mouth shut and not sticking her nose into others' business. I loved the scenes in which she talks a bit boldly to her employer and takes a detour to do her own investigating while on an errand for the Sewell household. In fact, I kept wondering if she would get sacked from her job.

This book was a riveting story. Bravo to Laura Marx Fitzgerald for writing a historical mystery in which the 1920s came alive and that had layers of art and details from real historical events mixed in. Make sure to read the author's note at the end, in which she explains how she got her inspiration for The Gallery as well as answers questions that readers might have about the time period and how this story could've happened. I can't wait to read other books by this author! ...more

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Jan 03, 2017 Valerie Watson rated it really liked it

Really well done middle grade novel. Held my interest and was a great way to kick off my 2017 reading challenge!

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Nov 17, 2020 Emily Kleykamp marked it as to-read

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