The book Secret in the shadows was a book that amazed me in so many ways. This book is a Blueford Series book written by Anne Schraff. . Roylin Bailey has a huge crush on a new student named Korie Archer, who has just transferred to his history class. Unlike most people at Bluford High, she seemed to like him. When Korie asks him for a 300 dollar necklace from a jewelry store, Roylin knows his job at the Golden Grill Restaurant won't pay for it. Worse yet, his mother thinks it is too early for something like that, and she refuses to loan him the money. Roylin then decides to take some of his somewhat wealthy neighbor's money. Roylin then discovers that his neighbor has died from a heart-attack upon realizing he was robbed. His apartment buildings janitor, who saw the incident, blackmails him into doing chores until he can bury the body. Roylin is just so desperate for a way out. The Blueford Series is published By Townsend Press.
The theme of this book is desperate measures can bring a hectic life. The reason why I say this is because Roylin took a desperate measure by taking money that didn’t belong to him and now he is looking for a way out. His life is a little hectic now because the janitor is blackmailing him because he saw the incident. Roylin now does whatever the janitor tells him to do. This book is not only a mystery but it is also a romance. The writing style of this book is so urban because believe it or not things like this happen every day. In the book Roylin says to his brother Michael “I’ll do anything for the one I like and will eventually love”. This type of saying is used probably everyday if you are in a relationship with someone because you would want to make that person happy.
Anne Schraff the author of five of the Blueford High books is a full time writer. She was born in Cleveland, Ohio and earned her B.A and M.A at California State University. She taught high school from 1967 to 1977 at The Academy of Our Lady Of Peace in San Francisco, California. She always wanted to be a writer. She sold her first story “Stage to Hell,” to a western magazine while she was a college freshman.
I believe that everyone should read this book because it’s just such a real world experience. I feel like everyone can relate to doing to something risky in order to make their loved ones happy. This book has a lot of foreshadowing in it. When you get into it you just can’t put it down. The pages will constantly flip and you will be done with this book in no time.