The Art of Secrets - by James Klise (Paperback)

About the Book

When Saba Khan's apartment burns in a mysterious fire, her high school rallies around her. But when a piece of art donated to a fund-raiser is revealed to be worth a fortune, Saba's life turns upside down again. Greed, jealousy, and suspicion create a tangled web as everyone debates who should get the money, and makes accusations.

Book Synopsis

An Edgar Award Winner, Best YA Novel 2015

Where there's smoke . . .

When Saba Khan's apartment burns in a mysterious fire, possibly a hate crime, her high school rallies around her. Her family moves into a rent-free luxury apartment, her Facebook page explodes, and she begins (secretly) dating a popular boy.

Then a quirky piece of art donated to a school fund-raising effort for the Khans is revealed to be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, and Saba's life turns upside down again. Should Saba's family get the money? Or the students who found the painting? Or the school?

Monologues, journal entries, interviews, articles, and official documents expose a tangled web of greed, jealousy, and suspicion as students and teachers alike debate, point fingers, and make shocking accusations about what's really going on.

"Relationships, secrets and lies aplenty." --Kirkus Reviews

"Will stay on readers' minds long after the last page." --Booklist, starred review

"This story . . . culminates in a shocking twist of an ending that will engrossreaders until the very last page." --The Christian Science Monitor

A Booklist Editor's Choice Book
A Booklist Top Crime Fiction Book
A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book
A Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award Nominee

From the Back Cover

Saba Khan: In a way, the fire might have been the best thing that ever happened to me. But maybe even writing that is t.o.o. r.e.v.e.a.l.i.n.g.Steve Davinski: Well, okay, yes, there has been some whispering the past couple of days here at Highsmith. Something exciting is going on, and I understand your curiosity. However, it is totally premature for us to discuss that topic today.Jean Delacroix: All right, then? Moving forward. I was the first person to realize that the Spoons garbage art was something special. The style of the work is unmistakable.Kendra Spoon: I m not sure what to say. I m more comfortable in a behind-the-scenes, stuffing-envelopes kind of role. I m not a spokesperson or anything. Maybe you can talk to my brother, Kevin?Kevin Spoon: To be honest, it still blows my mind that I am one of the people who got this going. For the rest of my life, no matter what else I do, I can tell myself: How cool that you pulled that off. You changed that family s life"

Review Quotes

"Where there's smoke, there's fire . . . and apparently, valuable art! When the Khan family's home is mysteriously burned to the ground, the funds from a priceless painting come to their rescue. Through unique journal entries, articles, and interviews, a tangled web of unusual secrets unfolds." --Teen Vogue

"This quirky, mysterious read makes you feel like you're watching the investigation unfold before your eyes because the clues are revealed through so many points of view . . . journals, interviews, articles, and text messages! And the surprise twist ending took our breath away." --Justine magazine

"This art mystery is that rare book that will be passed around by teens as well as teachers in the faculty lounge, discussed and dissected and immediately reread to scour for hidden clues and motivations. The incidents at Highsmith School will stay on readers' minds long after the last page." --Booklist, starred review

"The Art of Secrets is part thoughtful novel and part edge-of-your-seat mystery. This story about a family of Pakistani immigrants whose apartment is destroyed by arson culminates in a shocking twist of an ending that will engross readers until the very last page." --The Christian Science Monitor

"A beautifully plotted mystery for teen readers tries to determine who started the fire that destroyed Saba's apartment."--Houston Chronicle

"This innovative mystery explores issues of secrecy, social class, greed, family, self-justification and the need to belong in one's community. Saba's internal and external struggles are realistically specific to her situation, but they will resonate with anyone who has ever felt like an outsider. As in life, the questions The Art of Secrets poses do not have easy answers, which is the book's greatest strength." --TeenReads.com

"Relationships, secrets and lies aplenty for caper-loving fans." --Kirkus Reviews

"This is a book about the secret motivations that drive us all. Klise develops a set of complex characters, both teen and adult, who, because of the stolen artwork, must deal with their own beliefs about fairness, belonging, and truth. This mystery is well crafted and will leave readers guessing as to the identity of the culprit to the end. This is an excellent addition to collections where mysteries are popular and will give readers much to think and talk about." --VOYA

"Through emails, texts, journal entries, interview transcripts, newspaper clips, and official documents that pull in the perspectives of students, teachers, and others, Klise simultaneously reveals details about what might have transpired while allowing characters' darker motives--prejudice, envy, greed--to emerge . . . The question of 'how far would [people] be willing to go to make [their] dreams come true' propels the book forward to its scandalous conclusion." --Publishers Weekly

About the Author

James Klise is the author of I'll Take Everything You Have and The Art of Secrets, winner of the Edgar Award for Best Teen Mystery, the Nevada Young Readers Award, and a Booklist Editor's Choice Award, among other honors. His first book, Love Drugged, was an ALA Stonewall Honor Award winner and Lambda Literary Award finalist. His short fiction and non-fiction have appeared in the New Orleans Review, StoryQuarterly, Southern Humanities Review, Chicago Tribune, and elsewhere. Mr. Klise earned an MFA from Bennington College. He leads a popular Novel-in-A-Year workshop at StoryStudio in Chicago and, for the past two decades, he has overseen a very busy high school library.