The Black Book of Secrets – F.E. Higgins

Author: F.E. Higgins
Title: The Black Book of Secrets
Publisher: Macmillan
Publication Date: 2007
Age range: 10 - 15
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 1 2 3 4 5

Plot summary: Ludlow Fitch is a young thief living in poverty in a horrible smelly urban place called the City, until his petty criminal parents try to sell his teeth to buy more gin – while they’re still in Ludlow’s head. Ludlow takes off and counts himself lucky to have escaped the City. Hitching a ride on a convenient coach, Ludlow finds himself in the small mountain village of Pagus Parvus. He has arrived on the heels of another interesting traveler, Joe Zabbidou. Joe sets up shop as a pawnbroker and takes Ludlow in as an apprentice because he has some rudimentary reading and writing skills. Before long everyone in town realizes that Joe isn’t a traditional pawnbroker; he’s also a Secret Pawnbroker. Gifted with a way of calmly getting people to trust him and tell him their secrets, Joe listens while Ludlow writes it all down in the "Black Book of Secrets." In return, Joe gives the person a bag of coins, and promises that their secret is totally safe. Lightened of a terrible burden, each person feels relieved at telling another their confession, and uses the money to pay off their debts to the one person in town who is not happy at Joe’s presence: Jeremiah Ratchet.

Jeremiah has most of the town in his debt through a combination of outrageous rents and shadowy deals. A number of individual secrets have to do with desperate actions taken to pay Jeremiah back after he has blackmailed the person. Jeremiah is repulsive, a gambler and drinker who treats everyone with contempt even as he takes their money to support his decadent lifestyle. As a community outsider, Joe provides a safe environment for people to tell their stories. As the Black Book fills with secrets, however, the people start to expect more from Joe – some further salvation from their troubles with Jeremiah. Though Joe tells them to be patient, trusting that a peaceful resolution will come eventually, the people take matters into their own hands. They decide that Joe is actually in league with Jeremiah, and that he is not to be trusted with their secrets. Just as Joe is about to be forced out of the village with Ludlow close behind, Jeremiah’s greed and desire to obtain the Black Book prove to be his undoing, and the people realize the error of their ways.

Comments: This is a fast-paced and interesting story of intrigue and an unusual occupation. Mostly told from Ludlow’s point of view, the story splits the action between the City and Pagus Parvus. It is a story of redemption for Ludlow, who has been raised as a common thief and has nearly resigned himself that he’ll hang one day for his misdeeds. Ludlow is actually thankful to his parents for trying to pull out his teeth to sell for drink, as his desire to keep his jaw intact gave him the strength to escape from the City’s clutches. Ludlow identifies Joe clearly as a father figure, let down as he has been by his true parents. He struggles throughout the book to live up to Joe’s trust, and finds it hard to relax into a life where food and warmth can be relied upon. An observant and curious lad, Ludlow sometimes finds it hard to understand how Joe can be so calm in many unnerving situations, but he admires Joe greatly and is amazed when Joe reveals to him the great history of Secret pawning, and his hope that Ludlow will be next to take up the mantle.

Dates Read: 19 – 22 March