Charley Carpenter is back in the fourth Oakwood Mystery story, The Codebook Murders. The action kicked off right from chapter one in this book! A dangerous storm forces Charley to seek refuge at the local high school. But, when the regular methods of getting around are cut off due to storm damage, she has to resort to using an old access tunnel. Inside, she finds a beat-up backpack and a journal. When she has a chance to look more closely at the journal, Charley sees that it’s written in code. As Charley and her friends work to decode the journal, it’s more and more obvious that she has found more than an old backpack and journal–she’s discovered what may be the key to an unsolved murder.

I always enjoy Leslie Nagel‘s mysteries. They are fresh and clever and feature sharp characters. This may be my favorite since the first Oakwood Mystery. I feel like these stories have a little something for everyone–a puzzle to solve, yes, but also humor, wit, and a little sizzle of romance.