"Secrets of the Gold" was such an exciting and entertaining story, with two wonderful main characters, and filled with satisfying moments, mystery, and suspense. While Bean is 17 as the story opens, Duff is in his mid-thirties: theirs is not a romantic love story, but there is love and trust throughout. I immediately fell for these two damaged individuals, completely invested in their fates.
The author tells a compelling story that includes Bean’s and Duff’s growing parent-child type relationship, their travels through the southwestern United States, and the slowly unfolding mystery of Duff’s near death. I liked how he skillfully slipped in information in the form of small impressions the characters’ have, which reveal more of their backstories. For example, when considering Bean’s acquisition of an old motorcycle, Ingrid, the tutor, quietly flashes back to a fatality motorcycle accident she alone survived. Another subtle thing Charlton does is include interesting bits of randomness as details in conversations. These pieces of trivia, such as those about coffee, added some fun dimension to the characters’ interactions and were enlightening as well. Dialogue between characters was snappy, with a lot of witty banter and some fun “taking things literally” smart-alecky exchanges. Bean, Ingrid, Leon, and Duff talked like family.
The plot zooms along at a steady pace but then really kicks up a notch when the resolution starts getting closer. There were twists as things started happening, and I couldn’t put this book down!
I recommend SECRETS OF THE GOLD to readers who enjoy mystery, suspense, and talk of vintage motorcycles.
