When twelve-year-old Candice Miller and her mom temporarily move into her grandmother’s house in Lambert, South Carolina, she begins an adventure that will not only change her life, but the welfare of an entire city.

Candice’s grandmother left Lambert in disgrace and moved in with Candice and her parents in Atlanta more than ten years earlier after she used her position as city manager to dig up a tennis court without approval. Candice grew very close to her grandmother and missed her deeply after she died.

While looking through some of her grandmother’s things in the attic, Candice comes across a mysterious letter that explains why her grandmother dug up the tennis court. She was looking for a buried treasure.

The letter, written anonymously, laid out a series of clues to uncover a fortune of 40 million dollars. The author of the letter wanted justice and recognition for the Washingtons, an African American family who was run out of town by a white mob led by the Allens, a prominent family in Lambert. Over the years, the author financially ruined the Allen family, and in doing so, damaged the economy of Lambert. Eventually, he regretted his actions. His solution was to hide a treasure in Lambert for someone to discover. The clues would teach about the history of race relations in segregated Lambert that led to the Washington’s troubles. After the seeker discovered the treasure and informed the town of that history, he or she would receive one tenth of the money. The rest would go to Lambert.

Candice and her new friend and neighbor, Brandon, set out to solve the puzzle and win the prize. The money is important, but Candice wants to clear her grandmother’s reputation. Their investigation takes them back four generations. Candice and Brandon get to know elders in the community who were young adults when the Washingtons got run out of town in the 1950s. Along the way, Candice becomes good friends with Brandon who is bullied by the local kids and belittled by his own grandfather. She also learns the reason why her parents separated.

This multi-generational fast-paced story is part mystery, part history, and explores contemporary issues of racism and homophobia. It’s a great read that won numerous awards and recognition including the 2019 Coretta Scott King Honor Book. To learn more about the author, visit his website at: http://varianjohnson.com/