Sneak Peek: Nettie Parker’s Backyard by C.V. Smith

Today we have a Sneak Peek from C.V. Smith’s World War II Historical Fiction mystery for children, Nettie Parker’s Backyard:

Ask anyone who knows Nettie Parker, and they’ll say that she’s an amazing, mystical woman…what else would you call someone who receives supernatural signs sent just to them? And being able to live longer than anyone else? Now Nettie faces her toughest struggle yet: uncovering the mystery of her supernatural signs and the purpose of her unusually long life. Do the strange statues that suddenly appear in her backyard point to any clues? Halley, Nettie’s young friend, plays detective as she re-visits Nettie’s past, a journey that takes the reader from South Carolina to England and back again. Can Halley put all the pieces together and solve the puzzle?

Nettie Parker’s Backyard is available on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.

And now, from Nettie Parker’s Backyard:

“Aunt Nettie!” I called through the screen door out of breath. “Are you home? I came so you can help me with my history today.”

“Yes, Halley, I’m here, I’m coming,” Aunt Nettie called as she pushed the screen door open for me.

“What’s that statue doing over there in the corner of the porch?” I asked as I went into the house.

“What statue? Where?” asked Aunt Nettie.

“Over there!” I said as I pointed around to the left. “See it? It’s just behind the swing,” I added. Aunt Nettie wheeled herself through the open screen door onto the wooden porch. Looking in the direction I had pointed Aunt Nettie could just make out the top of a light-gray stone figure. She wheeled herself closer to get a better look. And since I wanted a better look, too, I followed right behind her.

“Why, it’s a sculpture of a young boy,” said Aunt Nettie. “He looks like he’s about your age, don’t you think, Halley? He seems awfully content just sitting there, reading his book with both legs stretched out in front of him. I wonder what he’s reading that he’s enjoying so much,” Aunt Nettie said.

“Sure, I guess he looks about twelve years old…maybe even thirteen. Why is he here on your front porch?” I asked.

“I have no idea, Halley. I didn’t buy it. There’s no card on it so I doubt anyone sent it to me as a gift. The only store around here that sells anything like this is Mr. Peterson’s garden shop. Hmmm…this is strange, all right. Well, let’s get you some lemonade and cookies and start your lesson. It’s probably just been delivered to the wrong address. Bob Peterson and I are old friends. I’ll call him when we’re finished and ask him if he knows anything about it.”

But later when Aunt Nettie called Mr. Peterson about the statue he didn’t know anything about it, either.

“The only thing I can think of is that my new driver delivered it to you by mistake,” said Mr. Peterson. “A statue of a boy was supposed to be delivered to someone who lives way on the other side of town. He must have gotten confused because both your street names and numbers are similar. Say, I’m going to be in your neighborhood tomorrow on business. Is it okay if I come by and pick it up then?”

“That’ll be fine, Bob,” said Aunt Nettie.

“Sorry for any trouble this caused you,” Mr. Peterson said as he ended the call.

“No trouble at all, Bob. See you tomorrow,” replied Aunt Nettie.

 

When Mr. Peterson came by the next day to pick up the statue all he could do was rub his whiskered chin and look very puzzled.

“This isn’t my statue, Nettie. What’s even more surprising is that it has no markings on it at all. I have no idea who made it or where it came from.”

“How can that be?” Aunt Nettie questioned.

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