A Mystery for Thoreau

A Mystery for Thoreau by Kin Platt is a posthumously published novel from Macmillan, released on September 30, 2008. This edition spans 162 pages and is presented in English. The story follows sixteen-year-old Oliver Puckle, a news gatherer for the Concord Freeman during the summer of 1846, as he investigates a gruesome murder at Walden Pond. With the poet-philosopher Henry David Thoreau locked in jail for refusing to pay his poll tax, Oliver must navigate a web of intrigue involving notable figures like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Louisa May Alcott.

Readers will find a blend of juvenile nonfiction and fiction elements, exploring social topics such as death, grief, and bereavement within a historical context. As Oliver delves deeper into the mystery, he learns valuable lessons from his neighbors and ultimately receives unexpected assistance from Thoreau himself. This narrative is set against the backdrop of 19th-century Concord, Massachusetts, and offers a rich tapestry of characters and events that reflect the era’s literary significance.