You Have Seven Messages by Stewart Lewis

I surprised myself by reading this over this past weekend. If this was an action packed book that kept me riveted to the point where I couldn't put it down, I could understand (it probably helped that I had the TV off all day on Sunday). I was drawn into the story which is about a teen girl who discovers her dead mom's phone with seven unanswered messages.

Upon discovering the phone in her mom's still vacant studio, Luna listens to each message and uses it as a puzzle piece to discover what really happened the night her mother died. The phone messages could easily have been a gimmicky tool, but the author uses it well to drive the story. It never becomes the total focus. In fact, Luna only listens to another message after exploring what she discovers in the previous one. 

Luna's dad is a famous film director and her mom was a model. She loved her mom and her unconventional way of life. She always thought her mom and dad were happily married, but a year after her mom's accidental death she is not so sure. Her dad also is not forthcoming about details. His loves Luna, but is afraid to reveal too much. 

The discoveries about her mother allow Luna discover more about herself. She explores her interest in photography and opens herself up to the boy cello player across the street. 

This is a nicely crafted story with a little suspense and a little romance. 

For more information about this book, check out the Indianapolis Public Library catalog and the author's website.