What a shame that the label on the spine says Historical when it should say Mystery. Yes, it takes place during World War II. Yes, it has great descriptions of the clothes e.g. zoot suits and saddle shoes. Yes,  there are tons of things that are signs of the times. But it's a mystery, and a good one.

Iris's father is trying to run his own detective agency, but he's hindered, having lost part of one leg in the war. He can't walk fast or climb lots of stairs. Iris decides to help him out. She succeeds and instead of being grateful, he is irate. "You're a child. Be a child." She tries to be good, but can't. One of her father's new cases is about Tom Barney, someone she just met at her new high school. He's missing.

She starts hanging around with Tom's old crowd, a fast crowd, hoping to get information. She gets one piece that stuns her. Her former friend Grace dated him just before he disappeared. Iris, no longer attends an expensive private school as they are living on the edge of poverty. Grace is one of those rich girls from the upper east side of Manhattan. How did she meet Tom?

She ends up really liking the people in Tom's crowd. They take her to Harlem to dance at the Savoy, lending her their clothes and make-up. However, the lies she told to get into the crowd, catch up to her just as she's beginning to discover what she needs.