Middle Grade Fiction · Ages 8–12

Adventure waits around every bend.

Leah Bauer writes mystery and adventure stories for curious, brave kids. Her debut novel, The Secret of Golden Pines, is out now.

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The Secret of Golden Pines

Leah Bauer

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Books

The stories so far

The Secret of Golden Pines

Leah Bauer

✨ Debut Novel — Now Available

The Secret of Golden Pines

Leah Bauer · 2026 · Ages 8–12

Three best friends at summer camp stumble onto a riddle hidden in a bottle beneath the dock — and follow the clues into a mystery decades in the making. A story about friendship, bravery, and the secrets old places keep.

Mystery & Adventure Middle Grade Ages 8–12 Summer Camp

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More stories are on the way. Sign up on Instagram @leahbauerauthor to be the first to know.

About Leah

The story behind the story

When Leah Bauer's daughter Alexis prepared to leave for her very first summer camp, Leah did what any writer would do — she sat down and wrote a book to send along with her.

A lifelong lover of mysteries and adventure stories, Leah grew up disappearing into books the way her characters disappear into the woods at Camp Golden Pines. She lives in the Raleigh, North Carolina area with her husband and daughter.

The Secret of Golden Pines is her debut middle grade novel, published in 2026.

Leah Bauer

Author · Raleigh, NC

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