Play Book Tag discussion

The Half-Life of Ruby Fielding by Lydia Kang is a suspenseful historical mystery set in 1942 Brooklyn, during the height of World War II. The story centres on half-siblings Will and Maggie Scripps. Will is secretly working for the Manhattan Project, while Maggie contributes to the war effort as a welder at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Their quiet life takes an unsettling turn when they discover a young woman named Ruby Fielding collapsed beneath their apartment stairs who seems to have secrets tied to both science and espionage. As the siblings get drawn into her complicated world, questions about loyalty, trust, and identity begin to emerge.

This is a well-paced and atmospheric novel that blends history with mystery. The tension builds slowly but surely. Ruby is a particularly compelling character—enigmatic, bold, and hard to pin down. The novel also does a good job exploring the moral complexities of wartime, especially around science and secrecy.