Wow! I like this book.  It is about a sixth grade boy Gabe, who is an orphan that is living with his uncle.  Only when he comes home from his first day at middleschool he finds his uncle dead on the floor.  He is too shocked to do anything about it but go to eat dinner, go to bed and hope that it isn't true.  He goes to school the next day as usual, but when he comes home after the second day of school he finds his uncle's body gone and a note in the mailbox that reads, "I have a secret. Don't be afraid." 

As the days pass Gabe keeps up a corespondence with the mystery friend through notes in the mailbox, and the events that follow change Gabe's life.

This is a grat book and I hope that Shafer writes more.