A worthy whodunit that will keep readers guessing.
In Xavier’s middle-grade novel, a seventh grader and a tiny sleuth gather clues to solve a mysterious missing person case.
It’s 1937, and 12-year-old Nelly’s mother, Davey Morgan, is an aviator; her father, George Melcham, is a ship’s captain for a New York shipping company. The girl stays with a “doddering great aunt” in Chicago while her parents are away. As she’s preparing to get on a plane to Puerto Rico for Christmas break, she meets Tim, a 6-inch private detective who travels in a suitcase; he must get to New Orleans and solve his new case, he says. Nelly convinces the pilot, Charlie, to fly her (and, secretly, Tim) to New Orleans. There, Nelly asks people questions on Tim’s behalf while carrying him in her pocket. The case involves Maj. James MacLaren’s wife, Millie, who’s gone missing; Madame Bellio, a self-proclaimed Voodoo priestess, may somehow be involved. Millie is part of the Hastings family, an old, established name in New Orleans; gold is rumored to be in her family’s mansion, and finding it becomes integral to the mystery. Deep, hidden tunnels and dark, stormy nights will engage readers as Xavier’s cleverly written mystery proceeds. The author slowly reveals various clues for readers to follow, such as the fact that Millie’s brother is also missing; a hidden note offers further hints, such as the phrase “Go to tunnels.” Nelly is shown to conquer fearful obstacles while helping Tim solve his case, for example, being imprisoned in a high tower, being threatened with a knife, and almost being poisoned by deadly smoke.
A worthy whodunit that will keep readers guessing.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 9798361863372
Page Count: 225
Publisher: Saguaro Books, LLC
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Delightful fun for budding mystery fans.
Only children, rejoice! A cozy mystery just for you! (People with siblings will probably enjoy it too.)
Debut novelist Cornett introduces the One and Onlys, a trio of mystery-solving only kids: Gloria Longshanks “Shanks” Hill, Alexander “Peephole” Calloway, and narrator Paul (alas, no nickname) Marconi. The trio has a knack for finding and solving low-level mysteries, but they come up against a true head-scratcher when the yard of a resident of their small town is covered in rubber ducks overnight. Working ahead of Officer Portnoy, who’s a little on the slow side, can Paul, Shanks, and Peephole solve the mystery? Cornett has a lot of fun with this adventure, dropping additional side mysteries, a subplot about small businesses, big corporations, and economics, and a town’s love of bratwurst into the mix. Most importantly, he plays fair with the clues throughout, allowing astute readers to potentially solve the case ahead of the trio. The tone and mystery are perfect for younger readers who want to test their detective skills but are put off by anything scary or gory. The pacing would serve well for chapter-by-chapter read-alouds. If there are any quibbles, it’s the lack of diversity of the cast, as it defaults white. Diversity exists in small towns, and this one is crying out for more. Hopefully a sequel will introduce additional faces.
Delightful fun for budding mystery fans. (Mystery. 8-12)Pub Date: April 14, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-9848-3003-6
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Dec. 21, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
Will satisfy fans but could be better.
Young CIA agent-in-training Benjamin Ripley switches sides—or is he just going undercover?—in this graphic version of the third Spy School caper.
Sticking to the plot of the 2015 original, this episode sees the talented math whiz recruited by nefarious organization SPYDER after being (unjustly, he fumes) kicked out of the CIA’s academy. While training in a hidden school for evildoers with other prospective villains, including Ashley Sparks, a gushy former competitive gymnast with a fondness for portmanteau words (sweet + awesome = swawesome), Ben gets wind of a dastardly scheme to make billions on government construction projects. Hot if inept pursuit by both rival espionage agencies takes Ben from a secret underground command center to the top of the Statue of Liberty. But while the action has a rapid flow in the art (Sarkar is good at portraying fights, high-speed chases, and explosions), several characters are drawn with generic features and such a limited range of expressions that even with help from the cast gallery, it’s hard to tell them apart easily. Still, along with coming through in the suspenseful climax—thanks to clever deductions and quick thinking—by the end, Ben has also achieved a long-sought breakthrough with Erica Hale (code name “Ice Queen”), a superbly omnicompetent schoolmate who has his heart as well as his back. The cast largely presents white.
Will satisfy fans but could be better. (Graphic thriller. 8-12)Pub Date: March 5, 2024
ISBN: 9781665931946
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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