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Find out moreFind our latest selection of crime and mystery books, from serious whodunnits to failed comic detectives.
Best friends Connor and Ethan are back with a new case: someone – or something – has taken young Alfie’s adorable must-have new Synthpet, Smurble. Can our junior space detectives track down missing Smurble and keep their demanding new client onside? If they don’t, it’s a one-way trip to the Detention Swamps of Pluto for Connor … Their efforts bring them up against trash piranhas, see them hitch a ride on a Venusian racing newt and help them realise some important things about friendship. It’s another funny, fast-paced adventure in a setting where anything is possible. As far out as the action gets, Dapo Adeola is there to meet it with his fantastically lively black and white illustrations. Great fun!
Peppered with brain-flexing puzzles - mazes, spot the difference, code-cracking, numeracy challenges and logic games - that neatly complement the story, Tim Collins’ Sherlock Bones and the Case of the Crown Jewels kicks off a new sleuthing series in engaging style. It’s a terrific trio of story, activity, and artwork, with John Bigwood’s detailed, dandy illustrations adding to the fun. After musing, “I need a case that will challenge me…Something I can really puzzle over,” Sherlock Bones gets exactly what he wished for when the crown jewels are stolen from Kennel Palace. With the story narrated by Sherlock’s devoted sidekick Dr Catson, the detective duo must unravel numerous tangled leads, with tonnes of suspects to investigate and eliminate in their pursuit of the real criminal. Along the way, readers are invited to get into detective mode through solving puzzles, with the story driven by lively dialogue and plenty of whodunnit intrigue.
Political manoeuvring and cross party cooperation explored in this middle grade mystery. Theo is an ordinary teenage boy. Except he happens to live in Downing Street and his father is the Prime Minister. Theo is struggling to navigate his school life with the weight of his family’s expectations when, during a school trip to the Houses of Parliament, the parliamentary mace is stolen. Forming a new friendship with Sammy, a classmate with a different background and ideals seemingly from across the political divide, can the pair of students beat the Police to discover who the thief is before the government crumbles and Theo’s life is turned upside down again? ‘Mystery in the Palace of Westminster’ by Sarah Lustig is an interesting and adventurous mystery which will entertain young readers while also introducing new information about the different roles within the government and the Houses of Parliament. On top of the mystery of the missing mace we see the personable story of the impact of constant media scrutiny and political upheaval on a family. In a way that allows the reader to sympathise with Theo, we see his struggles to find his footing at school and live up to his father’s expectations while understanding his privileges in comparison to Sammy and her more ordinary life. I think that this book would be a great introduction to politics while also offering a twisting mystery to entertain readers. Charlotte Walker, A LoveReading4Kids Ambassador
It’s an ordinary day at school for friends Arun and Sam, until class rebel Donna informs them that there are plain clothes police at Arun’s house. Bunking off, the three check it out and a day of revelations for Arun follows: his dad is not the mild-mannered banker he seems, but the genius inventor behind MANDROID, a machine designed to be undetectable and run search and rescue operations, but which, in the wrong hands, could become an undetectable means of delivering weapons of mass destruction to an enemy’s capital. When his dad is kidnapped, the three kids set out to rescue him and prevent his kidnappers from getting away with MANDROID too. They turn out to be a much more effective team than ‘the feds’ as Donna calls the forces of law and order, staying one step ahead of goodies and baddies alike through a combination of intelligence, quick-thinking, and simply being kids (who’s going to suspect three year 7s?) Set over the course of just 13 hours, the action is inventive and non-stop, full of car chases, shoot outs, explosions and a final death-defying escape that will have everyone hanging on to the edge of their seats. It’s great fun and just the first in a series that promises more explosive action. One to recommend to fans of Alex Rider and the new Swift and Hawk Cyberspies.
Uh-oh! Someone’s up to no good in Zoopertown. First there’s a case of missing breakfasts, then Mayor Go-Go Gorilla’s birthday picnic is stolen. Time to get on the Zooperphone and summon the Zooperheroes, a band of the cutest animal superheroes you’ve ever met. For a missing-munchies mission, it’s X-Ray Rabbit to the rescue. With her super-duper X-Ray vision, she’s able to spot the clues and track down the villain, though she still needs help from her friends Zip-Zap Giraffe, Zoom-Zoom Zebra and of course Crash-Bang Koala. As action-packed as the biggest Marvel movie, and full of HI-YAs, KER-RUNCHs and MEGA-ZAPs this will delight any young superhero fan. There are laughs a-plenty to be had from the illustrations while the barmy wordplay adds to the fun, making this great for reading aloud too. Zooper-duper!
April 2022 Debut of the Month | There’s something special about Eddie Albert and that is he can understand and talk to animals. He keeps it a secret of course, but even so it’s got him into scrapes at school (he was rescuing a trapped seagull) plus the other kids think there’s something not quite right about him. When he’s sent to stay with his wealthy Aunt Budge in Amsterdam then, imagine his surprise to discover that she can do it too. His holiday gets even more exciting when he spots a kidnapped orangutan that desperately needs help. With his new friend, Flo, plus his pets Butch the dog and Bunty the hamster, Eddie sets out to rescue the creature. The adventures that follow are funny, lively and feature a fabulous cast of characters including one of the best villainesses since Cruella de Vil. The author’s love for animals shines through and Butch and Bunty provide many of the best moments. There are black and white illustrations by Sue Hellard throughout, an extra treat, lovely sketches of the setting and our heroes, the two and the four-legged ones.
Buried treasure and family secrets are at the heart of A M Howell’s gripping and wonderfully atmospheric mystery story. Ruth is at the British Museum one evening waiting for her mum, who is having a job interview. When the telephone rings, with no-one else there, she answers. It’s a farmer saying she’s found ancient treasure buried in her fields. Ruth persuades her mum to visit the farm, deep in the fens, and sure enough, they discover some very precious objects. There’s something not quite right about the find though, and it seems to Ruth that the farmer’s son Joe, and Land Girl Audrey have their own hidden secrets. With bankruptcy threatening farmer Mary, the stakes are very high. Can Ruth uncover the truth about the treasure and solve the mysteries of Rook Farm? Set in the bleak winter of 1948, with land and families still damaged by the war, Ruth’s determination and new friendship with Joe helps bring hope and the possibility of brighter days. A M Howell’s fans will love this new adventure, and it’s one to recommend to fans of Emma Carroll too.
April 2022 Book of the Month | Generosity over greed, kindness over cruelty, unity over division, and the power of books, Kelly Barnhill’s The Ogress and the Orphans is an exceptional allegorical adventure, with its guileful, all-knowing narrative voice (readers are instructed to “Listen”) and sparkling characters casting a captivating spell. “Once upon a time, when it was a lovely town”, Stone-in-the-Glen used to glow with trust and kindness between neighbours, but not anymore. “It was said that the Library housed the heart of the town. And the mind of the town”, and so everything changed the day it burned down. Now the townsfolk have put their faith in the Mayor (apparently a dragon slayer), and lost their former munificence. And the only inhabitants aware of this cruel shift are the fifteen children of Orphan House, who were “studious and hard-working and kind. And they loved one another dearly, ever so much more than they loved themselves”. When one of the orphans goes missing, the town turns on the Ogress, who is, in fact, also “hardworking and kind and generous. She also loved others more than she loved herself”. Indeed, the calm kindness and generosity of the Ogress sits in stark contrast to the suave, sweet-talking, self-serving Mayor, an exquisitely-crafted villain who might just bring a few politicians to mind, with the prejudicial scapegoating of the Ogress also striking a powerful chord. It falls to the orphans to expose the true villain of the piece, to change opinions of the Ogress, and to restore goodness to their town. Alongside the thrilling, enchanting quest and message of kindness, the author shares messages about the power of books: “The ideas and knowledge contained inside their pages have mass and velocity and gravity. They bend both space and time. They have minds of their own. There is a power in a book that surpasses even that of a dragon”. What a wondrous, timely triumph — I adored every perfectly-placed word. We were thrilled that Kelly joined The LoveReading LitFest to talk about the joy of storytelling. You can find a preview of this event and sign up to become a member. The LoveReading LitFest is a digitally native, all year round, online literature and books festival, with new content released every week is a free-for-all-users festival.
From the creator of The Adventures of Pug and Fabio the World’s Greatest Flamingo Detective, Laura James’ The Dinosaur Discovery, the second book in the News Hounds series, is a fabulously entertaining first reader, with Charlie Alder’s full-colour illustrations adding to the fun factor. It’s also a dream to read aloud, with characterful narration, a lively sense of adventure, and short chapters that’ll leave 5+ year-olds longing for more. Alongside being a stationmaster, Bob is a roving reporter for the Daily Bark newspaper, with dachshund Gizmo at the helm as Editor-in-Chief. After encountering elegant Diamond at the station, a dog who’s new to town, Bob decides to make friends with her by digging up a bone as a gift. But what’s this?! Bob’s only gone and dug up an entire dinosaur skeleton! All manner of mayhem explodes after this makes the front page of the Daily Bark, and attracts the attention of a thief.
Penelope Snoop, self-styled Best-Finder-Outer-in-the-Whole-Wide-World has a successful track record in solving mysteries, but she’s facing her biggest case: her constant companion Sidney the Smelly Sock Snake has disappeared. Time to pull out the Finder-Outer kits (sidekick Carlos the dog is less keen on the hat than Penelope) and start tracking down clues. A trail of muddy footprints leads through the garden, up to the moon and back, and finally all the way to – surprise! - her mum’s wellies. There’s Sidney, in the washing machine. The story fizzes with fun, invention and energy, Penelope’s adventures brilliantly depicted in eye-catching, action-packed illustrations, details picked out in vivid neon pink. The text is just as jaunty, and this little detective is sure to prove a favourite with picture book fans.
Penelope Snoop, self-styled Best-Finder-Outer-in-the-Whole-Wide-World has a successful track record in solving mysteries, but she’s facing her biggest case: her constant companion Sidney the Smelly Sock Snake has disappeared. Time to pull out the Finder-Outer kits (sidekick Carlos the dog is less keen on the hat than Penelope) and start tracking down clues. A trail of muddy footprints leads through the garden, up to the moon and back, and finally all the way to – surprise! - her mum’s wellies. There’s Sidney, in the washing machine. The story fizzes with fun, invention and energy, Penelope’s adventures brilliantly depicted in eye-catching, action-packed illustrations, details picked out in vivid neon pink. The text is just as jaunty, and this little detective is sure to prove a favourite with picture book fans.
If you like your action non-stop, gadget-packed, full of car-chases, fighting and cyber chicanery, then this is the book for you! Caleb Quinn’s mum is a CIA agent and when she is kidnapped by some shady characters he’s recruited by top secret Möbius Programme on a rescue mission. His best friend Zenobia, an absolute whizz at robotics and quite a lot else besides, is signed up as well and the two are assigned codenames Swift and Hawk. The baddies have no idea what they’re up against! From sewage tunnels under the British Museum to Amsterdam and beyond, the action never lets up and nearly every chapter ends with a cliffhanger. Logan Macx – actually authors Edward Docx and Matthew Plampin – handles plot, tension and character as skilfully as Zen does a circuit board and this is unputdownable reading. One to recommend to fans of Alex Rider.
March 2022 Book of the Month | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month March 2022 | Rich in atmosphere and with a plot that cleverly combines history with mystery and even magic this is a many layered and original adventure story. When Flora and Isobel’s home is destroyed in an air raid at the end of World War 2, their mum takes them to stay in her ancestral family home, Splint Hall. Under its disagreeable present owner Mr Godfrey, Splint Hall is a chilling place full of rules and secrets. Flora and Isobel set about defying the rules and uncovering the magic! There is a lot to reveal as the girls risk all to get to the truth.
A World Book Day 2022 Mini Book | 'Thinking of doing a bit of investigating? A little light snooping? A sprinkle of scammery?' Nik and Norva are headed to the Peak District, for a school trip and a break from being The Tri's best detectives. But, a new mystery is never too far away!
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