Spooks and scooters by Elen Caldecott
The Marsh Road Mysteries bk 3. Bloomsbury, 2016. ISBN
9781408852736
(Age: 9+) Recommended. Themes: Mystery; Adventure; Industrial
espionage. The Marsh Road Mysteries revolve around a group
of English friends who seem to keep finding mysteries that need
their combined talents to help solve the problems that adults are
incapable of unravelling. In this adventure, Flora and Sylvie, who
are twins with very different personality traits, attempt to rescue
their father from disaster when his business becomes the target of
intellectual theft and industrial espionage. The consequences will
be catastrophic for his business prospects and he is at risk of
losing everything. The twin's parents are separated and the girl's
father has a new girlfriend who has not yet won Sylvie's affection.
She too becomes embroiled in the mystery. Is she the thief? The
twins' other friends assist them to outwit the bumbling Personal
Investigator that has been hired by the business, and together they
use their talents to piece the puzzle together.
This is a crime mystery for young readers and will satisfy the needs
of those young readers who like mystery and intrigue. The child
characters use their talents and brain power, and young readers will
enjoy the way they problem solve (and bend the rules) to enable them
to pursue their investigations. Caldecott manages to write in such a
way that a young reader will not feel patronised. Perfect for a
school library collection, it can be recommended to young capable
readers and older readers who like an intriguing tale.
Carolyn Hull