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Delitto in alto mare
When Isobel Petty is orphaned, she finds herself being taken away from her home in India and sent to live with a distant uncle in England. On board the S.S. Mariana, she witnesses a shocking act – somebody being thrown overboard in the middle in the night. But when the ship’s captain insists that nobody is missing, Isobel and her two new reluctant friends must solve two mysteries – the identities of both the murderer and the victim – before they reach England and the culprit has the chance to escape.
Inspired by The Secret Garden and the golden age of crime writing, The Secret Detectives is a gripping, beautifully historical mystery, from an incredible new voice in children’s fiction – perfect for fans of Robin Stevens and Katherine Rundell.
Inspired by The Secret Garden and the golden age of crime writing, The Secret Detectives is a gripping, beautifully historical mystery, from an incredible new voice in children’s fiction – perfect for fans of Robin Stevens and Katherine Rundell.
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First published February 4, 2021
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March 3, 2021
I think what threw me most about this book was that the main character, Isobel Petty, was supposed to be Mary Lennox. Her background, family life, and looks were taken word for word from The Secret Garden, as were several memories of Isobel’s that were scattered throughout the book.
And yet Isobel herself was nothing like Mary Lennox, so the comparison was irritating. I couldn’t work out why the author was so blatantly plagiarising The Secret Garden when she could just as easily have written Isobel an original, or even similar, backstory, without stealing direct quotes from The Secret Garden. Or why, if this was meant to be about Mary, she had changed the main character’s name and personality.
This is meant to be the story of Isobel (Mary’s) journey from India to England after her parents died. On the way, she witnesses a murder, and befriends two other children on the boat to solve it.
The murder and how they solve it is not brilliantly done. The children don’t go about it in any way that makes sense (we’re about two thirds of the way through the book before it occurs to any of them to think about motive), and their detective work is very muddled.
Every couple of pages they stop to have a meal, which just got boring. Even the main character mentions several times that they have to keep stopping to have meals, but that was mainly because the author kept jumping forward in time to right before a meal. So the children would talk briefly, then have to have a meal. Then time would jump forward to the next day or the evening, and it would be right before mealtime again. It felt like so much of the book was padded out with the kids going to a meal, and it felt like a repetitive way to try and advance the story.
The characters of the three children were interesting and well-drawn, and I really liked all three of them and how different they were. But the rest of the story felt poorly written. As if the author had written three great characters, but didn’t know how to write a murder mystery, so just had them bumbling round talking about different people on the boat until they stumbled on the answer when the murderer revealed himself.
If you want well-written murder mysteries for kids, I recommend the Murder Most Unladylike series. Unfortunately, The Secret Detectives was not up to scratch.
And yet Isobel herself was nothing like Mary Lennox, so the comparison was irritating. I couldn’t work out why the author was so blatantly plagiarising The Secret Garden when she could just as easily have written Isobel an original, or even similar, backstory, without stealing direct quotes from The Secret Garden. Or why, if this was meant to be about Mary, she had changed the main character’s name and personality.
This is meant to be the story of Isobel (Mary’s) journey from India to England after her parents died. On the way, she witnesses a murder, and befriends two other children on the boat to solve it.
The murder and how they solve it is not brilliantly done. The children don’t go about it in any way that makes sense (we’re about two thirds of the way through the book before it occurs to any of them to think about motive), and their detective work is very muddled.
Every couple of pages they stop to have a meal, which just got boring. Even the main character mentions several times that they have to keep stopping to have meals, but that was mainly because the author kept jumping forward in time to right before a meal. So the children would talk briefly, then have to have a meal. Then time would jump forward to the next day or the evening, and it would be right before mealtime again. It felt like so much of the book was padded out with the kids going to a meal, and it felt like a repetitive way to try and advance the story.
The characters of the three children were interesting and well-drawn, and I really liked all three of them and how different they were. But the rest of the story felt poorly written. As if the author had written three great characters, but didn’t know how to write a murder mystery, so just had them bumbling round talking about different people on the boat until they stumbled on the answer when the murderer revealed himself.
If you want well-written murder mysteries for kids, I recommend the Murder Most Unladylike series. Unfortunately, The Secret Detectives was not up to scratch.
July 23, 2021
I continue with my inspired by Frances Hodgson Burnett reads with this beauty! This made my historical fiction, detective mystery loving heart so happy as well. I’d also say this is more loosely based on The Secret Garden.
When Isobel Petty is orphaned, she finds herself being taken away from her home in India & sent to live with a distant uncle in England. On board the S.S. Mariana, she witnesses a shocking act – somebody being thrown overboard in the middle in the night. But when the ship’s captain insists that nobody is missing, Isobel & her two new reluctant friends must solve two mysteries – the identities of both the murderer & the victim – before they reach England & the culprit has the chance to escape.
I did find myself wondering why they didn’t go right away & say someone went overboard, so maybe they could be saved lol They didn’t even think of doing that. But they’re kids & were scared. Sam has my heart. What a great little detective. I loved Isobel & all of her unique ways. Lettie got on my nerves, but also grew on me as well. The 3 of them made quite the detective trio! Absolutely loved their HQ too! Horace kind of disgusted me lol, & irritated me with his snooty behavior. He is very young though, & a side character. Everyone was written so well though.
There were many suspects to keep track of, & I didn’t entirely know/remember who everyone was until about halfway through, but it was all very exciting! I had no idea who did it & why, or who the victim was. It’s not very often you also don’t even know who the victim is. Very intriguing! I loved that some of the things written in the original that were a product of the time(but wrong regardless)were addressed in a way, by the author writing in how it wasn’t right how people treated people from India. Great messages/themes in here like that, & another is how important a good friendship can be. I loved watching Isobel making her first friend, & open herself up to more than her anger & everything she carried with her. Don’t know if this will become a series, but I’d love to see where they go from here! Stunning cover by Ray Tierney too!💜
When Isobel Petty is orphaned, she finds herself being taken away from her home in India & sent to live with a distant uncle in England. On board the S.S. Mariana, she witnesses a shocking act – somebody being thrown overboard in the middle in the night. But when the ship’s captain insists that nobody is missing, Isobel & her two new reluctant friends must solve two mysteries – the identities of both the murderer & the victim – before they reach England & the culprit has the chance to escape.
I did find myself wondering why they didn’t go right away & say someone went overboard, so maybe they could be saved lol They didn’t even think of doing that. But they’re kids & were scared. Sam has my heart. What a great little detective. I loved Isobel & all of her unique ways. Lettie got on my nerves, but also grew on me as well. The 3 of them made quite the detective trio! Absolutely loved their HQ too! Horace kind of disgusted me lol, & irritated me with his snooty behavior. He is very young though, & a side character. Everyone was written so well though.
There were many suspects to keep track of, & I didn’t entirely know/remember who everyone was until about halfway through, but it was all very exciting! I had no idea who did it & why, or who the victim was. It’s not very often you also don’t even know who the victim is. Very intriguing! I loved that some of the things written in the original that were a product of the time(but wrong regardless)were addressed in a way, by the author writing in how it wasn’t right how people treated people from India. Great messages/themes in here like that, & another is how important a good friendship can be. I loved watching Isobel making her first friend, & open herself up to more than her anger & everything she carried with her. Don’t know if this will become a series, but I’d love to see where they go from here! Stunning cover by Ray Tierney too!💜
June 2, 2021
This is hands down one of my favourite books of the year for several reasons - a great twisty mystery, a brilliant cast of characters, especially Isobel, and the way this book reckons with the colonialism of classic children's literature.
When Isobel Petty is orphaned, she finds herself aboard the S.S. Mariana travelling from India to England, where she will go to live with her uncle. But one evening when she sneaks out of bed, she witnesses a murder - someone is thrown overboard. But no one seems to be missing, and the captain doesn't seem alarmed. Together with her new friends Sam (who keeps insisting he is the Holmes to her Watson) and Lettie (who she definitely does not like, not at all), the Petty, Lettie and Khan detective agency agree to solve the murder before they reach England.
The murder mystery is well executed and kept me guessing right up until the end. I completely fell for Petty, Lettie and Khan, especially Isobel. She's a noticer, she's blunt, she doesn't really get people, and she's a wonderful addition to the autistic canon.
If you are reading the premise and think it sounds a little like the opening of The Secret Garden, you'd be correct. Instead of Mary Lennox, we have Isobel. The Secret Detectives is a sort of prequel, sort of retelling, that successfully interrogates the colonialist past of beloved children's classics. Isobel's experiences of questioning just how things are done are thought provoking, and I really think that alongside being a really enjoyable brilliant book, this is a book that will make readers think. And that's no mean feat.
I loved Petty, Lettie & Khan and even though I know, because of the whole plot of it, that there will not likely be a sequel I really wish there would be a sequel. A whole series. I want more time with Isobel Petty.
When Isobel Petty is orphaned, she finds herself aboard the S.S. Mariana travelling from India to England, where she will go to live with her uncle. But one evening when she sneaks out of bed, she witnesses a murder - someone is thrown overboard. But no one seems to be missing, and the captain doesn't seem alarmed. Together with her new friends Sam (who keeps insisting he is the Holmes to her Watson) and Lettie (who she definitely does not like, not at all), the Petty, Lettie and Khan detective agency agree to solve the murder before they reach England.
The murder mystery is well executed and kept me guessing right up until the end. I completely fell for Petty, Lettie and Khan, especially Isobel. She's a noticer, she's blunt, she doesn't really get people, and she's a wonderful addition to the autistic canon.
If you are reading the premise and think it sounds a little like the opening of The Secret Garden, you'd be correct. Instead of Mary Lennox, we have Isobel. The Secret Detectives is a sort of prequel, sort of retelling, that successfully interrogates the colonialist past of beloved children's classics. Isobel's experiences of questioning just how things are done are thought provoking, and I really think that alongside being a really enjoyable brilliant book, this is a book that will make readers think. And that's no mean feat.
I loved Petty, Lettie & Khan and even though I know, because of the whole plot of it, that there will not likely be a sequel I really wish there would be a sequel. A whole series. I want more time with Isobel Petty.
June 9, 2021
I was really looking forward to this as a big fan of historical mysteries for children, but if I’m honest I felt quite let down. I like the idea of adapting/imagining Mary Lennox’s trip from India to England, but I would honestly have preferred had just BEEN Mary Lennox, the semi-adaptation element was confusing.
The main character is really unlikable, she doesn’t know anyone and she doesn’t like anything. I LOVE a prickly protagonist, but I just couldn’t root for or relate to Isobel. Lettie and Sam were definitely more fun, and it got a bit easier once they were on the scene more, although I didn’t appreciate the dynamic of Sam having to stop the girls bickering and acting superior.
It’s also hard to have stakes in a murder when you don’t know who the victim or motive is, why should I care? It’s hard not to draw comparisons with the Murder Most Unladylike series, and I think this book could have really benefitted from having the helpful maps/character lists at the beginning like the Unladylike books do. I really struggled to keep track of the characters and their cabins without it, and I’m an adult!
The main character is really unlikable, she doesn’t know anyone and she doesn’t like anything. I LOVE a prickly protagonist, but I just couldn’t root for or relate to Isobel. Lettie and Sam were definitely more fun, and it got a bit easier once they were on the scene more, although I didn’t appreciate the dynamic of Sam having to stop the girls bickering and acting superior.
It’s also hard to have stakes in a murder when you don’t know who the victim or motive is, why should I care? It’s hard not to draw comparisons with the Murder Most Unladylike series, and I think this book could have really benefitted from having the helpful maps/character lists at the beginning like the Unladylike books do. I really struggled to keep track of the characters and their cabins without it, and I’m an adult!
May 23, 2021
I received an eARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It has not affected my opinions.
I really struggled to get into this book and pay attention throughout (I put it down about 5 chapters in and had a nap for a bit, because I just wasn't drawn in). I think a lot of my problem was how I reacted to the start because it simply failed to engage me.
For one, the book begins with an epigraph from THE SECRET GARDEN, and then the main character pretty much feels like Mary Lennox. Isobel has just been orphaned, having grown up isolated in India. She's being sent home to live with her uncle in a big house.
It very much feels like the inspiration for this book was "what if Mary Lennox had to solve a mystery on her way to England?" An inspiration like that is no bad thing - all books have to start somewhere, and a "what if" is a common idea. However, it all felt so similar, down to some of the things she recalled about India.
Isobel is a very unlikeable characters. She's very mean and dismissive. She doesn't like people, or want friends - preferring to be by herself. Now, I'm an introvert, so I get that, but the judgments and comments she made about people were really nasty, particularly her bickering with Letitia (daughter of the woman looking after her.) Some of that can be explained by her grief, but there was just wasn't a single "nice" characteristic about her, something that made me like her. She also was adamantly anti-book ("I don't like books and I won't read") throughout, which is not going to get any book lovers on side!
The start was also quite slow to read through, full of long sections of backstory or description of the people and ship. Isobel was simply observing them, or recalling ideas. As she wasn't doing anything and had no goals, there was little forward momentum to start the story rolling.
After a while, I found the story easier to get into, and the mystery was a lot of fun, but I still felt very much on the outside (and wanting Isobel to be at least a tad more civil to those around her.) The clues and red herrings made for an interesting knot for the heroes to solve.
I really struggled to get into this book and pay attention throughout (I put it down about 5 chapters in and had a nap for a bit, because I just wasn't drawn in). I think a lot of my problem was how I reacted to the start because it simply failed to engage me.
For one, the book begins with an epigraph from THE SECRET GARDEN, and then the main character pretty much feels like Mary Lennox. Isobel has just been orphaned, having grown up isolated in India. She's being sent home to live with her uncle in a big house.
It very much feels like the inspiration for this book was "what if Mary Lennox had to solve a mystery on her way to England?" An inspiration like that is no bad thing - all books have to start somewhere, and a "what if" is a common idea. However, it all felt so similar, down to some of the things she recalled about India.
Isobel is a very unlikeable characters. She's very mean and dismissive. She doesn't like people, or want friends - preferring to be by herself. Now, I'm an introvert, so I get that, but the judgments and comments she made about people were really nasty, particularly her bickering with Letitia (daughter of the woman looking after her.) Some of that can be explained by her grief, but there was just wasn't a single "nice" characteristic about her, something that made me like her. She also was adamantly anti-book ("I don't like books and I won't read") throughout, which is not going to get any book lovers on side!
The start was also quite slow to read through, full of long sections of backstory or description of the people and ship. Isobel was simply observing them, or recalling ideas. As she wasn't doing anything and had no goals, there was little forward momentum to start the story rolling.
After a while, I found the story easier to get into, and the mystery was a lot of fun, but I still felt very much on the outside (and wanting Isobel to be at least a tad more civil to those around her.) The clues and red herrings made for an interesting knot for the heroes to solve.
October 16, 2021
Soms ben ik blij verrast als ik opeens zie dat een uitgeverij beslist om een bepaald boek uit te geven waarvan ik niet had gedacht dat ze er al te veel aandacht aan zouden besteden. De Naamloze Koningin van Rebecca McLaughlin was er zo eentje, dit is er ook zo eentje. Beter nog: dit was er eentje dat ik eerst in het Engels wilde lezen, tot ik zag dat er een vertaling van zou verschijnen.
Die vertaling is gemaakt door Sabine Mutsaers, een naam die ik nog vaag ergens van vroeger ken. Er is eigenlijk niks op aan te merken. Het is een aangename, toegankelijke taal en stijl en er stonden eigenlijk geen typfouten in, op één uitzondering na: hier en daar schortte er iets aan de aanhalingstekens, met name in het begin en het einde van het verhaal: er miste er een, het stond de verkeerde kant op, of de spatie stond aan de verkeerde kant. En daarnaast was er een hoofdstuk dat 'Want zo zijn mensen' heette, terwijl er in de lopende tekst in dat hoofdstuk 'omdat mensen zo zijn' stond - ik vermoed dat er in het Engels twee keer hetzelfde stond. Dus dat mag aangepast worden. Maar verder: perfect werk, niks op aan te merken, dit is zoals een vertaling moet klinken.
De hoofdpersonages zijn alle drie mooi uitgewerkt, origineel, uniek, met duidelijke trekken die hen van elkaar onderscheiden en hen een andere achtergrond geven. Het is grappig om te zien hoe je eerst voor de gek wordt gehouden door Isobels haat tegenover Lettie, want later verandert die laatste in een aangenaam personage. Het is gewoon omdat je Isobels houding leest, dat je zo beïnvloed wordt. Sam is ook heel tof, hoor, ook al heb ik verder niet echt iets over hem te zeggen.
De andere resem personages - het zijn er heel wat - worden allemaal knap en apart in beeld gebracht, het is een heel zootje met een totaal andere achtergrond en dat is duidelijk te merken ook. Het is bovendien een detectiveverhaal, dus er zijn er natuurlijk een hoop die iets op hun kerfstok (lijken te) hebben, je kunt je hersenen op volle toeren laten draaien.
Want de plot zit ook sterk in elkaar. Het boek telt 'maar' 251 bladzijdes, maar het zit toch verdomd knap, en zelfs tamelijk ingewikkeld, ineen. Er gebeurt heel wat en er zijn wel momenten dat het echt spannend is, al krijg je vooral een opbouw en een geheimzinnige sfeer die doorheen het boek weerklinkt, niet echt actie. Maar dat hoeft ook niet - die kinderen zijn maar tien of elf jaar oud. En misschien ga je een paar keer versteld staan ook.
Het is, zo lijkt het toch, voor een deel gebaseerd op De Geheime Tuin, maar dat heb ik nooit gelezen dus ik kan er niet over oordelen (en ook op Sherlock Holmes, maar da's geen verrassing). Ik vond bij de personages ook nog grappig dat er een aantal running gags, of iets dat er sterk bij in de buurt komt, in het boek verwerkt worden, zoals Isobels stokpaardje 'Ik lees niet.' Mooie afwisseling tussen humor en spanning.
Dus verdomme. Waarom is dit weer een alleenstaand boek? Je wilt nu toch weten hoe het verdergaat met Isobel, Lettie en Sam nu ze in Engeland zijn aangekomen? Komaan, Risbridger, laat nog maar eens van je horen. Ik wil een vervolg!
7,8/10
Die vertaling is gemaakt door Sabine Mutsaers, een naam die ik nog vaag ergens van vroeger ken. Er is eigenlijk niks op aan te merken. Het is een aangename, toegankelijke taal en stijl en er stonden eigenlijk geen typfouten in, op één uitzondering na: hier en daar schortte er iets aan de aanhalingstekens, met name in het begin en het einde van het verhaal: er miste er een, het stond de verkeerde kant op, of de spatie stond aan de verkeerde kant. En daarnaast was er een hoofdstuk dat 'Want zo zijn mensen' heette, terwijl er in de lopende tekst in dat hoofdstuk 'omdat mensen zo zijn' stond - ik vermoed dat er in het Engels twee keer hetzelfde stond. Dus dat mag aangepast worden. Maar verder: perfect werk, niks op aan te merken, dit is zoals een vertaling moet klinken.
De hoofdpersonages zijn alle drie mooi uitgewerkt, origineel, uniek, met duidelijke trekken die hen van elkaar onderscheiden en hen een andere achtergrond geven. Het is grappig om te zien hoe je eerst voor de gek wordt gehouden door Isobels haat tegenover Lettie, want later verandert die laatste in een aangenaam personage. Het is gewoon omdat je Isobels houding leest, dat je zo beïnvloed wordt. Sam is ook heel tof, hoor, ook al heb ik verder niet echt iets over hem te zeggen.
De andere resem personages - het zijn er heel wat - worden allemaal knap en apart in beeld gebracht, het is een heel zootje met een totaal andere achtergrond en dat is duidelijk te merken ook. Het is bovendien een detectiveverhaal, dus er zijn er natuurlijk een hoop die iets op hun kerfstok (lijken te) hebben, je kunt je hersenen op volle toeren laten draaien.
Want de plot zit ook sterk in elkaar. Het boek telt 'maar' 251 bladzijdes, maar het zit toch verdomd knap, en zelfs tamelijk ingewikkeld, ineen. Er gebeurt heel wat en er zijn wel momenten dat het echt spannend is, al krijg je vooral een opbouw en een geheimzinnige sfeer die doorheen het boek weerklinkt, niet echt actie. Maar dat hoeft ook niet - die kinderen zijn maar tien of elf jaar oud. En misschien ga je een paar keer versteld staan ook.
Het is, zo lijkt het toch, voor een deel gebaseerd op De Geheime Tuin, maar dat heb ik nooit gelezen dus ik kan er niet over oordelen (en ook op Sherlock Holmes, maar da's geen verrassing). Ik vond bij de personages ook nog grappig dat er een aantal running gags, of iets dat er sterk bij in de buurt komt, in het boek verwerkt worden, zoals Isobels stokpaardje 'Ik lees niet.' Mooie afwisseling tussen humor en spanning.
Dus verdomme. Waarom is dit weer een alleenstaand boek? Je wilt nu toch weten hoe het verdergaat met Isobel, Lettie en Sam nu ze in Engeland zijn aangekomen? Komaan, Risbridger, laat nog maar eens van je horen. Ik wil een vervolg!
7,8/10
June 17, 2021
When this book is good, it's really very good indeed. I thoroughly enjoyed the first third of it, as we meet the prickly Isobel Petty - a protagonist who often feels more like the antagonist of the book. She notices things, but doesn't always process emotions or social niceties in a way that seems to come naturally for her new companions, charming peacemaker Sameer Khan and brilliantly manipulative Letitia Hartington-Davis.
Ella Risbridger sets out what appears to be a rather delicious murder mystery at first. Isobel and Sam spot someone tipping someone else overboard. But who... and who?! It's quite novel for the murderer and the victim to be unknown in a mystery, and it's really fun to follow along as the trio of child detectives set out to uncover the truth of the matter.
At its very best, The Secret Detectives powers along with charm and insight to spare. I love how this book that's ostensibly for young readers grapples so bravely with colonialism and other attendant themes like race, class and identity. The book really sticks the landing too, pulling out some powerful final chapters to resolve the mystery in a satisfying way.
It's a shame, then, that the book fumbles its own narrative in the second act. I think that's partly due to the clever nature of the puzzle - if you don't even know who the victim is, how do you start figuring out motive, murderer and mystery? That middle section of the book fairly plods along, and almost feels like it was written by someone else entirely. It lacks wit and spark, and seems almost to be going through the motions (or padding out a word count) until revelations can be properly made.
Nonetheless, I'm very glad to have made the acquaintance of Isobel, Sam and Lettie (oh, and the perenially sticky younger brother, Horace, too). They are each so lovingly, vividly drawn, full of faults and foibles, but also such courage and intelligence. Their evolving friendship and mutual admiration society is a delight. I'm not sure it's possible to see them back together again, but I would love it if that could happen!
3 - 3.5 stars
Ella Risbridger sets out what appears to be a rather delicious murder mystery at first. Isobel and Sam spot someone tipping someone else overboard. But who... and who?! It's quite novel for the murderer and the victim to be unknown in a mystery, and it's really fun to follow along as the trio of child detectives set out to uncover the truth of the matter.
At its very best, The Secret Detectives powers along with charm and insight to spare. I love how this book that's ostensibly for young readers grapples so bravely with colonialism and other attendant themes like race, class and identity. The book really sticks the landing too, pulling out some powerful final chapters to resolve the mystery in a satisfying way.
It's a shame, then, that the book fumbles its own narrative in the second act. I think that's partly due to the clever nature of the puzzle - if you don't even know who the victim is, how do you start figuring out motive, murderer and mystery? That middle section of the book fairly plods along, and almost feels like it was written by someone else entirely. It lacks wit and spark, and seems almost to be going through the motions (or padding out a word count) until revelations can be properly made.
Nonetheless, I'm very glad to have made the acquaintance of Isobel, Sam and Lettie (oh, and the perenially sticky younger brother, Horace, too). They are each so lovingly, vividly drawn, full of faults and foibles, but also such courage and intelligence. Their evolving friendship and mutual admiration society is a delight. I'm not sure it's possible to see them back together again, but I would love it if that could happen!
3 - 3.5 stars
May 2, 2021
This was a good book.
The story was action packed and fast paced.
All the characters worked well together.
The story was action packed and fast paced.
All the characters worked well together.
July 18, 2021
FULL DISCLOSURE: Ella's a dear pal, but it's a hard five regardless.
I don't really go in for children's lit at all - nothing personal, there's just so many books, so many books - but once all the intricate but easily-digestible ducks were in a row this had me by the throat. Most of all I felt like a silent participant, scuttling between cabins at night, outraged by dismissive adults, and devastated beyond belief by a firm telling off. It really is nice to have a friend, even if you are a horrible little urchin who loves a good murder.
I don't really go in for children's lit at all - nothing personal, there's just so many books, so many books - but once all the intricate but easily-digestible ducks were in a row this had me by the throat. Most of all I felt like a silent participant, scuttling between cabins at night, outraged by dismissive adults, and devastated beyond belief by a firm telling off. It really is nice to have a friend, even if you are a horrible little urchin who loves a good murder.
October 5, 2021
LOVED this!! I adore anything Ella writes, I adore childrens books, I adore boats, and I adore mysteries, so this was always going to be a winner. it's clever and funny and beautiful and important, and I recommend it to anyone of any age. as with all books of the genre I don't want to give too much away in the review, but I will add that I am truly obsessed with all of the characters! especially the swedish dude! more of him pls!
August 20, 2024
Poe, saai. Op de helft besloten het geheel speedreadend uit te lezen, and I couldn't care less wie het dan uiteindelijk had gedaan. Betuttelend, weinig spanning, saaie taal. Gewoon een bleu boek.
July 6, 2025
3.5 - this was so much fun. The characters were distinct and strong, and the story wasn’t too predictable. Now I have to read the secret garden!
July 3, 2021
A great story in the historical crime genre. Set on a boat from India to England three children, who don't get on at first, are convinced that they have witnessed a murder. Their determination to solve the plot brings them together, and reveals aspects of their characters as they combine their talents to find out the truth before the boat docks. So many people who may have something to hide. Will the three be able to work together to solve the mystery? A real page turning detective story with red herrings and interesting minor characters. Fans of Robin Stevens and Katherine Woodfine will welcome this new addition to the genre.
February 8, 2022
This was honestly a pretty good book, and I relate to Isobel 100%(except for the dead parents part).
What colors me curious is the fact that two eleven years olds and a ten year old solved a murder where not only did they not know who the murderer was, but they didn't know who the victim was either. ??? These children are smarter than me istg.
More people should read this book tbh. and the cover?? GORGEOUS.
What colors me curious is the fact that two eleven years olds and a ten year old solved a murder where not only did they not know who the murderer was, but they didn't know who the victim was either. ??? These children are smarter than me istg.
More people should read this book tbh. and the cover?? GORGEOUS.
Read
August 8, 2021DNF p.132
September 6, 2021
What a treasure. I adored every paragraph of this with my whole entire heart. Just wonderful, wonderful.
January 31, 2023
A fun children’s mystery which I enjoyed. Well developed characters and a well paced story. It makes even more sense knowing the link to the Secret Garden
January 6, 2025
soooo cute and whimsical and fun and lovely. You WILL catch me reading this again. Isobel Petty my beloved you are seen and understood.
August 5, 2021
I was really looking forward to reading this book as I absolutely love detective stories of this type. However, I couldn’t warm to this book at all and I ended up skimming through and felt relief to finish it which is not like me at all.
Initially, I found myself getting annoyed by the writing which was slightly clumsy at times. Whilst reading the book, I felt like the plot was continually going round in circles with no real developments. It followed a very repetitive formula: eat; go to the HQ under the lifeboat to bicker and speculate; eat; go to bed. The conversations between the children never really progressed from bickers between Lettie and Isobel, Sam acting as peacemaker and the three children stumbling blindly around who could have done it. The plot lacked clever little clues and details and felt a lot more simplistic when compared to the likes of Robin Stevens.
Another point is that events that could have been significant were glossed over not even mentioned. For example, the children were anxious about the impending health check and the possibility of the suspect escaping, but this was not even referred to in the plot.
Finally, it was disappointing that it was largely by chance that the murderer got discovered rather than by meticulous sleuthing work on the part of the children.
Overall, the book lacked depth and close attention to detail. By the time I finished, I didn’t really care who had done it or why.
Initially, I found myself getting annoyed by the writing which was slightly clumsy at times. Whilst reading the book, I felt like the plot was continually going round in circles with no real developments. It followed a very repetitive formula: eat; go to the HQ under the lifeboat to bicker and speculate; eat; go to bed. The conversations between the children never really progressed from bickers between Lettie and Isobel, Sam acting as peacemaker and the three children stumbling blindly around who could have done it. The plot lacked clever little clues and details and felt a lot more simplistic when compared to the likes of Robin Stevens.
Another point is that events that could have been significant were glossed over not even mentioned. For example, the children were anxious about the impending health check and the possibility of the suspect escaping, but this was not even referred to in the plot.
Finally, it was disappointing that it was largely by chance that the murderer got discovered rather than by meticulous sleuthing work on the part of the children.
Overall, the book lacked depth and close attention to detail. By the time I finished, I didn’t really care who had done it or why.
February 25, 2021
A murder mystery aboard a mail-ship, set in a voyage from India to England in colonial times. Orphan Isobel is Holmes, Sameer Khan is Watsons, and pretty Letitia is a better detective than she looks.
"I know a lot of words. A prodigious quantity. 'Prodigious means 'a lot', by the way. I'm in training from when I'm a proprietor. Holmes is rich, but only... sporadically rich. 'Sporadically' means 'only sometimes'."
Sam Khan is a wordsmith and altogether charming. Teamed up with Isobel, whose story of being an alienated and neglected child is effectively juxtaposed against doll-like Letitia who is actually chock full of guile. Horace was somewhat Chucky-like, avaricious to a fault and almost certain to meet a ghastly end like the tubby over-eater in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Well-fleshed out characters whose misadventures were intriguing to follow.
The plot is gripping (the last fifth of the book made my long journey home on the MRT pass by in a flash) and provides good insight into the social inequalities between pukka sahib and ayah, as well as Sam's mixed-race identity as both fully English and fully Indian.
#middlegradefiction #middlegradelit #middlegradebookreview #whatareyoureadingsg #readingnationsg #lbbreads #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookreview #beautifulbookcovers #TheSecretDetectives #EllaRisbridger
"I know a lot of words. A prodigious quantity. 'Prodigious means 'a lot', by the way. I'm in training from when I'm a proprietor. Holmes is rich, but only... sporadically rich. 'Sporadically' means 'only sometimes'."
Sam Khan is a wordsmith and altogether charming. Teamed up with Isobel, whose story of being an alienated and neglected child is effectively juxtaposed against doll-like Letitia who is actually chock full of guile. Horace was somewhat Chucky-like, avaricious to a fault and almost certain to meet a ghastly end like the tubby over-eater in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Well-fleshed out characters whose misadventures were intriguing to follow.
The plot is gripping (the last fifth of the book made my long journey home on the MRT pass by in a flash) and provides good insight into the social inequalities between pukka sahib and ayah, as well as Sam's mixed-race identity as both fully English and fully Indian.
#middlegradefiction #middlegradelit #middlegradebookreview #whatareyoureadingsg #readingnationsg #lbbreads #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookreview #beautifulbookcovers #TheSecretDetectives #EllaRisbridger
September 27, 2021
This book is what you would get if you crossed The Secret Garden with Harriet the Spy, and then added a dollop of Agatha Christie. However, despite similar background and mannerisms, Isobel is instantly more likable than Mary Lennox! For one thing, she shows more capacity for considering the thoughts and feelings of others.
Actually, I love ALL of the characters in this story – Isobel, Sam, Letitia, Horace. The plot is a whodunnit and why mystery, and Isobel’s clear neurodiversity (which is consistent and authentic, without ever being spoken aloud or diagnosed) proves to be an asset in investigating, even if it makes social interactions very difficult for her.
In addition to neuro-differences, the story deals with racism, sexism, ageism and judging by appearances, with some very useful – but non-didactic – exploration of accepting individuals as they are and accommodating their strengths and weaknesses.
There were points where the main storyline stalled a little, but my interest in the characters kept me reading through the slower points and definitely hooked me into wanting more once the book had finished. I would love to see more from Petty & Khan, and associates!
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
Actually, I love ALL of the characters in this story – Isobel, Sam, Letitia, Horace. The plot is a whodunnit and why mystery, and Isobel’s clear neurodiversity (which is consistent and authentic, without ever being spoken aloud or diagnosed) proves to be an asset in investigating, even if it makes social interactions very difficult for her.
In addition to neuro-differences, the story deals with racism, sexism, ageism and judging by appearances, with some very useful – but non-didactic – exploration of accepting individuals as they are and accommodating their strengths and weaknesses.
There were points where the main storyline stalled a little, but my interest in the characters kept me reading through the slower points and definitely hooked me into wanting more once the book had finished. I would love to see more from Petty & Khan, and associates!
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
May 13, 2021
Inspired by Mary Lennox of ‘The Secret Garden’, Isobel Petty is a similarly sallow and unpleasant orphan, sent home from India after the death of her parents. But on the voyage back to England, Isobel witnesses a murder and is swept up in a dangerous and baffling mystery. The first problem is that there appears to be no victim, Isobel didn’t see the face of the victim and no one has been reported missing. The second problem is Isobel’s co-investigators: Letitia is pretty and spoiled and used to getting her way in everything, Sameer Khan is determined to be Sherlock when this is clearly Isobel’s role. But together the unlikely friends must work out who is missing and why they were murdered. The pacing in the middle of the book is a little slow and they mainly seem to be having lunch over and over again rather than making any progress on the case, and when the investigation gets going at the end, I found it a little confusing. But the awkward relationship dynamics between the three children is wonderfully realised. An atmospheric and adventurous mystery.
May 24, 2021
This book takes the 19th century tale of the Secret Garden, of a sallow disagreeable newly-orphaned girl and reimagines her journey from India to England.
Like the main character Isobel Petty, author Ella Risbridger is a people watcher. She paints complexity in her young middle grade characters. Isobel, detached, hateful, “ugly” even in personality but really needing the companionship she actually yearns. Through friendship, the thaw begins and she truly smiles.
She and her unlikely friends make an unlikely trio who witness a murder deep in the night. The events on board the mail ship unfold like a mini, middle grade Agatha Christie whodunnit. There is a diamond-laden socialite, quarrelsome French sisters, a Russian woman bodybuilder and a sudden inheritance.
I’d recommend this to a 10+ who’d enjoy cracking a junior version murder mystery, or perhaps a sensitive young reader who’s an observer of people. There is a nostalgic, classic, colonial vibe I haven’t seen in a new book release recently.
📚: @definitelybooks (Pansing Distribution)
Like the main character Isobel Petty, author Ella Risbridger is a people watcher. She paints complexity in her young middle grade characters. Isobel, detached, hateful, “ugly” even in personality but really needing the companionship she actually yearns. Through friendship, the thaw begins and she truly smiles.
She and her unlikely friends make an unlikely trio who witness a murder deep in the night. The events on board the mail ship unfold like a mini, middle grade Agatha Christie whodunnit. There is a diamond-laden socialite, quarrelsome French sisters, a Russian woman bodybuilder and a sudden inheritance.
I’d recommend this to a 10+ who’d enjoy cracking a junior version murder mystery, or perhaps a sensitive young reader who’s an observer of people. There is a nostalgic, classic, colonial vibe I haven’t seen in a new book release recently.
📚: @definitelybooks (Pansing Distribution)
September 7, 2024
Great book and the plot took some unexpected twists which kept the story interesting. I did take me a while to get into it, but once I did, I couldn't put it down!
May 29, 2021
Taking inspiration from The Secret Garden and its main protagonist Mary Lennox, The Secret Detectives tells an exciting story about Mary’s, or in this case, Isobel’s journey from India to England.
Eleven-year-old orphan Isobel is a bit of misfit within society. Scruffy, ill-mannered, unloved and unappreciative, she is definitely not the kind of child that Mrs. Colonel Hartington-Davis would want to be escorting on a voyage from India to England. But this is exactly the situation that lady and child find themselves in. Being a minor, Isobel needs to be accompanied by a responsible adult on a journey to England to live with her uncle in Yorkshire.
Isobel would prefer to spend the trip alone and away from people but she is forced into a rather frosty friendship wth Letitia Hartington-Davis. And two quickly become three following a chance encounter with Sameer Khan - an eccentric young boy. When a terrible crime occurs in the middle of the night, the three children find themselves as the only witnesses and must join forces to try and bring the killer to justice before the ship docks and the killer has a chance to escape…
The Secret Detectives is an intriguing historical mystery set in the nineteenth century from a brand-new voice in children’s middle-grade fiction. This assured debut will hold much appeal to fans of the ever-expanding murder mystery genre for readers aged nine and over.
The action unfolds at a steady pace aboard the SS Marianna and largely flits between conversations under the lifeboat - the secret hideout and HQ of the Petty, Lettie and Khan Detective Agency - and meal-times in the dining room. With no-one reported missing and the captain confident that all of his passengers are accounted for the children definitely have their work cut out. As in all good mysteries, there are all manner of suspicious characters with their own secrets to hide and plenty of motives for murder. Add in twists, turns, red-herrings and the appearance of threatening hand-written notes and you’ve got al the ingredients for a murder mystery that will keep readers guessing right until the end.
In creating characters from vastly different backgrounds and with varying views of the society in which they exist, Risbridger is able to explore how background and upbringing has influenced their views on the colonial British rule of India. When the children are not conversing about the crime, they often have insightful talks as they discuss their place in wider society, the inequalities between the English and Indians and the disparity of the rich and their servants. These child views feel honest and the children do not hold back in the their opinions of society and people.
Despite their vastly different backgrounds, the children have much in common and themes of friendship, trust and teamwork are all central to the narrative. Although she would not admit it, friendship is particularly important for Isobel, who underneath her frosty exterior and unwelcoming demeanour is a child who really just wants to be accepted, appreciated and loved. There are some really heart-warming and touching moments as Isobel’s icy facade slowly begins to melt.
Really looking forward to seeing what Ella Risbridger does next, she is an exciting new voice in middle-grade fiction and definitely one to watch out for.
Recommended for 9+.
With thanks to Ella Risbridger and Nosy Crow for the advanced reader copy that was received through NetGalley.
Eleven-year-old orphan Isobel is a bit of misfit within society. Scruffy, ill-mannered, unloved and unappreciative, she is definitely not the kind of child that Mrs. Colonel Hartington-Davis would want to be escorting on a voyage from India to England. But this is exactly the situation that lady and child find themselves in. Being a minor, Isobel needs to be accompanied by a responsible adult on a journey to England to live with her uncle in Yorkshire.
Isobel would prefer to spend the trip alone and away from people but she is forced into a rather frosty friendship wth Letitia Hartington-Davis. And two quickly become three following a chance encounter with Sameer Khan - an eccentric young boy. When a terrible crime occurs in the middle of the night, the three children find themselves as the only witnesses and must join forces to try and bring the killer to justice before the ship docks and the killer has a chance to escape…
The Secret Detectives is an intriguing historical mystery set in the nineteenth century from a brand-new voice in children’s middle-grade fiction. This assured debut will hold much appeal to fans of the ever-expanding murder mystery genre for readers aged nine and over.
The action unfolds at a steady pace aboard the SS Marianna and largely flits between conversations under the lifeboat - the secret hideout and HQ of the Petty, Lettie and Khan Detective Agency - and meal-times in the dining room. With no-one reported missing and the captain confident that all of his passengers are accounted for the children definitely have their work cut out. As in all good mysteries, there are all manner of suspicious characters with their own secrets to hide and plenty of motives for murder. Add in twists, turns, red-herrings and the appearance of threatening hand-written notes and you’ve got al the ingredients for a murder mystery that will keep readers guessing right until the end.
In creating characters from vastly different backgrounds and with varying views of the society in which they exist, Risbridger is able to explore how background and upbringing has influenced their views on the colonial British rule of India. When the children are not conversing about the crime, they often have insightful talks as they discuss their place in wider society, the inequalities between the English and Indians and the disparity of the rich and their servants. These child views feel honest and the children do not hold back in the their opinions of society and people.
Despite their vastly different backgrounds, the children have much in common and themes of friendship, trust and teamwork are all central to the narrative. Although she would not admit it, friendship is particularly important for Isobel, who underneath her frosty exterior and unwelcoming demeanour is a child who really just wants to be accepted, appreciated and loved. There are some really heart-warming and touching moments as Isobel’s icy facade slowly begins to melt.
Really looking forward to seeing what Ella Risbridger does next, she is an exciting new voice in middle-grade fiction and definitely one to watch out for.
Recommended for 9+.
With thanks to Ella Risbridger and Nosy Crow for the advanced reader copy that was received through NetGalley.
July 16, 2021
She understood that if you had thought of seeing the world from such a great distance, and seen people from such a great distance, and seen their movements planned out as if you were outside time, you would do almost anything to have it; and more than that she understood that once you had dreamed of something like walking on the moon you could not leave it alone; and she knew then (and forever after) that she would not have been able to give it up for anything, either.
The Secret Detectives is a historical fiction about three little children solving a horrible crime. Isobel, Lettie and Sam are all from different families. All different all together. But they are all brought together after one horrible night. And from there on they will have to try and work together in order to solve the crime, before it's too late!
I loved the three main character. They all had different types of families, if they even had one. They all were brought up differently, they all had very different opinions (not sure if this is the right word) about ethnicities, ways of life, what children should and should not do, pretty much about everything!
But! What made these three little children work together in the best way possible, as a tight group, was the fact that they spoke about everything. If one was accidentally speaking in a way that was hurtful to the other one, they spoke about it! They educated each other to speak differently, how you can ask if you don't know something but are curious. You know? Does this make any sense?
The plot itself was great. The fact that this book is aimed for children, it was still intriguing enough for me as an adult to keep going. It is easy enough to stay on track but not too easy to figure out the ending before the book even got really started.
I liked the fact that it was set in a mail ship! I haven't read books that were set in mail ships before. There for I guess I should say that the ship building was made well. I got enough visualization to figure out the main parts were everything was going on, were everyone mainly spent their time. But there were some parts of the ship that I would have liked to know more. Even though those weren't the main focus, they were still mentioned quite a lot.
All in all this book was great! Though I know I said it was easy to read, I can see some parts that could be confusing to children at age 10-13 or whatever the children age range is. It is still intriguing and keeps your interest in it. And I could say that every character mentioned in the book is involved in the story from the beginning.
The ending was quite hasty to my liking but this being a book for children, I can see why there wasn't necessarily more depth to everything in the end.
My favorite thing in this book was definitely the fact that three completely different children could work though their differences and opinions and see each other as an individual person, as a human being who deserves just as much as themselves do. The fact that they were able to become such a tight group, not minding about nonsense, basically. I only wish we adults could do that too.
The Secret Detectives is a historical fiction about three little children solving a horrible crime. Isobel, Lettie and Sam are all from different families. All different all together. But they are all brought together after one horrible night. And from there on they will have to try and work together in order to solve the crime, before it's too late!
I loved the three main character. They all had different types of families, if they even had one. They all were brought up differently, they all had very different opinions (not sure if this is the right word) about ethnicities, ways of life, what children should and should not do, pretty much about everything!
But! What made these three little children work together in the best way possible, as a tight group, was the fact that they spoke about everything. If one was accidentally speaking in a way that was hurtful to the other one, they spoke about it! They educated each other to speak differently, how you can ask if you don't know something but are curious. You know? Does this make any sense?
The plot itself was great. The fact that this book is aimed for children, it was still intriguing enough for me as an adult to keep going. It is easy enough to stay on track but not too easy to figure out the ending before the book even got really started.
I liked the fact that it was set in a mail ship! I haven't read books that were set in mail ships before. There for I guess I should say that the ship building was made well. I got enough visualization to figure out the main parts were everything was going on, were everyone mainly spent their time. But there were some parts of the ship that I would have liked to know more. Even though those weren't the main focus, they were still mentioned quite a lot.
All in all this book was great! Though I know I said it was easy to read, I can see some parts that could be confusing to children at age 10-13 or whatever the children age range is. It is still intriguing and keeps your interest in it. And I could say that every character mentioned in the book is involved in the story from the beginning.
The ending was quite hasty to my liking but this being a book for children, I can see why there wasn't necessarily more depth to everything in the end.
My favorite thing in this book was definitely the fact that three completely different children could work though their differences and opinions and see each other as an individual person, as a human being who deserves just as much as themselves do. The fact that they were able to become such a tight group, not minding about nonsense, basically. I only wish we adults could do that too.
June 1, 2021
Set aboard a ship travelling from colonial India to the UK, The Secret Detectives centres on three children from very different backgrounds who become friends as they join together to solve a murder (witnessed by two of them) before the ship docks and the killer has a chance to escape … the problem is that nobody appears to be missing so who was the victim & who is the murderer?
11 yr old Isobel has been brought up in India. Following her parent’s deaths, she is travelling “home” to the UK, a country she has never seen before, to live with an uncle that she has never met. Travelling alone, Isobel must be chaperoned and this task has fallen to the very respectable Mrs. Colonel Hartington-Davis who is travelling with her two children. Mrs Hartington-Davis doesn’t appear to be very thrilled with the scruffy and rather ill-mannered child who prefers her own company, but perhaps Isobel will learn some refinement from 10 year old Letitia Hartington-Davis who is her opposite: a pretty, proper & very polite young lady. The third member of the “gang” is Sameer Khan, an Anglo-Indian boy travelling with his father
Although there were a couple of moments when I wasn’t sure if the author was mixing/confusing timelines (were we in the 1880s or the 1920s?) and what life aboard a colonial ship would really have been like, overall I did enjoy this book and the way that the characters developed. It may attract some negativity due to the tensions between the English/British and Indians during the colonial era but I think that the author did well to address the inequalities and the key characters being children from varied backgrounds allowed for some awkward questions to be asked and discussions to be had. Having Sam who called himself both English/British and Indian was a useful twist to help with this. I thought that the solving of the murder was well paced and well thought out with an appropriate level of mysterious clues, twists & turns and of course a few red herrings to counteract the assumptions being made!
This book is great for the 8-12 age group, but children a little younger could enjoy reading it with an adult and those who are a little older would still enjoy it as a quick read!
Disclosure: I received an advance reader copy of this book free via NetGalley. Whilst thanks go to the publisher for the opportunity to read it, all opinions are my own.
#TheSecretDetectives #NetGalley
11 yr old Isobel has been brought up in India. Following her parent’s deaths, she is travelling “home” to the UK, a country she has never seen before, to live with an uncle that she has never met. Travelling alone, Isobel must be chaperoned and this task has fallen to the very respectable Mrs. Colonel Hartington-Davis who is travelling with her two children. Mrs Hartington-Davis doesn’t appear to be very thrilled with the scruffy and rather ill-mannered child who prefers her own company, but perhaps Isobel will learn some refinement from 10 year old Letitia Hartington-Davis who is her opposite: a pretty, proper & very polite young lady. The third member of the “gang” is Sameer Khan, an Anglo-Indian boy travelling with his father
Although there were a couple of moments when I wasn’t sure if the author was mixing/confusing timelines (were we in the 1880s or the 1920s?) and what life aboard a colonial ship would really have been like, overall I did enjoy this book and the way that the characters developed. It may attract some negativity due to the tensions between the English/British and Indians during the colonial era but I think that the author did well to address the inequalities and the key characters being children from varied backgrounds allowed for some awkward questions to be asked and discussions to be had. Having Sam who called himself both English/British and Indian was a useful twist to help with this. I thought that the solving of the murder was well paced and well thought out with an appropriate level of mysterious clues, twists & turns and of course a few red herrings to counteract the assumptions being made!
This book is great for the 8-12 age group, but children a little younger could enjoy reading it with an adult and those who are a little older would still enjoy it as a quick read!
Disclosure: I received an advance reader copy of this book free via NetGalley. Whilst thanks go to the publisher for the opportunity to read it, all opinions are my own.
#TheSecretDetectives #NetGalley
May 14, 2021
A cold-hearted murder is unexpectedly observed by three children who, despite their varied backgrounds and personalities, become friends as they join together to solve the mystery of who was the victim and who was the murderer on a ship where there appears to be nobody missing!
Firstly, I really enjoyed the three central characters - the development of their friendship in particular. Isobel starts of as quite an abrasive character due to being largely left to her own devices by her parents when they were alive and being unsure how to 'play' and be a 'friend' due to never having had other children to play with. Her appearance is untidy and this makes her problematic in the eyes of the well-dressed coiffed women of society, namely Letitia's mother. Letitia, in comparison, is everything Isobel is not and she knows it. However, underneath she displays the ability to use her 'prettiness' to her advantage and shows great pluck. Sameer is a character I loved for his grand use of words, his creation of an 'office' under the lifeboat, yet he also demands sympathy due to his family circumstances and his father who prioritises his work.
Set during colonial times, I felt the author dealt sympathetically with the tensions between the English and Indians, the wealthy and the servants. There was an honesty about the inequalities that existed at this time and, due to the characters being children, there was a lot of open discussion about race and place in society. The fact that Sam identified as both English and Indian was helpful and these conversations helped Isobel and Lettie to question their assumptions.
The solving of the murder was well thought out with twists, turns, mysterious clues and some red herrings - I was certainly gripped! The pacing overall was good, and whilst the characters did attend mealtimes often on the boat, I feel this was a significant place for observing potential murderers and was necessary for the plot.
I really enjoyed this and hope that the three of them return in another adventure soon! Thanks to NetGalley and NosyCrow books for the chance to read and review before publication. All opinions are my own.
Firstly, I really enjoyed the three central characters - the development of their friendship in particular. Isobel starts of as quite an abrasive character due to being largely left to her own devices by her parents when they were alive and being unsure how to 'play' and be a 'friend' due to never having had other children to play with. Her appearance is untidy and this makes her problematic in the eyes of the well-dressed coiffed women of society, namely Letitia's mother. Letitia, in comparison, is everything Isobel is not and she knows it. However, underneath she displays the ability to use her 'prettiness' to her advantage and shows great pluck. Sameer is a character I loved for his grand use of words, his creation of an 'office' under the lifeboat, yet he also demands sympathy due to his family circumstances and his father who prioritises his work.
Set during colonial times, I felt the author dealt sympathetically with the tensions between the English and Indians, the wealthy and the servants. There was an honesty about the inequalities that existed at this time and, due to the characters being children, there was a lot of open discussion about race and place in society. The fact that Sam identified as both English and Indian was helpful and these conversations helped Isobel and Lettie to question their assumptions.
The solving of the murder was well thought out with twists, turns, mysterious clues and some red herrings - I was certainly gripped! The pacing overall was good, and whilst the characters did attend mealtimes often on the boat, I feel this was a significant place for observing potential murderers and was necessary for the plot.
I really enjoyed this and hope that the three of them return in another adventure soon! Thanks to NetGalley and NosyCrow books for the chance to read and review before publication. All opinions are my own.
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