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Hippo Mystery #1
The Deadly Dare Mysteries
In
Deadly Dare
, there's a new craze at Theo and Ricky's school. The rules are simple: write a dare, put it in the bag and take turns to pick one out. But on the night Ricky does his dare and enters the deserted warehouse, he disappears. What really happened to Ricky - and how much does new girl Angela know? Theo needs to find the answers before it's too late . . .
There's nothing unusual about getting emails from your dad . . . unless he died a few months ago. In Computer Ghost Jade asks Theo, Ricky and Angela to help her find out what's going on. Could the mysterious, desperate messages really be from a ghost? One thing's for sure. Whoever is behind them wants something badly - and they'll stop at nothing to get it . . .
Theo, Ricky and Angela have to become Lie Detectives to uncover the truth about top inventor, Darius Marriott, after he comes to give a talk at school and collapses. Who is out to get him, and why does their friend Bullet seem so involved? They're determined to get to the bottom of it all - but that could prove to be much more dangerous than they think . . .
Three gripping mysteries by bestselling Malorie Blackman.
There's nothing unusual about getting emails from your dad . . . unless he died a few months ago. In Computer Ghost Jade asks Theo, Ricky and Angela to help her find out what's going on. Could the mysterious, desperate messages really be from a ghost? One thing's for sure. Whoever is behind them wants something badly - and they'll stop at nothing to get it . . .
Theo, Ricky and Angela have to become Lie Detectives to uncover the truth about top inventor, Darius Marriott, after he comes to give a talk at school and collapses. Who is out to get him, and why does their friend Bullet seem so involved? They're determined to get to the bottom of it all - but that could prove to be much more dangerous than they think . . .
Three gripping mysteries by bestselling Malorie Blackman.
400 pages, Paperback
First published August 18, 1995
9 people are currently reading
175 people want to read
About the author
Malorie Blackman
156 books4,515 followersAn award-winning children's author, Malorie Blackman was honoured with an OBE in 2008. Her work has been adapted for TV and stage.
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More information available at:
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British Council: Encompass Culture
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
April 20, 2023
One mystery…was just…never solved?
April 21, 2023
The first book, Deadly Dare, is set in May 1995. It was written in 1995 and set in May. In the first book, Angela is the new girl at school, but is the new Queen Bee despite having only been there for a couple of days. Theo and Ricky are best friends, they’ve been close for a long time. Angela doesn’t have the bond they have with anyone. Her mother abandoned her when she was five and her father died when she was seven. She’s been raised by her older brother (or half-brother) Tom, who has some dodgy mates who are planning something dodgy (illegal). She’s started a game called “Cash or Dare” where everyone playing writes down an anonymous dare and then Angela hands them out randomly. But when a dare backfires dramatically and results in Ricky going missing, Theo must work with Angela to save him. This book proved to be very good. Characters I liked:
Theo: He’s an unlikely hero. He’s quiet and small and doesn’t have much of a reputation. He has caring parents who will do anything to protect him from the dodgy world. I’d say he’s a bit sheltered but is clever and makes a good Leader. His determination and bravery is admirable.
Angela: Her loyalty for her brother can be frustrating and at certain points you may dislike her but ultimately she’s just looking out for her brother. She’s been through a lot of sadness in her life and it is hard. Her mother wants nothing to do with her and Angela hasn’t heard from her since she was 5 years old. Her father died when she’s was 7. Tom (who’s in his early 20’s) has raised her since their father’s death and they’ve struggled to stay together, social workers have wanted to put Angela in a care home for a while. As such, Angela is rightfully worried. She’s ultimately put into foster care as a result.
Ricky: He’s brash, yes, but kind and protective of Theo. Ricky showed a very realistic yet painful reaction to his trauma of being kidnapped. It’s a shame we didn’t see more of him. He’s clearly a good guy. Ricky loves with a single mother in a block of flats, not in a house like Theo. His parents are divorced and he doesn’t speak to his father (this is mentioned in book 3). As such, the reason we never see his father during Ricky’s disappearance is because he wants nothing to do with Ricky.
All the characters had emotions. The main characters yes, but also others. Tom genuinely cares for his sister but is weak-willed when it comes to his mates. Dylan (Tom’s best mate) seems genuinely close with Tom and genuinely doesn’t like having to hold Ricky as a hostage. Robbie and Scott are “up to something . . . Evil” that Dylan and Tom aren’t aware of. They are not planning on releasing Ricky like Tom thinks, and don’t intend to keep Tom or Dylan around with them. It’s implied Tom and Dylan would have been murdered if Theo and Angela didn’t stop them. Yet Robbie seems worried about his brother when Scott doesn’t show up for the robbery. Despite all of their cruelty, they are close. Tom and Dylan are not as bad as Robbie and Scott. Robbie and Scott are clearly looking out for themselves only, but they do care about each other. It’s a thrilling story with more emotion and psychological depth than you might think.
The sequel to Deadly Dare is called Computer Ghost. We meet 2 new main characters who are in our main trio’s class: Jade and Bullet (not his real name). Jade and Bullet would have been around during Deadly Dare, they might have even been part of Angela’s dare game. It’s no longer May now, it’s October 1995 (the sequel was written in 1997 but is set in the same year as Deadly Dare). It was originally hot in Deadly Dare, it’s gotten cold now. Jade’s father, Paul, died 3 months ago. And she has recently been getting Emails . . . From her dead father. He’s asking her for something! Bullet is a Computer geek. He’s obsessed with Computing. Theo and Ricky start a detective agency with Angela’s assistance. Jade hires them to help her with the Emails. But even the trio are baffled? Is it a Ghost or is it something even deadlier? Whatever it is sending those Emails, they want something very badly.
Characters I liked:
Ricky: Ricky is my favourite character. As mentioned above, he’s kind and intelligent despite his brash nature. He may be tough on the outside, but he’s soft on the inside. He lets Theo be the Leader despite Ricky being more responsible. Ricky is shown moving on from his kidnapping all those months ago, though will never forget it and occasionally gets horrific memories. This was very positive for me. I’m glad he was given a larger role here.
Jade: Jade is a good example of someone who has recently lost a parent. There are lots of different reactions to losing a parent at such a young age, the kids are about 13 in the sequel. Jade is originally aloof to the three, especially Angela, who is very blunt. But she gradually warms up to them, especially when Ricky makes it clear they genuinely want to help her. Jade and Ricky had great chemistry, I can honestly see a possible relationship between them.
Bullet (Toby): Bullet is a Computer geek with not that many friends. He’s socially awkward and perhaps the Computer Lab is a safer place for him than the Cafeteria. When you get him talking about a subject he likes, he talks and talks. Though he annoys the Trio, you’re bound to love him. Angela has a crush on Bullet, which Theo cannot get. Bullet isn’t very attractive nor social. But he’s somewhat weak-willed and in need of protection (sort of like how Angela saw her older brother Tom, who is in prison serving a long sentence by the way). Bullet ultimately finds the group of friends he wants in Theo, Ricky, Angela and Jade. At the end, they all sit together at lunch.
This book was great. They say Sequels are never quite as good as the original. I think this sequel is actually better than Deadly Dare though. As well as the fact Ricky got a larger role, it was a genuine mystery (not one where all the dots were joint up for us). It explored the supernatural and was thrilling to read. Yes, I loved it. The characters were pretty likeable, except for this one thing Theo did to Ricky and Angela, where he excluded them because he didn’t think it would have been fair to drag them into another stressful mess again, like when Ricky was kidnapped and Angela’s brother and his Gang were behind it. The exclusion is very frustrating and that is just about the only problem I had with this book. Other than that, Computer Ghost was just brilliant.
The third book is called Lie Detectives. This time, it’s set in late May and Early June of 1996. The book was written in 1998, but set in same universe as previous books. The characters are either 13 or 14 here. In this book, a famous inventor, Darius Marriott, has a heart attack while he is wearing his latest invention, The Lazarus Suit, and this was no normal heart attack. It was an electric shock. Bullet reveals that Darius might be his long lost father; his mother worked for him when she was young and had begun a relationship with him. She also said that she got pregnant with Bullet at that age, so Bullet put 2 and 2 together. It’s confirmed that Darius is Bullet’s father, and he is quick to change his will to put his long lost son as his heir. But when it becomes clear that someone does not want Bullet in the picture, and are willing to bring violence and even MURDER into the picture . . .
Characters who had an effect on me:
Theo: Theo is very different in this book than he is in the other 2 books. His birthday is revealed to be early June (so he’s a Gemini). Here, he’s very annoying. What happened to the unlikely hero who started the detective solving? In this version he’s whiny and spoiled and doesn’t have any imagination. He refuses to acknowledge there’s a possibility of Darius being Bullet’s son and really doesn’t want to be there for Bullet when they confront Darius at the Hospital. He’s also condescending to Ricky who remains my favourite character. Yes, Theo is whiny, spoiled, condescending, bitchy, selfish and somewhat arrogant in this novel.
Bullet: I don’t know where to begin, in Computer Ghost, Bullet had such potential as a character. If a little immodest, he was good-natured but socially awkward. In this book, he’s rude, vengeful, bratty and controlling. He ditches his friends very quickly and accuses them of just using him for his dads money . . . When they have been best friends with Bullet since October, and the story is set in May and June. They’ve been friends for like 7 and 1/2 months if my maths is correct. And Bullet was poor then. Did he seriously think they’d be close with him for 7 and 1/2 months waiting for his long lost dad (who they didn’t even know was rich) . . .?
Jade: There’s nothing to tell . . . In this book Jade isn’t even here. It’s said that Jade moved to Manchester to be closer to relatives. What was the point in this? Jade was a brilliant character who should have stayed. I don’t think the main five needed to be a main four instead. I don’t care if Jade didn’t end up with Ricky, like Angela didn’t end up with Bullet, but come on! Jade could have stayed and been helpful! Now all we know is she lives in Manchester and had to leave! I wanted the main five to stay together!
This book is a disappointment compared to its 2 predecessors. Deadly Dare and Computer Ghost has suspense and intrigue and most importantly . . . Likeable characters. While I’d say this book is worth reading, and it’s fine when you don’t compare it to the other 2, prepare to be disappointed if you do choose to compare it to Deadly Dare and Computer Ghost.
Theo: He’s an unlikely hero. He’s quiet and small and doesn’t have much of a reputation. He has caring parents who will do anything to protect him from the dodgy world. I’d say he’s a bit sheltered but is clever and makes a good Leader. His determination and bravery is admirable.
Angela: Her loyalty for her brother can be frustrating and at certain points you may dislike her but ultimately she’s just looking out for her brother. She’s been through a lot of sadness in her life and it is hard. Her mother wants nothing to do with her and Angela hasn’t heard from her since she was 5 years old. Her father died when she’s was 7. Tom (who’s in his early 20’s) has raised her since their father’s death and they’ve struggled to stay together, social workers have wanted to put Angela in a care home for a while. As such, Angela is rightfully worried. She’s ultimately put into foster care as a result.
Ricky: He’s brash, yes, but kind and protective of Theo. Ricky showed a very realistic yet painful reaction to his trauma of being kidnapped. It’s a shame we didn’t see more of him. He’s clearly a good guy. Ricky loves with a single mother in a block of flats, not in a house like Theo. His parents are divorced and he doesn’t speak to his father (this is mentioned in book 3). As such, the reason we never see his father during Ricky’s disappearance is because he wants nothing to do with Ricky.
All the characters had emotions. The main characters yes, but also others. Tom genuinely cares for his sister but is weak-willed when it comes to his mates. Dylan (Tom’s best mate) seems genuinely close with Tom and genuinely doesn’t like having to hold Ricky as a hostage. Robbie and Scott are “up to something . . . Evil” that Dylan and Tom aren’t aware of. They are not planning on releasing Ricky like Tom thinks, and don’t intend to keep Tom or Dylan around with them. It’s implied Tom and Dylan would have been murdered if Theo and Angela didn’t stop them. Yet Robbie seems worried about his brother when Scott doesn’t show up for the robbery. Despite all of their cruelty, they are close. Tom and Dylan are not as bad as Robbie and Scott. Robbie and Scott are clearly looking out for themselves only, but they do care about each other. It’s a thrilling story with more emotion and psychological depth than you might think.
The sequel to Deadly Dare is called Computer Ghost. We meet 2 new main characters who are in our main trio’s class: Jade and Bullet (not his real name). Jade and Bullet would have been around during Deadly Dare, they might have even been part of Angela’s dare game. It’s no longer May now, it’s October 1995 (the sequel was written in 1997 but is set in the same year as Deadly Dare). It was originally hot in Deadly Dare, it’s gotten cold now. Jade’s father, Paul, died 3 months ago. And she has recently been getting Emails . . . From her dead father. He’s asking her for something! Bullet is a Computer geek. He’s obsessed with Computing. Theo and Ricky start a detective agency with Angela’s assistance. Jade hires them to help her with the Emails. But even the trio are baffled? Is it a Ghost or is it something even deadlier? Whatever it is sending those Emails, they want something very badly.
Characters I liked:
Ricky: Ricky is my favourite character. As mentioned above, he’s kind and intelligent despite his brash nature. He may be tough on the outside, but he’s soft on the inside. He lets Theo be the Leader despite Ricky being more responsible. Ricky is shown moving on from his kidnapping all those months ago, though will never forget it and occasionally gets horrific memories. This was very positive for me. I’m glad he was given a larger role here.
Jade: Jade is a good example of someone who has recently lost a parent. There are lots of different reactions to losing a parent at such a young age, the kids are about 13 in the sequel. Jade is originally aloof to the three, especially Angela, who is very blunt. But she gradually warms up to them, especially when Ricky makes it clear they genuinely want to help her. Jade and Ricky had great chemistry, I can honestly see a possible relationship between them.
Bullet (Toby): Bullet is a Computer geek with not that many friends. He’s socially awkward and perhaps the Computer Lab is a safer place for him than the Cafeteria. When you get him talking about a subject he likes, he talks and talks. Though he annoys the Trio, you’re bound to love him. Angela has a crush on Bullet, which Theo cannot get. Bullet isn’t very attractive nor social. But he’s somewhat weak-willed and in need of protection (sort of like how Angela saw her older brother Tom, who is in prison serving a long sentence by the way). Bullet ultimately finds the group of friends he wants in Theo, Ricky, Angela and Jade. At the end, they all sit together at lunch.
This book was great. They say Sequels are never quite as good as the original. I think this sequel is actually better than Deadly Dare though. As well as the fact Ricky got a larger role, it was a genuine mystery (not one where all the dots were joint up for us). It explored the supernatural and was thrilling to read. Yes, I loved it. The characters were pretty likeable, except for this one thing Theo did to Ricky and Angela, where he excluded them because he didn’t think it would have been fair to drag them into another stressful mess again, like when Ricky was kidnapped and Angela’s brother and his Gang were behind it. The exclusion is very frustrating and that is just about the only problem I had with this book. Other than that, Computer Ghost was just brilliant.
The third book is called Lie Detectives. This time, it’s set in late May and Early June of 1996. The book was written in 1998, but set in same universe as previous books. The characters are either 13 or 14 here. In this book, a famous inventor, Darius Marriott, has a heart attack while he is wearing his latest invention, The Lazarus Suit, and this was no normal heart attack. It was an electric shock. Bullet reveals that Darius might be his long lost father; his mother worked for him when she was young and had begun a relationship with him. She also said that she got pregnant with Bullet at that age, so Bullet put 2 and 2 together. It’s confirmed that Darius is Bullet’s father, and he is quick to change his will to put his long lost son as his heir. But when it becomes clear that someone does not want Bullet in the picture, and are willing to bring violence and even MURDER into the picture . . .
Characters who had an effect on me:
Theo: Theo is very different in this book than he is in the other 2 books. His birthday is revealed to be early June (so he’s a Gemini). Here, he’s very annoying. What happened to the unlikely hero who started the detective solving? In this version he’s whiny and spoiled and doesn’t have any imagination. He refuses to acknowledge there’s a possibility of Darius being Bullet’s son and really doesn’t want to be there for Bullet when they confront Darius at the Hospital. He’s also condescending to Ricky who remains my favourite character. Yes, Theo is whiny, spoiled, condescending, bitchy, selfish and somewhat arrogant in this novel.
Bullet: I don’t know where to begin, in Computer Ghost, Bullet had such potential as a character. If a little immodest, he was good-natured but socially awkward. In this book, he’s rude, vengeful, bratty and controlling. He ditches his friends very quickly and accuses them of just using him for his dads money . . . When they have been best friends with Bullet since October, and the story is set in May and June. They’ve been friends for like 7 and 1/2 months if my maths is correct. And Bullet was poor then. Did he seriously think they’d be close with him for 7 and 1/2 months waiting for his long lost dad (who they didn’t even know was rich) . . .?
Jade: There’s nothing to tell . . . In this book Jade isn’t even here. It’s said that Jade moved to Manchester to be closer to relatives. What was the point in this? Jade was a brilliant character who should have stayed. I don’t think the main five needed to be a main four instead. I don’t care if Jade didn’t end up with Ricky, like Angela didn’t end up with Bullet, but come on! Jade could have stayed and been helpful! Now all we know is she lives in Manchester and had to leave! I wanted the main five to stay together!
This book is a disappointment compared to its 2 predecessors. Deadly Dare and Computer Ghost has suspense and intrigue and most importantly . . . Likeable characters. While I’d say this book is worth reading, and it’s fine when you don’t compare it to the other 2, prepare to be disappointed if you do choose to compare it to Deadly Dare and Computer Ghost.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2019
It all started with one dare or probably one game, that a new girl in class “Angela” suggested: “cash or dare”. The rules are simple; before playing; every person who joined the game must put 1$ in a cup, then take a piece of paper and write a dare on it, fold it twice and put it in the bag. After everyone playing had already done this, “Angela” mixed all the papers together then gave each person one dare, no one knows who wrote his dare, and no one is allowed to tell anyone what dare did he get or what was it about. But that night “Theo” a boy in class, had got the flu, and his best friend “Ricky” came to visit him. They both were really worried because of their dares. Suddenly “Ricky” had a crazy idea; why don’t they switch dares? That was ok with two of the boys so they switched their dares and promised each other they will never have their dares back. “Ricky” left after a couple of minutes and managed to escape from his house to do his dare witch he had to do this exact same night, but “Theo” couldn’t his parents were watching him really closely and didn’t let him even get out of bed, but he was really lucky he had the entire week, So he just slept after that. The next morning “Theo” couldn’t go to school because of his cold, and even his mom took a day off from work. But she was still working on her PC at home, when suddenly the police and Ricky s’ mom came in eventually, they all seemed to be really uncomfortable and afraid especially “Ricky ” s’mom, and turns out that “Ricky” had disappeared since yesterday night, "Theo" told the police about the dare. So they went out to search but in vain. So now it was “Theo” s’turn to solve the new mystery: WHERE IS “RICKY” ?????
January 9, 2014
Despite being 24 I thought I would give this a go as I have loved Malorie Blackman since reading Noughts and Crosses.
The 3 stories featured in this book followed friends Theo, Ricky and Angela and focus on unusual goings on at and around their school.
These were stories aimed at younger readers (early teens, mainly boys), but a good way to lead on to more mature detective stories such as Sherlock olmes and Poirot (which are mentioned throughout the stories).
The 3 stories featured in this book followed friends Theo, Ricky and Angela and focus on unusual goings on at and around their school.
These were stories aimed at younger readers (early teens, mainly boys), but a good way to lead on to more mature detective stories such as Sherlock olmes and Poirot (which are mentioned throughout the stories).
April 8, 2013
Deadly Dare - 4 stars: Full review can be found at From the Shadows I Review
Well, this is a story for younger readers so I wasn’t really sure if I’d like it but you know me, I’ll try anything once and I found myself to be pleasantly surprised. At 123(ish) pages, this is a very short story. So enjoyable though. The mystery begins early with a mysterious POV and then it just keeps going and shows no sign of letting up until we’ve solved our mystery. I liked that, it stopped me from getting bored and I get bored way too easily sometimes. Malorie Blackman has a way of writing for kids and it translates so well for me. The feel is completely to her YA books but equally as good.
Theo – He’s the character we’re with for the majority of the book. I like him, he’s an unlikely hero and I was really backing him (Get in a boy!! You show them what you’re made of!). He was a really nice character and I really couldn’t find a reason not to like him.
Angela – It’s hard to describe her without spoilers, I will try though! The beginning of the story Angela appears to be a normal girl but as the story goes on it becomes apparent that her home life isn’t what she wants you to believe. She’s a nice girl but her secrets and sometimes foolish behaviour can get frustrating.
Ricky – Ricky is Theo’s best friend. He instantly appears protective of the ill Theo. I like this about him. Although we don’t see much of Ricky, I have to say that he is definitely a character that I’d like to see more of. From what we do see of him I will admit that I’m a fan of his. He handled what happened to him in this story very well and I hope that we get to see more of him in books 2 and 3.
Overall this is an enjoyable story. Although it is aimed at readers younger than myself I found that didn’t matter. The actual mystery comes to the reader at an early stage and the developments follow thick and fast which is a great way of holding the reader’s attention too! The writing is good enough that I didn’t find myself getting bored which sometimes do when reading books for people who are younger than young adult. The plot of the story refuses to let up until it’s revealed all of its secrets to the reader. Put all these things together and you have a great story for pre-teens that love to read. All kids should read. It’s and so much fun... way better than throwing snowballs at houses... oh sorry, off topic!
Computer Ghost: 4 Stars For my pre read thoughts and reasons for rating please visit my blog, From the Shadows I Review
This story is just as good as the first ‘Deadly Dare Mysteries’ book, in fact I think it’s slightly better! With Theo’s P O V and character firmly I knew to expect some fun and Theo delivered! With the thing I liked about this is that it managed to feel like a natural continuation of ‘Deadly Dare’ and I didn’t feel like everything that had happened prior to the start of this adventure. The actual mystery had me convinced that events were going to unfold differently to what they did. I really appreciated this as the reader because predictability puts me off the story and how the author actually decided how the plot is going to come together in the end. The pace of the story made reading a complete pleasure and I rapidly read the 120 or so pages. As you’ve gathered the story is short but what it lacks in length it makes up for by being action packed and engrossing. Once again I found myself thoroughly enjoying Malorie’s writing. I never seem to be able to fault it.
Jade – she’s the first of two new characters. She’s also the reason we have the story. I love it when a girl she’s getting emails off a ghost! What we see of her is mainly what she goes through as she tries to deal with what’s happening to her. I liked what I saw of her and I really hope that we get to see more of her in the next instalment of the ‘Deadly Dare Mysteries’.
Bullet – that isn’t his actual name (I’d be worried if it was!) It’s his nickname, his real name is Toby (hang on a minute, the main character in ‘Double Cross’ was called Tobey... name overlap!!) He’s the other new character. He’s a bit (lot) of a computer geek and I think that could lead to some interesting developments investigating wise... *thinks of illegal computer activities* Or they could stop illegal computer activities! Okay, now I’m inventing plot ideas. He has a small but integral role and I look forward to reading more of him.
Ricky – He has a bigger part in this book. I love how he’s light and cheerful one moment but how his mood intensifies and darkens as emotions get the best of him. Although I think all of the characters are nice, Ricky is quickly becoming my favourite. He’s fun but responsible and allows Theo to be the leader (even though he’d probably do a better job), sometimes though his impulsiveness leads him in to trouble. It’d be great to go on an adventure with him though!
Overall this is a quick, fun to read for kids! It’s very short so there isn’t pages of unnecessary build up for an ending that wasn’t worth waiting for. The writing keeps things interesting and doesn’t over complicate matters. In my opinion writing for many genres can be challenging as you have to constantly evolve your style to suit different audiences but Malorie Blackman always manages to pull it off with effortless grace.
Lie Detectives: 3 stars For my pre read thoughts and reasons for rating please visit From the Shadows I Review
This is my least favourite of the three stories. It dragged a bit and didn’t hold my attention as well. I did keep drifting off into nowhereness. I didn’t feel as invested in the mystery, probably because I didn’t like Darius – more about him later in this review. The story started promisingly with an encounter shrouded in secrets to be revealed and my interest was piqued but it deteriorated slightly as I felt that I was being left out of the loop (in a bad way). The writing itself was good though and I did like it, I just feel the pace was slightly off and I had some character issues which I’ll address now.
Darius – Well he certainly likes to enter a story with a bang. At the end of his first scene he’d keeled over! Just because that much attention isn’t enough we then find out a revelation about him and one of our school kid heroes. I didn’t particularly like him and he did nothing to change that. Everyone around him is collateral damage, as long as he comes out on top all is well with the world. He needs a few lessons in respect. I’ll teach him.
Bullet – Oh Toby! You’ve let me down! I thought with all your geekiness you’d be super awesome and remain untainted by the influence of idiots. Unfortunately not because for a portion of this book I was wondering if he’d been reading “How to be a Tool” because he was a bit of a spanner! That pretty much sums up Bullet for me. Disappointment on my part and idiocy on his!
Theo – Theo got a slight taste of his own medicine in this. If you read book 2 you’ll know what he did and in this one Ricky does it back. Mature boys! I do like him but I can’t help but think he’s a bit bratty and spoilt and whiny here. I really didn’t like that one iota. I want my lead character to be strong, brave and coolness personified and Theo wasn’t really anything like that here. He seems to have lost a few brain cells as well. He should see a doctor about that before it gets worse and he turns into an airhead.
Overall not as enjoyable as its predecessors but by no means is this a bad book. The writing is of the high standard you come to expect from Malorie Blackman. You know you’re in safe hands when she’s at the helm, but the plot and the character development just weren’t doing it for me. I think my age has finally caught up with me. I’m too old for this caper. I can see what she was trying to do.
Well, this is a story for younger readers so I wasn’t really sure if I’d like it but you know me, I’ll try anything once and I found myself to be pleasantly surprised. At 123(ish) pages, this is a very short story. So enjoyable though. The mystery begins early with a mysterious POV and then it just keeps going and shows no sign of letting up until we’ve solved our mystery. I liked that, it stopped me from getting bored and I get bored way too easily sometimes. Malorie Blackman has a way of writing for kids and it translates so well for me. The feel is completely to her YA books but equally as good.
Theo – He’s the character we’re with for the majority of the book. I like him, he’s an unlikely hero and I was really backing him (Get in a boy!! You show them what you’re made of!). He was a really nice character and I really couldn’t find a reason not to like him.
Angela – It’s hard to describe her without spoilers, I will try though! The beginning of the story Angela appears to be a normal girl but as the story goes on it becomes apparent that her home life isn’t what she wants you to believe. She’s a nice girl but her secrets and sometimes foolish behaviour can get frustrating.
Ricky – Ricky is Theo’s best friend. He instantly appears protective of the ill Theo. I like this about him. Although we don’t see much of Ricky, I have to say that he is definitely a character that I’d like to see more of. From what we do see of him I will admit that I’m a fan of his. He handled what happened to him in this story very well and I hope that we get to see more of him in books 2 and 3.
Overall this is an enjoyable story. Although it is aimed at readers younger than myself I found that didn’t matter. The actual mystery comes to the reader at an early stage and the developments follow thick and fast which is a great way of holding the reader’s attention too! The writing is good enough that I didn’t find myself getting bored which sometimes do when reading books for people who are younger than young adult. The plot of the story refuses to let up until it’s revealed all of its secrets to the reader. Put all these things together and you have a great story for pre-teens that love to read. All kids should read. It’s and so much fun... way better than throwing snowballs at houses... oh sorry, off topic!
Computer Ghost: 4 Stars For my pre read thoughts and reasons for rating please visit my blog, From the Shadows I Review
This story is just as good as the first ‘Deadly Dare Mysteries’ book, in fact I think it’s slightly better! With Theo’s P O V and character firmly I knew to expect some fun and Theo delivered! With the thing I liked about this is that it managed to feel like a natural continuation of ‘Deadly Dare’ and I didn’t feel like everything that had happened prior to the start of this adventure. The actual mystery had me convinced that events were going to unfold differently to what they did. I really appreciated this as the reader because predictability puts me off the story and how the author actually decided how the plot is going to come together in the end. The pace of the story made reading a complete pleasure and I rapidly read the 120 or so pages. As you’ve gathered the story is short but what it lacks in length it makes up for by being action packed and engrossing. Once again I found myself thoroughly enjoying Malorie’s writing. I never seem to be able to fault it.
Jade – she’s the first of two new characters. She’s also the reason we have the story. I love it when a girl she’s getting emails off a ghost! What we see of her is mainly what she goes through as she tries to deal with what’s happening to her. I liked what I saw of her and I really hope that we get to see more of her in the next instalment of the ‘Deadly Dare Mysteries’.
Bullet – that isn’t his actual name (I’d be worried if it was!) It’s his nickname, his real name is Toby (hang on a minute, the main character in ‘Double Cross’ was called Tobey... name overlap!!) He’s the other new character. He’s a bit (lot) of a computer geek and I think that could lead to some interesting developments investigating wise... *thinks of illegal computer activities* Or they could stop illegal computer activities! Okay, now I’m inventing plot ideas. He has a small but integral role and I look forward to reading more of him.
Ricky – He has a bigger part in this book. I love how he’s light and cheerful one moment but how his mood intensifies and darkens as emotions get the best of him. Although I think all of the characters are nice, Ricky is quickly becoming my favourite. He’s fun but responsible and allows Theo to be the leader (even though he’d probably do a better job), sometimes though his impulsiveness leads him in to trouble. It’d be great to go on an adventure with him though!
Overall this is a quick, fun to read for kids! It’s very short so there isn’t pages of unnecessary build up for an ending that wasn’t worth waiting for. The writing keeps things interesting and doesn’t over complicate matters. In my opinion writing for many genres can be challenging as you have to constantly evolve your style to suit different audiences but Malorie Blackman always manages to pull it off with effortless grace.
Lie Detectives: 3 stars For my pre read thoughts and reasons for rating please visit From the Shadows I Review
This is my least favourite of the three stories. It dragged a bit and didn’t hold my attention as well. I did keep drifting off into nowhereness. I didn’t feel as invested in the mystery, probably because I didn’t like Darius – more about him later in this review. The story started promisingly with an encounter shrouded in secrets to be revealed and my interest was piqued but it deteriorated slightly as I felt that I was being left out of the loop (in a bad way). The writing itself was good though and I did like it, I just feel the pace was slightly off and I had some character issues which I’ll address now.
Darius – Well he certainly likes to enter a story with a bang. At the end of his first scene he’d keeled over! Just because that much attention isn’t enough we then find out a revelation about him and one of our school kid heroes. I didn’t particularly like him and he did nothing to change that. Everyone around him is collateral damage, as long as he comes out on top all is well with the world. He needs a few lessons in respect. I’ll teach him.
Bullet – Oh Toby! You’ve let me down! I thought with all your geekiness you’d be super awesome and remain untainted by the influence of idiots. Unfortunately not because for a portion of this book I was wondering if he’d been reading “How to be a Tool” because he was a bit of a spanner! That pretty much sums up Bullet for me. Disappointment on my part and idiocy on his!
Theo – Theo got a slight taste of his own medicine in this. If you read book 2 you’ll know what he did and in this one Ricky does it back. Mature boys! I do like him but I can’t help but think he’s a bit bratty and spoilt and whiny here. I really didn’t like that one iota. I want my lead character to be strong, brave and coolness personified and Theo wasn’t really anything like that here. He seems to have lost a few brain cells as well. He should see a doctor about that before it gets worse and he turns into an airhead.
Overall not as enjoyable as its predecessors but by no means is this a bad book. The writing is of the high standard you come to expect from Malorie Blackman. You know you’re in safe hands when she’s at the helm, but the plot and the character development just weren’t doing it for me. I think my age has finally caught up with me. I’m too old for this caper. I can see what she was trying to do.
August 29, 2025
Not impressed with these mysteries. The first one, shows a class of kids who are investing money in a craze of silly dares. They have to do the dare they draw out of a hat, and not tell anyone. If they fail they lose their money and the winner takes all. One boy takes a dare to crawl into a disused warehouse ventilation shaft in the evening and stay there for an hour. That's obviously dangerous, and through the story there is a good deal of lying to parents. Worse, when the boy vanishes, his friend knows what's going on and doesn't tell anyone for a while, then with the police hunting for the kid, for days, they figure out who gave in that dare and ask them. It's a girl and she says her brother and his mates are holding the younger boy. And nobody goes to parents or police!
The second one involves emails from an unknown sender. They might be a lesson here but it's a confused tale. A girl says her absent dad sent mails and she doesn't know where he is, then she says she made that up and mailed herself for a joke. Her friends aren't sure this is true. Muddled.
The third book takes a long time getting to the point, which is that a man wearing a new tech shirt collapses on stage. I don't know why he would be demonstrating med tech advances to young kids. But the shirt didn't save him. The kids wonder if something is going on.
Good marks for presenting the police officers in a responsible light.
The second one involves emails from an unknown sender. They might be a lesson here but it's a confused tale. A girl says her absent dad sent mails and she doesn't know where he is, then she says she made that up and mailed herself for a joke. Her friends aren't sure this is true. Muddled.
The third book takes a long time getting to the point, which is that a man wearing a new tech shirt collapses on stage. I don't know why he would be demonstrating med tech advances to young kids. But the shirt didn't save him. The kids wonder if something is going on.
Good marks for presenting the police officers in a responsible light.
September 10, 2024
I quite enjoyed this book! It was a very easy and fun read! Before I knew it, it had me hooked with its gripping storylines and unexpected twists. I finished this book in just two day! The suspense kept building, and I was completely immersed in the stories.
I loved how it was a three in one. All three books were amazingly written, but I think the first one might be my favourite. It was more suspenseful and engaging than the other stories.
This was a very enjoyable and intriguing book. Recommended to 11 - 13 year old.
I loved how it was a three in one. All three books were amazingly written, but I think the first one might be my favourite. It was more suspenseful and engaging than the other stories.
This was a very enjoyable and intriguing book. Recommended to 11 - 13 year old.
July 17, 2021
This was a decent book for older children and young adults (teenagers), but I felt that some of the language was outdated and cringey to the point where it would likely put off a current younger reader. Some of the plot devices were also over-used, and I personally believe that suggesting to children that they should have greater agency within matters of danger is potentially risky.
Despite this, it was a decent read; fit for purpose, but not strikingly extraordinary.
Despite this, it was a decent read; fit for purpose, but not strikingly extraordinary.
January 7, 2018
Full of twists and turns (like i mean packed full) funny and keeps you on your toes although, Malorie should change her writing to let the reader figure it out for them selves because the only way you figured out what was going on was by the characters saying something that only they had noticed and wasn't told to you in the book until the last minute.
July 12, 2019
This is a amazing book!!! Would recommend it to all.
August 6, 2019
A good novel about friendship. It was intriguing.
January 19, 2022
i remember my mum reading this to me in primary school
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December 29, 2022This is one of those books that are easy to read yet gripping.
September 17, 2014
Angela was the newest kid at school. "She'd only arrived at the beginning of the week and already it was as if she'd been here for years. There was something about her that Theo wasn't quite sure about.” Nevertheless Theo and his friend Ricky are excited about the new game she’s introduced. It’s called Cash or Dare, and Theo plans to get the cash. Most of his classmates are playing. Write out a dare—nothing spiteful or dangerous—on a piece of paper put it in a bag along with £2. If you don’t do the dare in front of a witness, then you don’t advance to the next round and your money is forfeit. Theo’s dare is to crawl into a ventilation shaft in an abandoned warehouse at ten to six tonight; wait for an hour, and then crawl out again. But Theo’s caught a cold, and his parents insist that he stay inside tonight, so he trades dares with Ricky. The next morning Ricky has disappeared and the police are looking for him.
This is a carefully plotted, believable thriller for young readers. At every point when this adult listener wanted to shout out to the characters, “Just call the police!” Blackman presented a plausible reason—plausible for a young person—not to do so. Chequer and Blake do an excellent job of keeping up the pace of Blackman’s crime story; their accents, of course, are spot-on.
This is a carefully plotted, believable thriller for young readers. At every point when this adult listener wanted to shout out to the characters, “Just call the police!” Blackman presented a plausible reason—plausible for a young person—not to do so. Chequer and Blake do an excellent job of keeping up the pace of Blackman’s crime story; their accents, of course, are spot-on.
March 4, 2021
I thought that this book was extremely mysterious, captured my suspense and kept me hooked through the whole thing which for me is really something. I love how there are three books in one, making it convenient and forcing me to keep reading through it. It is not often that l find a book that l really enjoy and actually want to read but this definitely was!
October 17, 2015
I think that the deadly dare mysteries is best book i have read in ages.
I am only on page 17 which is in the middle of chapter 3 and I am really happy about this book.
Name of book: The Deadly Dare Mysteries
Autor: Malorie Blackman
ISBN: 0-552-55353-0
I am only on page 17 which is in the middle of chapter 3 and I am really happy about this book.
Name of book: The Deadly Dare Mysteries
Autor: Malorie Blackman
ISBN: 0-552-55353-0
June 24, 2017
Rereading a childhood favourite from one of my all-time favourite authors.
The Deadly Dare Mysteries is a collection of three mystery stories about a group of detective-style kids in school, and their adventures. Would recommend to everyone in the lower-age demographic of YA.
The Deadly Dare Mysteries is a collection of three mystery stories about a group of detective-style kids in school, and their adventures. Would recommend to everyone in the lower-age demographic of YA.
November 7, 2010
An enjoyable set of mini-stories based around the same set of characters. The first book I'd read as an ebook on my iPad!
April 5, 2012
A story for young teens. A nice easy read.
June 16, 2012
AMAZING1 a collection of 3 mystery novels!
August 16, 2012
Amazingly good book! Couldnt put it down, 3 stories in one. Quite gory at parts, a mystery story.
July 10, 2014
good book second story was the best
January 19, 2016
the 21stC equivalent of The Famous Five or The Secret 7 but with computers and bullying.
Lots about death and absent parents. Very much a 'kids' book but didn't appeal to my inner child
Lots about death and absent parents. Very much a 'kids' book but didn't appeal to my inner child
June 29, 2010
VERY GOOD for a young reader who likes some light but realistic mystery.
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June 28, 2011AMAZING
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