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The Detention Detectives #2
The Detention Detectives: Murder By Mistake
The second book in the thrilling contemporary murder-mystery series by Lis Jardine. A perfect next read for fans of The High-Rise Mysteries, Anisha, Accidental Detective, and Murder Most Unladylike.
The Detention Detectives are back!
It's been five months since Jonno, Lydia and Daniel solved the mystery of their teacher's killer.
But murder has returned to Hanbridge, and this time twelve-year-old Lydia leads the case.
With the mystery VERY close to home, can our trio win the day once again?
The Detention Detectives are back!
It's been five months since Jonno, Lydia and Daniel solved the mystery of their teacher's killer.
But murder has returned to Hanbridge, and this time twelve-year-old Lydia leads the case.
With the mystery VERY close to home, can our trio win the day once again?
283 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 25, 2024
2 people are currently reading
24 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 29, 2024
10/10 would read again! A murder-mystery you can't help but whizz through at record pace. Bring on the final instalment!
March 27, 2025
Super good book
January 28, 2025
Layers and layers of plot twists. Never ending.
"𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝒔𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒂 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒂 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒅." 𝑴𝒓. 𝑺𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒅.
👏THIS👏BOOK👏IS👏ABSOLUTELY👏AMAZING👏OH👏MAH👏GAWD👏
When the story is in Lydia's perspective, the plots are easier to understand, clearer. Lydia is a really smart girl and with Jonno and Daniel she looks way smarter. The plot twists never end. Every time I sit down and open the book, the only word that comes out of my mouth is "OOOH" "AAAA" "EEEEWW" "OMG"
The amount of creativity it takes to write a book like this is unspeakable, a masterpiece like this is more worthful than the Mona Lisa for goods sake.
Chapter after chapter. Gasp after gasp.
When I get to THE part, I literally put the book down, stared at the wall, with my jaw on the floor.
Oh I'm sorry but you do not know how much I hate, hate hate hate Gran.
Overall, this is an gut wrenching book, a must read. - 5 ⭐
"𝘛𝘏𝘌 SOFA"
"𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝒔𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒂 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒂 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒅." 𝑴𝒓. 𝑺𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒅.
👏THIS👏BOOK👏IS👏ABSOLUTELY👏AMAZING👏OH👏MAH👏GAWD👏
When the story is in Lydia's perspective, the plots are easier to understand, clearer. Lydia is a really smart girl and with Jonno and Daniel she looks way smarter. The plot twists never end. Every time I sit down and open the book, the only word that comes out of my mouth is "OOOH" "AAAA" "EEEEWW" "OMG"
The amount of creativity it takes to write a book like this is unspeakable, a masterpiece like this is more worthful than the Mona Lisa for goods sake.
Chapter after chapter. Gasp after gasp.
When I get to THE part, I literally put the book down, stared at the wall, with my jaw on the floor.
Oh I'm sorry but you do not know how much I hate, hate hate hate Gran.
Overall, this is an gut wrenching book, a must read. - 5 ⭐
"𝘛𝘏𝘌 SOFA"
February 10, 2024
Book 2 in the Detention Detectives series. I absolutely loved Lydia as the main POV, she is such a great character: wordy, clever, she has no problems sticking up for herself. Lydia faces some challenging family dynamics, which makes for a really satisfying arc. Snappy dialogue and a real sense of whodunit will keep you turning the pages.
April 4, 2024
This was a great addition to the series. I loved the development of the characters and their own personal story. I loved the crime solving element. Even better I genuinely didn’t figure out who the shooter was. Can’t wait for the third one.
March 23, 2024
Last time round (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) I just had to herald a really strong start to a series of juvenile crime stories. Then it was a PE teacher found dead, which inspired our lead characters to club together and solve the case. Here you just think something else is happening of a dubious kind at the school, when talk of some mysterious trade is overheard, when something else really startling turns up – proof that in no way does this ever-surprising series dumb or water down the nastiness just because it's for the under-twelves.
That's not to say it's full of gore, guts and grue, but that it's full of what will unsettle, and go against the cheesy easy cosy crime of much that this age bracket gets left with. It involves another dead person, and a most surprising confession from someone we didn't expect to feature here at all. For our heroine's erstwhile parent has come back into the fold – meaning Lydia Strong is really going to find her attention split – the issue of the reunion with her family, the shenanigans at school and the murder – and the unexpected connection that has with the first on that list.
This again isn't perfect – the heroine remains very up herself and still doesn't get the demanded comedy out of her ego – but for me the merits are still easily seen. It's a distinctive read, with realistic children, forced to want to be super-heroes and yet to admit their powers aren't all that. They certainly hesitate – or least the lads do, perhaps not Lydia – meaning they don't charge head-first into stupid events like their kin in other crime books. But they still have enough agency to prove their company well worthwhile. And indeed it will be a sore disappointment if I don't get to see the trilogy closer – this is a strong four stars and to see it all wrapped up in future will be something to relish.
That's not to say it's full of gore, guts and grue, but that it's full of what will unsettle, and go against the cheesy easy cosy crime of much that this age bracket gets left with. It involves another dead person, and a most surprising confession from someone we didn't expect to feature here at all. For our heroine's erstwhile parent has come back into the fold – meaning Lydia Strong is really going to find her attention split – the issue of the reunion with her family, the shenanigans at school and the murder – and the unexpected connection that has with the first on that list.
This again isn't perfect – the heroine remains very up herself and still doesn't get the demanded comedy out of her ego – but for me the merits are still easily seen. It's a distinctive read, with realistic children, forced to want to be super-heroes and yet to admit their powers aren't all that. They certainly hesitate – or least the lads do, perhaps not Lydia – meaning they don't charge head-first into stupid events like their kin in other crime books. But they still have enough agency to prove their company well worthwhile. And indeed it will be a sore disappointment if I don't get to see the trilogy closer – this is a strong four stars and to see it all wrapped up in future will be something to relish.
February 15, 2024
Lis Jardine's "The Detention Detectives" was a pleasant, light-hearted murder-mystery surprise from the start of 2023. The promise at the end of that novel that two more instalments were on the way, each focusing on a different member of the central trio of amateur sleuths had me excited for what was coming next.
This second instalment, "The Detention Detectives: Murder by Mistake," shifts the focus away from the gruff Jonno and towards school reporter Lydia. As a central character, Lydia is definitely the most interesting of the trio and her home life offers a different spin on things.
The novel continues the charming approach and style of the first instalment, though it does very much feel like the middle of the overall story rather than a whole tale of its own. The murder mystery featured is cleverly handled and Lis Jardine peppers in enough teases to ensure we'll be back for the final case in 2025, but overall this one was a bit more "just okay" than "pretty great."
What is important is that this series can really open the door to younger readers to engage with detective stories - and that alone is worth its weight in gold.
This second instalment, "The Detention Detectives: Murder by Mistake," shifts the focus away from the gruff Jonno and towards school reporter Lydia. As a central character, Lydia is definitely the most interesting of the trio and her home life offers a different spin on things.
The novel continues the charming approach and style of the first instalment, though it does very much feel like the middle of the overall story rather than a whole tale of its own. The murder mystery featured is cleverly handled and Lis Jardine peppers in enough teases to ensure we'll be back for the final case in 2025, but overall this one was a bit more "just okay" than "pretty great."
What is important is that this series can really open the door to younger readers to engage with detective stories - and that alone is worth its weight in gold.
October 6, 2024
I read this book's predecessor in 2023 and I didn't know what to expect from the sequel. We're back at Hanbridge High with Jonno, Daniel and Lydia (who is telling the story from her point of view) and when they try to figure out why the headteacher is getting involved in some questionable business, Lydia's birth mother moves to the town and hopes to share her future with Lydia - after their difficult past. And to make matters worse, they've been targeted when a local entrepreneur is shot behind their house. Now, it's up to the Detention Detectives to solve the crime. There's action, pace and a fantastic mystery. The book was really exciting and the plot well-written. The character's were all interesting and unique, which brought the group together nicely. The mystery was good and made for an enjoyable read. In conclusion, it was an enjoyable, exciting book that anyone, who read it, would enjoy.
June 7, 2024
Another hit!
The Detention Detectives are back and ready to hold guilty parties accountable! When another murder happens in their town, Hanbridge High’s meddling trio - Jonno, Lydia, and Daniel - are on the case. Narrated by Lydia, the second book in the series offers a new perspective with everything you loved about book one, which was narrated by Jonno. Now, the question on every fan’s mind: When will we get to return to Hanbridge High, with young, sensitive, and observant Daniel as our narrator? Another smashing success!
The Detention Detectives are back and ready to hold guilty parties accountable! When another murder happens in their town, Hanbridge High’s meddling trio - Jonno, Lydia, and Daniel - are on the case. Narrated by Lydia, the second book in the series offers a new perspective with everything you loved about book one, which was narrated by Jonno. Now, the question on every fan’s mind: When will we get to return to Hanbridge High, with young, sensitive, and observant Daniel as our narrator? Another smashing success!
January 25, 2024
Another brilliant murder mystery by Lis. Such wonderful writing, no wonder book 1 is already up for some pretty major awards. Huzzah for Lydia and the boys!
September 12, 2024
Another gripping mystery with the trio back in action. I thoroughly enjoyed the first Detention Detectives and was equally impressed with the second. Great storyline, highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews