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Suzanna Snow #2
The Mastermind Plot
A new, exciting Suzanna Snow adventure!Suzanna "Zanna" Snow can hardly believe her She's just arrived in Boston, the city she's wanted to visit for as long as she can remember. Think of all the mysteries waiting to be solved here! Her grandmother and cousin, Will, welcome her warmly, but her famous detective uncle, Bruce Snow, seems anything but pleased. He doesn't want Zanna meddling in his current case involving a string of mysterious warehouse fires along the harbor front. But Zanna can't help herself. Is someone setting the fires? Just when she thinks she's on to something, a strange man starts following her. Is he a threat? Zanna needs to solve the case before she has the chance to find out.
Unknown Binding
First published March 1, 2012
4 people are currently reading
150 people want to read
About the author
Angie Frazier
7 books275 followersAngie Frazier is a writer and mom, a good cook, and a horrible housekeeper. Angie’s debut novel, Everlasting, published by Scholastic Press, is a mixture of everything she loves in a good book: history, mystery, adventure, romance, and fantasy. Her middle grade novel, The Midnight Tunnel: A Suzanna Snow Mystery is a Spring 2011 Kids' Indie Next Pick, and Kirkus has called it "a likely and likable Edwardian Nancy Drew." She lives in southern New Hampshire with her husband and their three daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 16, 2012
Zanna Snow is excited when her grandmother invites her to visit Boston. She barely knows her grandmother, but this gives her a chance to spend more time with her uncle Bruce, the famous detective, and with her cousin Will. It’s not long before Zanna catches wind of another mystery and sets out to solve it. Meanwhile, Grandmother has enrolled her in a prestigious academy for young ladies, where one of her classmates seems determined to make her life miserable. On top of all that, Zanna is being followed around town by a mysterious old man.
The Mastermind Plot is the second in Angie Frazier’s Suzanna Snow mystery series for middle-grade readers, set just after the turn of the 20th century and starring a resourceful young female detective. The case this time involves a series of arson fires that may be a cover-up for something else. The mystery is twisty and suspenseful. This book is a little darker than The Midnight Tunnel; the stakes are higher in terms of potential bodily harm to characters, and long-hidden secrets about Zanna’s own family come to light.
The characters in The Mastermind Plot are vividly drawn. Zanna is still a delightful heroine, and her uncle Bruce is still a pompous git. I also want to make special mention of Zanna’s classmate Adele, who may turn out to be a rival, or maybe a friend instead. I’ve read too many books recently — in all age groups — where the heroine was the only female character allowed to be awesome, as though giving her a peer would diminish her. Kudos to Frazier for not doing that. Other characters have great complexities that would spoil the story if I explained them, but which make The Mastermind Plot rich with twists and hidden motives.
The Mastermind Plot is a fun book. I read it in one sitting and would recommend it to young readers who like mysteries.
See this and other Angie Frazier reviews at FanLit
The Mastermind Plot is the second in Angie Frazier’s Suzanna Snow mystery series for middle-grade readers, set just after the turn of the 20th century and starring a resourceful young female detective. The case this time involves a series of arson fires that may be a cover-up for something else. The mystery is twisty and suspenseful. This book is a little darker than The Midnight Tunnel; the stakes are higher in terms of potential bodily harm to characters, and long-hidden secrets about Zanna’s own family come to light.
The characters in The Mastermind Plot are vividly drawn. Zanna is still a delightful heroine, and her uncle Bruce is still a pompous git. I also want to make special mention of Zanna’s classmate Adele, who may turn out to be a rival, or maybe a friend instead. I’ve read too many books recently — in all age groups — where the heroine was the only female character allowed to be awesome, as though giving her a peer would diminish her. Kudos to Frazier for not doing that. Other characters have great complexities that would spoil the story if I explained them, but which make The Mastermind Plot rich with twists and hidden motives.
The Mastermind Plot is a fun book. I read it in one sitting and would recommend it to young readers who like mysteries.
See this and other Angie Frazier reviews at FanLit
November 13, 2018
There are tiny details that catch your eye when reading this book, and I don't mean clues to the mystery, no, more like instances where you can tell the author is trying to hard. Especially at the beginning, the plot line was kind of forced and it didn't flow smoothly, but later in the book, it started to all come together. At least to me, once I started getting more and more into the mystery, it all seemed to flow more smoothly. Overall, it was a great read!
October 4, 2019
Loved this second book as much as the first. I’m so bummed the series hasn’t continued. Great read!
October 2, 2021
The mastermind plot was such a great read! If your into mystery and plot twist you should definitely read
June 15, 2012
The Mastermind Plot, Angie Frazier's second Suzanna Snow mystery for middle grade readers, is fun but not quite as colorful as The Midnight Tunnel. In The Mastermind Plot Zanna is freed from her parents' hotel business to visit extended family in Boston, where she gets involved in investigating the mysterious misfortunes of a new friend's family. I definitely agree with Bookyurt that this novel doesn’t feel “Boston-y” the same way The Midnight Tunnel felt Downeast (I can’t say if it was accurately Canadian, but it reminded me of my home in Maine). But I like how Frazier plays on the contrast between kids’ expectations of adults and how the adults’ oddities and faults disappoint and surprise them. It’s fun to see so much adult-child byplay in comparison to the more usual MG/YA absent adults - in Frazier's novels the clash between want kids want and who adults are is as vivid as a play. The action is fast-paced but still realistic for the heroine's age. The mystery isn't too intricate - it's a simple whodunit, but there are a few red herrings and multiple suspects so that the reader doesn't solve it too soon. Highly recommended for fans of other plucky teens like L. A. Meyer’s Jacky Faber or Julia Golding’s Cat Royal.
May 17, 2012
Okay, I know that adult readers realize the likelihood of kids saving the day/teaching their elders something/succeeding hugely where their elders just aren't getting it, but let's face it: kids eat that stuff up. & it's useful: it gives them the belief that they can do anything, which leads to a lot of great learning experiences, both successful & otherwise.
That said, I love that Suzanna Snow, an aspiring Canadian Nancy Drew of the Edwardian era, totally beats out her supposedly spectacular famous detective uncle for the second time here. Here's the fact: his inability to take anything a kid says seriously is annoying, no matter how old the reader is.
For her second outing, Suzanna has been invited to spend some time with the grandmother in Boston whom she hardly knows. There have been a rash of warehouse fires that famous Uncle Bruce is working on, but Suzanna suspects there may be something more going on. With the help of friends, Suzanna figures things out - & learns more about the secrets & dynamics of her own family.
That said, I love that Suzanna Snow, an aspiring Canadian Nancy Drew of the Edwardian era, totally beats out her supposedly spectacular famous detective uncle for the second time here. Here's the fact: his inability to take anything a kid says seriously is annoying, no matter how old the reader is.
For her second outing, Suzanna has been invited to spend some time with the grandmother in Boston whom she hardly knows. There have been a rash of warehouse fires that famous Uncle Bruce is working on, but Suzanna suspects there may be something more going on. With the help of friends, Suzanna figures things out - & learns more about the secrets & dynamics of her own family.
June 11, 2013
Zanna Snow is excited when her grandmother invites her to visit Boston. She barely knows her grandmother, but this gives her a chance to spend more time with her uncle Bruce, the famous detective, and with her cousin Will. It’s not long before Zanna catches wind of another mystery and sets out to solve it. Meanwhile, Grandmother has enrolled her in a prestigious academy for young ladies, where one of her classmates seems determined to make her life miserable. On top of all that, Zanna is being followed around town by a mysterious old man.
The Mastermind Plot is the second in Angie Frazier’s SUZANNA SNOW mystery series for middle-grade readers, set just after the turn of the 20th century and starring a resourceful young female detective. The case this time involves a series of arson fires that may be a cover-up for something else.... Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
The Mastermind Plot is the second in Angie Frazier’s SUZANNA SNOW mystery series for middle-grade readers, set just after the turn of the 20th century and starring a resourceful young female detective. The case this time involves a series of arson fires that may be a cover-up for something else.... Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
February 6, 2013
Grades 4-6
In this follow-up to The Midnight Tunnel (2011), when Suzanna is invited by her grandmother to spend time in Boston, she is convinced that her uncle Bruce, a noted detective, will finally learn to appreciate her. He is trying to uncover some missing artwork that is linked to arson, and does not approve when Zanna is drawn into the mystery as well by a classmate at Miss Lydia Doucette's Academy for Young Ladies. Adele Horne's father owns the warehouses that have been burned, and Zanna quickly joins forces with Adele and Will to try to get to the bottom of what is happening. When Zanna's long-lost grandfather shows up, that only increases the puzzle-- he is a notorious thief, but surely he would not have set the fires. The plot line moves quickly and will keep readers guessing till the end. Fans of Nancy Springer's Enola Holmes series will enjoy getting to know Zanna Snow.
In this follow-up to The Midnight Tunnel (2011), when Suzanna is invited by her grandmother to spend time in Boston, she is convinced that her uncle Bruce, a noted detective, will finally learn to appreciate her. He is trying to uncover some missing artwork that is linked to arson, and does not approve when Zanna is drawn into the mystery as well by a classmate at Miss Lydia Doucette's Academy for Young Ladies. Adele Horne's father owns the warehouses that have been burned, and Zanna quickly joins forces with Adele and Will to try to get to the bottom of what is happening. When Zanna's long-lost grandfather shows up, that only increases the puzzle-- he is a notorious thief, but surely he would not have set the fires. The plot line moves quickly and will keep readers guessing till the end. Fans of Nancy Springer's Enola Holmes series will enjoy getting to know Zanna Snow.
June 7, 2012
Another great story in the Suzanna Snow series -- this is #2.
In this story, Suzanna travels to Boston upon an invitation from a grandmother that she barely knows. After her last investigation, Uncle Bruce is somewhat less than thrilled to find her on his mother's doorstep.
Suzanna's character and family are more developed in this story.
The story surrounds a classmate of Suzanna's and her father -- some priceless artwork [of theirs] has been stolen. Without saying too much, there are a lot of red herrings that sometimes lead the professional and amateur detectives astray, but in the end, the mystery is solved.
There are lots of surprises in this story -- some good, some bad. However, all do make for an interesting tale.
In this story, Suzanna travels to Boston upon an invitation from a grandmother that she barely knows. After her last investigation, Uncle Bruce is somewhat less than thrilled to find her on his mother's doorstep.
Suzanna's character and family are more developed in this story.
The story surrounds a classmate of Suzanna's and her father -- some priceless artwork [of theirs] has been stolen. Without saying too much, there are a lot of red herrings that sometimes lead the professional and amateur detectives astray, but in the end, the mystery is solved.
There are lots of surprises in this story -- some good, some bad. However, all do make for an interesting tale.
October 14, 2012
It's 1904 and "Zanna" arrives in Boston to spend time with her grandmother. She is immediately pulled into a mystery that her famous detective uncle is working to solve. He still harbors hard feelings from a case Zanna solved in the first Suzanna Snow novel, The Midnight Tunnel, so she is forced to work behind his back. With the help of her cousin Will and Adele, a nemesis from the school her grandmother makes her attend, Zanna pieces together the clues that lead to a satisfying conclusion. This will be a good book for readers who enjoy Nancy Springer's Enola Holmes mysteries and others set in the past.
July 25, 2012
A good, rather complicated mystery for 4th to 6th graders. Takes place in 1904 in Boston, and is the second in a series about Suzanna Snow, aspiring detective. A series of arson fires have supposedly destroyed several valuable art works. Zanna's uncle is a famous detective, and she becomes involved in trying to solve the mystery, along with her cousin Will, and Adele whom she meets at school. The art pieces are owned by Adele's family. This mystery involves a secret closet, and a mysterious stranger.
January 4, 2014
I loved this book!! Again it was to slow in the first half but then it got awesome! I was a little mad when the pulled the dead guy out of their hat for the bad guy because no way could I have guessed that! And I was a little bummed that SHE didn't solve the mystery but now I'm ok with that because that would have made it just like the other book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2012
Agree with other reviewers--somehow not as good as the first, and very little "Boston" flavor. The first one was more atmospheric and more satisfyingly plotted. Kids who read #1 will be eager for #2, but not sure newbies who start here will be anxious to go back to the first one.
November 17, 2016
A fun mystery with believable characters....but a little intense for the age group....I wouldn't give this to a 12 year old because of some of the content (murder and so on).....it felt like a young adults story written in a middle school style.....
April 27, 2012
Didn't think it was quite as good as the first one but still very good!
March 14, 2012
This is number two in the series, but you don't have to read the first one to enjoy it. An excellent mystery, especially if you like plucky girl detectives.
April 10, 2012
In the first book, she actually solved the mystery. In this one, she just sort of stumbled onto the solution, thanks to other people.
February 3, 2013
Fascinating book and plot. I loved this book. It is fast paced and fun to read. The readers will truly get a kick out of reading this series.
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August 9, 2013Suzanna Snow mystery #2
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September 1, 2013Excellent children's mystery. Suzanna visits her grandmother in Boston and cracks an art theft ring.
January 6, 2014
enjoyed this 2nd book I've read in this series
February 23, 2016
I loved this book! I love how when it seems that something is impossible it becomes possible with some very logical reasoning.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews