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Troubletwisters #3
The Mystery
Magical twins, mystery and danger, unexplained events, and an Evil that refuses to be contained ... Twins Jack and Jaide are troubletwisters and in this book they must use their elusive Gifts to search Rourke Castle for the mysterious Golden Card of Translocation.
Can twins Jack and Jaide find the mysterious Golden Card of Translocation and make it out of Rourke Castle alive?
When eccentric Young Master Rourke dies in suspicious circumstances, troubletwisters Jack and Jaide are sent on a mission by their father to retrieve a lost Golden Card from somewhere within the vast Rourke estate. But secret agents for The Evil are also in pursuit of the card, and the troubletwister twins know that whoever finds it first will gain access to a Gift more powerful or terrible than any other. Together they negotiate secret passages, talking parrots and animated suits of armour, while trying to control their own fledgling Gifts. It rapidly becomes impossible to know who to trust and who might be an agent - even among those closest to them.
Can twins Jack and Jaide find the mysterious Golden Card of Translocation and make it out of Rourke Castle alive?
When eccentric Young Master Rourke dies in suspicious circumstances, troubletwisters Jack and Jaide are sent on a mission by their father to retrieve a lost Golden Card from somewhere within the vast Rourke estate. But secret agents for The Evil are also in pursuit of the card, and the troubletwister twins know that whoever finds it first will gain access to a Gift more powerful or terrible than any other. Together they negotiate secret passages, talking parrots and animated suits of armour, while trying to control their own fledgling Gifts. It rapidly becomes impossible to know who to trust and who might be an agent - even among those closest to them.
352 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2013
22 people are currently reading
1036 people want to read
About the author
Garth Nix
236 books14.9k followersGarth Nix was born in 1963 in Melbourne, Australia, to the sound of the Salvation Army band outside playing 'Hail the Conquering Hero Comes' or possibly 'Roll Out the Barrel'. Garth left Melbourne at an early age for Canberra (the federal capital) and stayed there till he was nineteen, when he left to drive around the UK in a beat-up Austin with a boot full of books and a Silver-Reed typewriter.
Despite a wheel literally falling off the Austin, Garth survived to return to Australia and study at the University of Canberra. After finishing his degree in 1986 he worked in a bookshop, then as a book publicist, a publisher's sales representative, and editor. Along the way he was also a part-time soldier in the Australian Army Reserve, serving in an Assault Pioneer platoon for four years. Garth left publishing to work as a public relations and marketing consultant from 1994-1997, till he became a full-time writer in 1998. He did that for a year before joining Curtis Brown Australia as a part-time literary agent in 1999. In January 2002 Garth went back to dedicated writer again, despite his belief that full-time writing explains the strange behaviour of many authors.
He now lives in Sydney with his wife, two sons and lots of books.
Despite a wheel literally falling off the Austin, Garth survived to return to Australia and study at the University of Canberra. After finishing his degree in 1986 he worked in a bookshop, then as a book publicist, a publisher's sales representative, and editor. Along the way he was also a part-time soldier in the Australian Army Reserve, serving in an Assault Pioneer platoon for four years. Garth left publishing to work as a public relations and marketing consultant from 1994-1997, till he became a full-time writer in 1998. He did that for a year before joining Curtis Brown Australia as a part-time literary agent in 1999. In January 2002 Garth went back to dedicated writer again, despite his belief that full-time writing explains the strange behaviour of many authors.
He now lives in Sydney with his wife, two sons and lots of books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
December 20, 2019
still scary,but it was an awsome book
May 8, 2013
This is a really consistent, well-written series. The twins are engaging (although, as an adult I sometimes find them so infuriatingly stubborn!) and the adventures are spine-tingling and suspenseful. I also find myself getting very irritated with Grandma X when she doesn't tell the twins things they need to know, and then she disapproves when they get it wrong. Not fair!
The thing I like most about the series, though, is the amount of horror in the story. There is just enough squeamish scariness in here to scare a younger reader, but not enough to freak them out completely. Good stuff!
The thing I like most about the series, though, is the amount of horror in the story. There is just enough squeamish scariness in here to scare a younger reader, but not enough to freak them out completely. Good stuff!
December 15, 2021
The third book in the series... and there's still a fourth.
The first thing I want to address is the choice of names in this series. I thought Jaidith and Jackaran were the only ones, but then comes George Archibald Mattheus Rourke III. Reminds me of another long name in another magical series. If you know, you know...
The next thing in my 'notes' to use for reviewing this book was that - they really allowed children to drive. Primary school kids. But then I remembered they've been in worse situations before. And THEN I also remembered this was a children's book.
The "mystery" did its job of sustaining my curiosity up until maybe halfway when everything seemed to be rapidly being wrapped up. Most of the time I wondered how many chapters were left. I would have wanted the new kids to play a bigger role. The tone overall felt monotonous. Even the reveal of the hiding place and the antagonist in this was underwhelming.
One good thing to see was the family moment at the end - (really) short but sweet.
I can't find a copy of the next one but I'm not in any hurry to jump onto that one anyway.
The first thing I want to address is the choice of names in this series. I thought Jaidith and Jackaran were the only ones, but then comes George Archibald Mattheus Rourke III. Reminds me of another long name in another magical series. If you know, you know...
The next thing in my 'notes' to use for reviewing this book was that - they really allowed children to drive. Primary school kids. But then I remembered they've been in worse situations before. And THEN I also remembered this was a children's book.
The "mystery" did its job of sustaining my curiosity up until maybe halfway when everything seemed to be rapidly being wrapped up. Most of the time I wondered how many chapters were left. I would have wanted the new kids to play a bigger role. The tone overall felt monotonous. Even the reveal of the hiding place and the antagonist in this was underwhelming.
One good thing to see was the family moment at the end - (really) short but sweet.
I can't find a copy of the next one but I'm not in any hurry to jump onto that one anyway.
February 14, 2018
Garth Nix never fails to impress and lure in his readers.
May 7, 2014
The third book of the Troubletwisters series pits young Wardens-in-waiting Jaide Shield and her twin brother Jack against yet another threat to the wards that protect the town of Portland from The Evil. You know, that force of emptiness that comes from another dimension and wants to take over everything. They have thwarted The Evil twice before. But if there's one lesson The Evil seems to learn faster than Grandma X and the other good guys, it's that keeping secrets from the twins makes them vulnerable. And if they're vulnerable, so is Portland... and the world.
In this installment, Grandma X couldn't let her troubletwisters in on the crucial secrets if she wanted to. A suspicious car accident has landed her in the hospital, where she is being held for observation and drugged into a stupor. While Grandma's cats and another Warden patrol the wards, the twins' father shows up and sends them on a secret mission to retrieve an item from a local castle, something important that is at risk of falling into the hands of The Evil, now that the castle's owner has died and his estate needs to be disposed of.
Jack and Jaide tag along with a local book dealer, who is evaluating the castle's library. But as they search through the castle, all they turn up is more mysteries. What exactly is this Card of Translocation that their father wants them to find? Where could it be hidden? Why is it so important? And when a traumatized parrot points its feathery finger at their father's photo and declares him a killer, who should they believe?
Alert readers who have followed the series this far may find themselves a step ahead of the Shield twins as they search for answers to these and other questions. The clues have been there since the first book. What seems suspicious from our perspective may look different from close up, in the middle of all the confusing situations these kids have to juggle. They are trying to keep Warden business out of sight of their mother and their friends at school, especially a girl named Tara who has already had her memories adjusted once. They have their concerns about Rodeo Dave, the book guy. They have to protect a bird, who is also a valuable witness, from a hungry cat, who is also a member of Grandma X's team. They have to hide the bird, the cell phone their father gave them, and the talking death mask they brought home from the castle, from their innocent mother. And since they can't expect anybody to tell them what they need to know, they have to figure everything out for themselves—often in sneaky ways. And so it comes about, almost without their noticing, that they are keeping secrets from the very people they need to trust. Naturally, that is a foothold from which The Evil will take advantage.
The title of this book is not very distinctive. But the tale that unfolds beneath it is full of fun, magic, and spooky danger. It features a castle crammed with interesting and sinister objects, like a collection of whaling memorabilia, suits of armor that come to life, and a menagerie full of possessed animals. It also conceals a powerful object so well hidden that the person who hid it could search for it very urgently and never find it. Why it was hidden, why The Evil wants it, and how the twins can keep it out of The Evil's clutches one dreadful night when the wards collapse, are mystery enough to keep young readers, and the young at heart, happily focused on each turn of the page. And they will be just as happy to learn that there is more to come in this series. A fourth book, titled The Missing , has already been released.
In this installment, Grandma X couldn't let her troubletwisters in on the crucial secrets if she wanted to. A suspicious car accident has landed her in the hospital, where she is being held for observation and drugged into a stupor. While Grandma's cats and another Warden patrol the wards, the twins' father shows up and sends them on a secret mission to retrieve an item from a local castle, something important that is at risk of falling into the hands of The Evil, now that the castle's owner has died and his estate needs to be disposed of.
Jack and Jaide tag along with a local book dealer, who is evaluating the castle's library. But as they search through the castle, all they turn up is more mysteries. What exactly is this Card of Translocation that their father wants them to find? Where could it be hidden? Why is it so important? And when a traumatized parrot points its feathery finger at their father's photo and declares him a killer, who should they believe?
Alert readers who have followed the series this far may find themselves a step ahead of the Shield twins as they search for answers to these and other questions. The clues have been there since the first book. What seems suspicious from our perspective may look different from close up, in the middle of all the confusing situations these kids have to juggle. They are trying to keep Warden business out of sight of their mother and their friends at school, especially a girl named Tara who has already had her memories adjusted once. They have their concerns about Rodeo Dave, the book guy. They have to protect a bird, who is also a valuable witness, from a hungry cat, who is also a member of Grandma X's team. They have to hide the bird, the cell phone their father gave them, and the talking death mask they brought home from the castle, from their innocent mother. And since they can't expect anybody to tell them what they need to know, they have to figure everything out for themselves—often in sneaky ways. And so it comes about, almost without their noticing, that they are keeping secrets from the very people they need to trust. Naturally, that is a foothold from which The Evil will take advantage.
The title of this book is not very distinctive. But the tale that unfolds beneath it is full of fun, magic, and spooky danger. It features a castle crammed with interesting and sinister objects, like a collection of whaling memorabilia, suits of armor that come to life, and a menagerie full of possessed animals. It also conceals a powerful object so well hidden that the person who hid it could search for it very urgently and never find it. Why it was hidden, why The Evil wants it, and how the twins can keep it out of The Evil's clutches one dreadful night when the wards collapse, are mystery enough to keep young readers, and the young at heart, happily focused on each turn of the page. And they will be just as happy to learn that there is more to come in this series. A fourth book, titled The Missing , has already been released.
May 12, 2013
The latest Troubletwisters novel is undeniably the best so far - The Mystery of the Golden Card focusses on Jaide and Jack's first Warden-related mission and gives readers a lot more action than ever before. I like the development of the characters in this book, both the adults and the children, and it feels like the series is finally going somewhere.
I really like that the secrets hinted at in the previous two books are finally coming to light. The twins are better at connecting the dots and figuring things out in this book. The best part is definitely their reluctance to accuse any of their acquaintances as spies for The Evil, they have certainly come a long way from the previous book, where Jaide was accusing innocent people of working for the enemy without a shred of proof.
I also liked the plot and the nice twists and turns that kept the story hurtling along. I found it slightly predictable (but remember, the book isn't aimed at people my age), but I think the plot makes sense and is handled well. The Mystery of the Golden Card definitely feels more polished and smoother than the two previous instalments.
I was, however, uncomfortable with the secrets that the twins ended up keeping from the adults around them: they hid important things from their grandmother and their parents in the hopes of solving the mystery before anyone knew something was wrong. The worst part: they were actively encouraged to do this by a member of their family. It all worked out in the end and I now know why it had to happen that way, but while reading I was increasingly uncomfortable with the whole situation. I did like that the twins were told the importance of never hiding things from those responsible for their safety and well-being, and so I'm hopeful that this will be less of an issue in the future.
The expansion of the world and the magic the Wardens use is great to see - I loved the cool devices Jack and Jaide used to find the missing card, and the talking death mask of a Warden from ye olde times is my new favourite character. In addition to the magical elements, I loved the introduction of a few new characters, including Cordelia, a talking bird who I adored. I hope she continues to make appearances in the series.
Fans of the Troubletwisters series are encouraged to read the newest offering, The Mystery of the Golden Card. It's a thrilling adventure that has just the right amount of monsters, action and heroes. I feel like the authors are hitting their stride with the series, and have high hopes for the future.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for review.
You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic .
I really like that the secrets hinted at in the previous two books are finally coming to light. The twins are better at connecting the dots and figuring things out in this book. The best part is definitely their reluctance to accuse any of their acquaintances as spies for The Evil, they have certainly come a long way from the previous book, where Jaide was accusing innocent people of working for the enemy without a shred of proof.
I also liked the plot and the nice twists and turns that kept the story hurtling along. I found it slightly predictable (but remember, the book isn't aimed at people my age), but I think the plot makes sense and is handled well. The Mystery of the Golden Card definitely feels more polished and smoother than the two previous instalments.
I was, however, uncomfortable with the secrets that the twins ended up keeping from the adults around them: they hid important things from their grandmother and their parents in the hopes of solving the mystery before anyone knew something was wrong. The worst part: they were actively encouraged to do this by a member of their family. It all worked out in the end and I now know why it had to happen that way, but while reading I was increasingly uncomfortable with the whole situation. I did like that the twins were told the importance of never hiding things from those responsible for their safety and well-being, and so I'm hopeful that this will be less of an issue in the future.
The expansion of the world and the magic the Wardens use is great to see - I loved the cool devices Jack and Jaide used to find the missing card, and the talking death mask of a Warden from ye olde times is my new favourite character. In addition to the magical elements, I loved the introduction of a few new characters, including Cordelia, a talking bird who I adored. I hope she continues to make appearances in the series.
Fans of the Troubletwisters series are encouraged to read the newest offering, The Mystery of the Golden Card. It's a thrilling adventure that has just the right amount of monsters, action and heroes. I feel like the authors are hitting their stride with the series, and have high hopes for the future.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for review.
You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic .
January 13, 2014
This review was written by Nalini Haynes for Dark Matter Zine. This and more reviews, interviews etc are on Dark Matter Zine, an online magazine. http://www.darkmatterzine.com.
Mystery of the Golden Card is the third in the Trouble Twisters series for children aged 8 to 12 by Garth Nix and Sean Williams. I previously reviewed The Monster, the second in the series.
Jack and Jaide continue with their adventures, partially due to the adults being distracted, leaving the twins feeling both responsible and free to act. The blurb says:
When eccentric Young Master Rourke dies in suspicious circumstances, troubletwisters Jack and Jaide are sent on a mission by their father to retrieve a lost Golden Card from somewhere within the vast Rourke estate. But secret agents for The Evil are also in pursuit of the card, and the troubletwister twins know that whoever finds it first will gain access to a Gift more powerful or terrible than any other. Together they negotiate secret passages, talking parrots and animated suits of armour, while trying to control their own fledgling Gifts. It rapidly becomes impossible to know who to trust and who might be an agent – even among those closest to them.
Personally I think the blurb says TOO MUCH, giving away spoilers, but it certainly paints an accurate picture of this story. Apart from the dominant plot, which is a race against time to Save The World From Evil (again), there are themes of family, friendship, consequences and responsibility. The wholesome nature of these themes coupled with the absence of preaching at the reader are particularly appealing.
While this series could, in theory, be read as individual books due to recaps and the nature of individual adventures, I appreciate the gentle movement of a series-wide story arc. The children learn lessons and have more adventures while living with the consequences of previous adventures.
The absence of sexism in this series is another strong feature: without pontificating, family dynamics are revealed, the absent father pops in and out, Jack and Jaide are themselves equal and their school friendships develop as well.
Mystery of the Golden Card is an engaging story that will appeal to the target age group of 8 to 12 year olds of both sexes and to children of all ages who enjoy a well-written story.
I found Mystery of the Golden Card to be an antidote to the epic doorstopper trilogies and quartets that seem to be all the rage in adult fiction at the moment. I thoroughly enjoy a good solid read, but it is possible to get too much of a good thing. If you’re a reader of adult fantasy but you’re finding it all a bit much lately, sit down with a few quality kids’ reads: it’s like eating the Oracle’s cookie.
Mystery of the Golden Card is the third in the Trouble Twisters series for children aged 8 to 12 by Garth Nix and Sean Williams. I previously reviewed The Monster, the second in the series.
Jack and Jaide continue with their adventures, partially due to the adults being distracted, leaving the twins feeling both responsible and free to act. The blurb says:
When eccentric Young Master Rourke dies in suspicious circumstances, troubletwisters Jack and Jaide are sent on a mission by their father to retrieve a lost Golden Card from somewhere within the vast Rourke estate. But secret agents for The Evil are also in pursuit of the card, and the troubletwister twins know that whoever finds it first will gain access to a Gift more powerful or terrible than any other. Together they negotiate secret passages, talking parrots and animated suits of armour, while trying to control their own fledgling Gifts. It rapidly becomes impossible to know who to trust and who might be an agent – even among those closest to them.
Personally I think the blurb says TOO MUCH, giving away spoilers, but it certainly paints an accurate picture of this story. Apart from the dominant plot, which is a race against time to Save The World From Evil (again), there are themes of family, friendship, consequences and responsibility. The wholesome nature of these themes coupled with the absence of preaching at the reader are particularly appealing.
While this series could, in theory, be read as individual books due to recaps and the nature of individual adventures, I appreciate the gentle movement of a series-wide story arc. The children learn lessons and have more adventures while living with the consequences of previous adventures.
The absence of sexism in this series is another strong feature: without pontificating, family dynamics are revealed, the absent father pops in and out, Jack and Jaide are themselves equal and their school friendships develop as well.
Mystery of the Golden Card is an engaging story that will appeal to the target age group of 8 to 12 year olds of both sexes and to children of all ages who enjoy a well-written story.
I found Mystery of the Golden Card to be an antidote to the epic doorstopper trilogies and quartets that seem to be all the rage in adult fiction at the moment. I thoroughly enjoy a good solid read, but it is possible to get too much of a good thing. If you’re a reader of adult fantasy but you’re finding it all a bit much lately, sit down with a few quality kids’ reads: it’s like eating the Oracle’s cookie.
July 16, 2013
Book 3 in the Troubletwisters series, is an entertaining fantasy adventure that involves the two main characters overcoming a series of challenges. There are plenty of eccentric characters and magic as well as elements of humour and enough action to keep any younger reader interested.
Grandma X is in hospital after a road accident where she was run off the road by an unidentified van. Not having her around to give them advice unsettles Jaide and Jack. There is a fierce rainstorm and they become excited when they see their father, Hector, who appears in the middle of it, on the border of the Rourke property. This is a vast pseudo-castle and was the property of the recently deceased Young Master Rourke. There is strangeness about his death but nothing anyone can “put a finger on”.
Hector can’t come too close to the children because it upsets their powers but he has an important task for them. He needs them to find a golden card, the Card of Translocation. He smuggles a phone to them, something that their mother has does not want them to have yet, and swears them to secrecy.
They begin their search but realise that fighting The Evil is not an easy thing to do. There are so many questions they need to find the answers for as they try to figure out the right thing to do. What really happened to Young Master Rourke and what is his macaw Cornelia trying to tell them? Is there something Rodeo Dave is hiding from them and can he be trusted? How much can they keep secret from their mother? They find many unusual things as they search the Rourke property. Some of it is helpful and some is gruesome. They also have to overcome a number of challenges on their way to solving the puzzle of the card’s location, not least to get past the guards protecting the card as they get closer to their goal. There are many twists and turns until the identity of one person is revealed and then almost everything else fall into place.
Website for the series: www.troubletwisters.com.au
Grandma X is in hospital after a road accident where she was run off the road by an unidentified van. Not having her around to give them advice unsettles Jaide and Jack. There is a fierce rainstorm and they become excited when they see their father, Hector, who appears in the middle of it, on the border of the Rourke property. This is a vast pseudo-castle and was the property of the recently deceased Young Master Rourke. There is strangeness about his death but nothing anyone can “put a finger on”.
Hector can’t come too close to the children because it upsets their powers but he has an important task for them. He needs them to find a golden card, the Card of Translocation. He smuggles a phone to them, something that their mother has does not want them to have yet, and swears them to secrecy.
They begin their search but realise that fighting The Evil is not an easy thing to do. There are so many questions they need to find the answers for as they try to figure out the right thing to do. What really happened to Young Master Rourke and what is his macaw Cornelia trying to tell them? Is there something Rodeo Dave is hiding from them and can he be trusted? How much can they keep secret from their mother? They find many unusual things as they search the Rourke property. Some of it is helpful and some is gruesome. They also have to overcome a number of challenges on their way to solving the puzzle of the card’s location, not least to get past the guards protecting the card as they get closer to their goal. There are many twists and turns until the identity of one person is revealed and then almost everything else fall into place.
Website for the series: www.troubletwisters.com.au
August 2, 2014
GRANDMA! STOP KEEPING SECRETS FROM JACK AND JAIDE! (And us readers, it's annoying.) The third book in this series, The Mystery definitely lives up to its name. The mystery in this story is the biggest one Jake and Jaide have to solve yet, and to be honest I had no idea what to expect from the plot. Rodeo Dave plays a HUGE part in it this time, contributing heavily to the mystery about the evil, the golden card, and the death of Young Master Rourke. I was pretty much scared for him the entire time, cause I really like him. *Laughs*
I like how their friend Tara gets involved with the Evil business with them again! Even Kyle hops on the bandwagon of disasters too. (I Love seeing minor characters get special roles.~)
My favorite part of this story was the whole thing with
As this series continue, I realize how well written these books really are. I found that I could trace lot of events that happened in this book back to the first one, like with their family, Dave, and other small random things. It makes me want to read the entire series again! But first I'll finish the The Missing and see how everything ends first...
I like how their friend Tara gets involved with the Evil business with them again! Even Kyle hops on the bandwagon of disasters too. (I Love seeing minor characters get special roles.~)
My favorite part of this story was the whole thing with
As this series continue, I realize how well written these books really are. I found that I could trace lot of events that happened in this book back to the first one, like with their family, Dave, and other small random things. It makes me want to read the entire series again! But first I'll finish the The Missing and see how everything ends first...
December 20, 2015
Jack and Jaide Shield are psychic twins. Their main guardian is Grandma X, a Warden of Portland who is secretly protecting the world from The Evil, a terrible force from another dimension. Someday Jack and Jaiden will become Wardens too. They are too young now and their powers are too unpredictable. Unfortunately for the twins their next adventure will happen without the help of Grandma X. She had been in a car accident and ended up in the hospital and put on heavy medicines.
The twins father shows up and wants them to find the Card of Translocation, of course they aren’t the only ones looking for this object and its source of power. Their task is to search the Rourke Castle. The owner, Master Rourke, died under mysterious circumstances, so there would be no help from him. The twins do get to investigate the castle with old friends Rodeo Dave and Tara. They discover the castle is like a museum with hidden rooms and lots of secret places to hide and there are peep holes in paintings. Solving this mystery is bringing more questions than answers. How will the twins find the Card? There seems to be a growing lack of trust amongst some of their friends. Will they find the Card before The Evil?
Authors Garth Nix and Sean Williams have done a great job of putting together the third book in this series. Readers will find plenty of twists and turns while venturing through this fast paced read. Parent and teachers will approve.
The twins father shows up and wants them to find the Card of Translocation, of course they aren’t the only ones looking for this object and its source of power. Their task is to search the Rourke Castle. The owner, Master Rourke, died under mysterious circumstances, so there would be no help from him. The twins do get to investigate the castle with old friends Rodeo Dave and Tara. They discover the castle is like a museum with hidden rooms and lots of secret places to hide and there are peep holes in paintings. Solving this mystery is bringing more questions than answers. How will the twins find the Card? There seems to be a growing lack of trust amongst some of their friends. Will they find the Card before The Evil?
Authors Garth Nix and Sean Williams have done a great job of putting together the third book in this series. Readers will find plenty of twists and turns while venturing through this fast paced read. Parent and teachers will approve.
November 16, 2013
Twins Jack and Jaide Shield are still learning to master their psychic powers when they are called upon to locate a magic object in Rourke Castle before The Evil, a force set on destroying their world, finds and controls it. The problem is, the twins do not know what the object they are looking for looks like.
The twins’ grandmother, their mentor and instructor, is out of the picture. She has been hospitalized with a serious illness, and Jade and Jack may not visit her. With no one to trust their secrets with, everyone becomes a suspect and a menace to the twins’ search, even their parents.
Keeping this many secrets slows the action down considerably. The protagonists do not undergo much change and secondary characters do not move the plot along significantly nor point the heroes towards revelations. While entertaining, and able to stand on its own outside the series, some children may be disturbed by the “great reveal” related to the twins’ parent(s) and what this implies about the twins’ own future.
The twins’ grandmother, their mentor and instructor, is out of the picture. She has been hospitalized with a serious illness, and Jade and Jack may not visit her. With no one to trust their secrets with, everyone becomes a suspect and a menace to the twins’ search, even their parents.
Keeping this many secrets slows the action down considerably. The protagonists do not undergo much change and secondary characters do not move the plot along significantly nor point the heroes towards revelations. While entertaining, and able to stand on its own outside the series, some children may be disturbed by the “great reveal” related to the twins’ parent(s) and what this implies about the twins’ own future.
May 4, 2013
So I was in love with the zombie cats on the last cover, and all I really want to know is where is my picture of a zombie chimpanzee riding a zombie wolf on this cover? Had I known that this was a thing, I would have read this much faster. Here's the thing I noticed. The dramatic change of style of cover art. Admittedly this will actually draw more attention but a large part of me misses the old art.
To go with the cover change, the insides have changed too. These books are legitimately getting better. The first two weren't great (as much as I hate to see Garth Nix's fault) but this one was more adventure less ++Join us++ which was a giant relief. The twins get their first mission but not all is as it seems. There's some nice plot twists and Cornelia is officially my favourite bird in the world.
To go with the cover change, the insides have changed too. These books are legitimately getting better. The first two weren't great (as much as I hate to see Garth Nix's fault) but this one was more adventure less ++Join us++ which was a giant relief. The twins get their first mission but not all is as it seems. There's some nice plot twists and Cornelia is officially my favourite bird in the world.
July 29, 2015
It was fun in an "I think the authors must have loved Tintin comics" sort of a way (I did too). There was a murder, the only witness being a stubborn parrot. There was a castle with secret passages and peepholes presumably through paintings. There was a golden treasure (I found the hiding place a little bit obvious but there were enough twists to be fun). The characters are still larger than life. Jack and Jaide are making real friends at school which is good.
I can't say a lot more without spoilers. And there is a lot I want to say about a father who gives his children a phone and says "our little secret" but....spoilers.
However I did give the book 4 stars. 4.5 I nearly went the full 5 actually. So, if there are niggly things like that. Keep reading.
I can't say a lot more without spoilers. And there is a lot I want to say about a father who gives his children a phone and says "our little secret" but....spoilers.
However I did give the book 4 stars. 4.5 I nearly went the full 5 actually. So, if there are niggly things like that. Keep reading.
June 8, 2013
I don't know. I mean I like the characters, the authors do a good job with them I just feel like it could be better written. What do you do with a simple as a title as the mystery? Oh boy, and it wasn't even that mysterious in my opinion. I want some more depth, also it feels like everything is dumbed down and I know it's written for kids but still I don't think things would have to be mad as obvious as the authors do in this story. I will continue to read this series in hopes of improvement. The series has promise don't get me wrong, I hope they keep writing them for sure.
July 8, 2013
Jaida and Jack face a new adventure when young master Rourke dies. They receive a cell phone from their dad(?)
Their grandma is run off the road by someone and is in the hospital. They are searching for the card of translocation.
Storms abound along with rain. Is rodeo Dave just a bookseller? Custer helps with ward protection. Tara and Kyle play roles. The twins mother becomes involved. We find out there are more twins than Jaida and Jack knew about.
Their grandma is run off the road by someone and is in the hospital. They are searching for the card of translocation.
Storms abound along with rain. Is rodeo Dave just a bookseller? Custer helps with ward protection. Tara and Kyle play roles. The twins mother becomes involved. We find out there are more twins than Jaida and Jack knew about.
May 24, 2013
Really enjoyed it. The characters Jake and Jaide are really beleivable and the plot moves along at a cracking pace. This is a great series to introduce young readers (8-12) to the mystery genre.
Listen to my radio chat with Garth and Sean here:
http://www.abc.net.au/centralvic/prog...
Listen to my radio chat with Garth and Sean here:
http://www.abc.net.au/centralvic/prog...
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December 4, 2015Katharine is a judge for the Sara Douglass 'Book Series' Award. This entry is the personal opinion of Katharine herself, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of any judging panel, the judging coordinator or the Aurealis Awards management team.
I won't be recording my thoughts (if I choose to) here until after the AA are over.
I won't be recording my thoughts (if I choose to) here until after the AA are over.
October 5, 2013
Not bad. Read it out loud to my son, who is obsessed with this series. The Evil's tricks are getting old, but Professor Olafsson was a welcome addition to the cast. I'm hoping we see more of him in later books.
April 5, 2014
Lyn is a judge for the Aurealis Awards. This review is the personal opinion of Lyn herself, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of any judging panel, the judging coordinator or the Aurealis Awards management team.
I will be rating this once the AAs are announced.
I will be rating this once the AAs are announced.
September 7, 2015
Finally the series gets good
After 2 slow entries, this series becomes less trite and predictable in this book. I hope the fourth volume maintains this book's ability to use plot twists and original elements to keep things interesting.
After 2 slow entries, this series becomes less trite and predictable in this book. I hope the fourth volume maintains this book's ability to use plot twists and original elements to keep things interesting.
September 16, 2013
A much better book than the last one in this series. Enjoyed it and look forward to the next book in the fight against the Evil.
August 12, 2013
i liked the first three, but is there going to be a fourth?
September 3, 2013
Good installment, it's definitely setting up some drama for later on. Just the kind of quick, fluffy read I wanted.
October 10, 2013
Decent but nothing extraordinary.
March 13, 2014
3.5 I really did enjoy the book. The plot was pretty predictable though, and it seems like the same problems happen in every book with maybe one new one. I'll definitely be reading the next one.
April 22, 2014
Bring on number 4.
September 4, 2014
i really loved this book it was full of excitement
October 15, 2014
I absolutely love this book and series, getting hooked from the start, and I can't wait to read the 4th one. out of all of the series that I have read, it is the closest to perfection.
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December 30, 2015If you like 2, you'll like 3. Ends on a darker note.
November 14, 2016
This was fun; like having a comfort meal after too much high dining. My reading palate now feels refreshed and I can dip into something a lot more 'high brow' now. The perfect refresher.
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