A Study in Secrets

Last Chance Academy #1

by Debbi Michiko Florence

Ever since her mom passed away, twelve-year-old Megumi “Meg” Mizuno has been spiraling. After too many low grades and cut classes, she’s been expelled from school—apparently, everyone else has moved past her grief and expects the same from her. Her dad secures her a spot at the prestigious Leland Chase Academy, a boarding school in the middle-of-nowhere New York, called the Last Chance Academy by its student body. If Meg can’t make it work there, she’ll be forced to live with her horrible aunt.

At first, Leland Chase seems like an average, if very strict, boarding school, though Meg tentatively warms up to her roommate and some of their classmates. Then, one night, a mysterious envelope appears under her door, inviting Meg and her roommate to participate in a scavenger hunt. The only rules: don’t get caught by faculty or staff and no cheating. The grand prize? A luxury stay at a fancy resort in California. And after learning her dad has plans to sell their family home—with all its memories of Mom—Meg knows she has to win the competition and use the trip to convince Dad to stay.

Thanks to her mom, who taught her how to solve ciphers, Meg has a knack for puzzles she uses to get ahead in the hunt. But she quickly learns that her classmates seem to have their own sets of skills keeping them in the competition. And as they get deeper in the game, Meg and her fellow competitors realize the anonymous creator has their own agenda…and LCA isn’t quite what it seems.

Genres: Mystery, Middle Grade, Fiction, Friendship, Grief, Audiobook, Realistic Fiction

290 pages, Hardcover

Published March 11, 2025

About the author

Debbi Michiko Florence is the author of upper middle grade novels Sweet and Sour, Keep It Together, Keiko Carter, Just Be Cool, Jenna Sakai, and This Is How I Roll. She has a debut middle grade series called Last Chance Academy. Book 1, A Study in Secrets, is coming on March 11, 2025! She is also the author of three chapter books series including Jasmine Toguchi with four new books, Follow Jasmine as she travels to Japan on vacation! And Debbi co-authored a picture book biography, Niki Nakayama: A Chef’s Tale in 13 Bites.

Her books have received starred reviews, JLG Selections, and inclusion on lists such as Amazon Best Books and the Chicago Public Library Best of the Best.

Reviews

[Amina · Rating 3 out of 5]

✰ 3 stars ✰

​“Fine by me. I just want to stay out of trouble.

But then, trouble always seems to have a way of finding me.”

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ After her mother's sudden and unfortunate passing, twelve-year-old Megumi Mizuno's grades greatly suffered; in order for her to keep up with her studies and have some place to take care of her other than her less than favorable Aunt Vivian's home while he travels for work, her father enrolls her in the prestigious boarding school Leland Chase Academy, also known as Last Chance Academy'. In a school that house only 35 students from Years 6-12, Meg is all set to steer clear of any trouble, avoid making friends and just get through the year, so she can make it back to her father and try to salvage some part of their family. 🫂 'He wants to abandon our memories of her. I won’t let him.' But, when a strange envelope arrives inviting her and her classmates into a scavenger hunt that promises a prize worth its riches to her, she'll do whatever it takes to win the coveted prize to save her family from falling apart - even at the risk of losing the friends she makes in the process. ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹

“There will only be one winner, and that winner is going to be me.”

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The clues, themselves, weren't very witty or clever, but it's more the Mastermind behind the game that seems to be the driving force for the start of the engaging middle-grade new mystery series by Debbie Michiko Florence. For that unknown figure who is pulling the strings as well as the one who has A Study in Secrets to the characters' past discretion is what ties them together. 🕵🏻‍♀️ 'Sometimes the clue is right under your nose.' And as the secrets are revealed, it slowly inches forward in creating more depth to each of their personalities and talented skill-sets, along with their interesting backgrounds, as well. Which, aside from the fast-paced and engaging plot, with enough levels of danger and high stakes risk that kept me interested. It also helped that the chapters were short and quick, while also allowing wholesome and heartfelt moments to keep the adventure and levity at a finely timed balance. 👍🏻

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Meg was a smart and attentive protagonist; while she's still hurting over her grief, even her feelings of doubting friendships and trust felt believable and relatable. Solving the ciphers was a heartfelt way for her to stay connected to the memories of her mother, which made her compulsion to win all that more compelling. 🥺 'I feel like she’s with me in spirit, cheering me on.' Her struggles over wanting to keep her family together also felt like a genuine reason for her to be trying so hard to win. Meg had intelligence and confidence, and confidence is key when you want to be the winner, as she aimed to be. Her conversations and interactions with Tana, Ryan, and Zane were nicely done and didn't feel forced, but you could see how each of them was filling out a specific role in a group setting. 🧐

“​It’s too late for me to protect myself against making friends. It’s clear that I do care after all.”

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Even if her determination did appear bull-headed at times, it was nice to see how she eventually warmed up to her classmates, and sensed the friendship that was growing between them and caring for them, as well. 💟😤 Doubt and speculation still hurts after a painful past foray, but she slowly learned to trust and let them into her lives and her emotions, as well. 'And forgiveness is important. Trust is important.' Each of them was well-developed, with their own fair share of a competitive streak, along with their reasons for being at LCA, and enough motive and drive to want to win, but the power of friendship and teamwork overrides that need to succeed. There are also subtle hints of romance floating around which was a nice inclusion for the tween heart, especially when it suggests that there is room for a potential love triangle. Ah, tween love. 😊

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ There also exists an air of mystery to the school that has been placed, but not quite yet explored yet. It makes me curious to think if there are ties with this particular 7th grade class of four students and its history which will eventually be revealed later on. 🤔 'None of us are here because we’re stellar, upstanding citizens.' Sir Grey was a pleasant inclusion to the story, as well, and it will be interesting to see how some significant supporting cast members will play a more prominent role later on. I did not feel the tension heightened at any point, but it was easy to stay gripped to the story, and has me eager to see what future adventures await our intrepid young treasure hunters. 🧰💰

*Thank you to Edelweiss for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. It reminded me of others I've read lately with the secret clue games & secret societies at Boarding Schools-The Liars Society & The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane come to mind. Unfortunately, there is one sentence that will keep me from putting it in my classroom.

Thanks to Edelweiss for the e-ARC.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 I wasn't expecting such a cliff hanger at the end, and wanted a bit more wrap up even though this is going to be a series.

[Anne Wynter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I tore through this audiobook on my own and can’t wait to read it with my kids! It has everything I love - puzzles, a boarding school setting, secrets, surprises, and characters who feel like friends. I couldn’t put it down and I cannot wait for the next one. Highly recommend!!!

[Rudi Hilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this quick YA read. The characters were well thought out & the plot captivated me from the first chapter. I cannot wait for the second book!!

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always found children’s and young adult treasure hunt books to be disappointing…until now.

The treasure hunt always seems like a great concept for a kids novel, but it almost never works. Which is why this book was such a delightful surprise. It gets right all of the things that other books in this subgenre seem to get wrong.

I’ll start by saying that this just a terrific friendship story, and that the boarding school atmosphere and sense of place are terrifically well rendered. This made the execution of the actual treasure hunt plot less vital to the enjoyment of the story, yet that was well done anyway.

I love that the clues here are neither nonsensical and impossible to figure out or insultingly obvious. The author did a really good job of setting this up so that kids could play along as they read and that adult readers might also get something out of it.

My kids loved this one, and I did too. We’re all thrilled that the book appears to be getting a sequel.

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

[Jen Nishi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I was kind of expecting more high stakes but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved all the Japanese rep! I’ve waited my whole life to find people who look like me and my family in books. And I’m 34! I’m excited to put this one in the library, I think the kids will love it.

[Lisa Ball · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun puzzle book. It is shorter, which could be good for middle grade readers. The main mystery isn't resolved, but continues into book two. There is some "romance" - just really hinted at - kind of like a crush. Totally appropriate for middle grade readers.

[rachel x]

I'm so keen for a mg Only Murders in the Building!

[Gwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

One rainy morning worth of ignoring all the other things is all it took to happily devour this book! Downside of learning of this series so early in its publication life is waiting for the next one - I’m ready to pick it up now! Great realistic characters and character tension / development, setting intrigue, and mystery all strong enough to keep the pages turning but not overly tense or mysterious. Definitely a middle grade recommendation!

[via gal]

THE CLIFFHANGER…????

[Mona Monty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating

★★★★★

5 out of 5 Stars

Review

Thanks to Edelweiss and the publishers for providing the ARC.

In this action-packed middle-grade novel, Debbi Michiko Florence blends mystery, adventure, and puzzle-solving into an engaging story.

We follow Megumi "Meg" Mizuno. After a tough year following her mother’s passing, Meg is sent to Leland Chase Academy, a boarding school known as “Last Chance Academy.” Though initially distant and struggling to adjust in a new environment while still dealing with the grief of loosing her mother, a mysterious scavenger hunt invitation leads Meg into a thrilling race against time, puzzles, and her fellow classmates.

The book has a mix of mystery in a dark academia setting, as we move through the corridors of Leland Chase Academy chasing after clues and ciphers. Megumi is certainly an intelligent character and the author has demonstrated it well beyong her capacity to solve the puzzles that come her way.

The mystery of the treasure hunt and its purpose in the errie school keeps you hooked, as we keep moving closer to unraveling the secret, it becomes more and more obvious that this is no simple treasure hunt.

Pros:

Relatable Protagonist: Meg is a well-developed and empathetic character whose struggles with grief and fitting in feel authentic. Her struggle to cope with the loss of her mother at a young age is relatable to readers who have experienced similar challenges. Her journey from isolation and loss to forming connections with her classmates is heartwarming and provides a sense of hope.

Puzzle Elements: The inclusion of ciphers, puzzles, and clues adds a fun twist to the book as we, the readers try to solve the challeges along with Meg. All the puzzles were well thought out and logical. Meg’s puzzle-solving skills, learned from her mother, give the story a personal touch and make her a strong, capable heroine.

Fast-paced Plot: The story is filled with tension and excitement as the scavenger hunt leads the characters deeper into mystery. The competitive nature of the hunt, coupled with the looming threat of discovery, give it a secret society at Yale vibe leaning a bit into the dark academia genre.

Friendship and Growth: The relationships that develop between Meg and her classmates add emotional depth to the story. Each character brings their own strengths to the hunt, and their teamwork highlights the importance of trust and collaboration.

Cons:

Underexplored School Setting: The prestigious boarding school, Leland Chase Academy, has great potential as a setting but doesn’t feel fully fleshed out. More exploration of the school’s history and its connection to the mystery could have elevated the tension and intrigue. This is only the first book in the seires, perhaps we will find out more in the future installements.

Conclusion

This novel is an exciting, adventure-filled read that blends mystery with emotional growth. Meg's journey through the scavenger hunt is captivating, with clever puzzles, a relatable protagonist, and a dash of mystery surrounding the school. Its balance of mental challenges and heartfelt moments makes it a great middle-grade choice for fans of puzzle-driven mysteries.

[A Novel Approach · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 4.5/5. A YA, treasure hunt, academic mystery reminiscent of The mysterious Benedict Society meets Harry Potter, and throw in a dash of Japanese culture and The Inheritance Games. I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook, as it really pulled me j to the story. The narrator was great at differentiating character voices and am bummed I have to wait a year until book 2 in the series comes out!! The characters were well-developed and the plot always kept me interested.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plenty of school-based middle grades series out there: the magical/fantasy Harry Potter, Skandar, and Supernatural Investigations/Amari; graphic novels Berrybrook Middle and Emmie and Friends and game/code based Liar’s Society. Debbi Michiko Florence adds one to that last category with her LAST CHANCE ACADEMY.

Since her mother’s death, Meg Mizuno has handled her grief poorly and just about failed sixth grade with skipped classes, no studying and refusal to take tests. Living with an aunt did nothing but worsen the situation so for 7th grade, Meg finds herself at a residential school filled with students who have run out of options and see attendance at Leland Chase Academy as a last resort. Determined to do well, stay out of trouble and keep to herself, Meg nevertheless gets sucked into a competitive and very secret game to solve the puzzles embedded in mysterious letters that arrive on her dorm room floor. But working together with roommate/new friend Tana and fellow 7th graders Ryan and Zane is much more effective and may lead to friendships that will benefit all four hurting teens.

Florence’s game uses a variety of codes and clues that will intrigue readers, the new relationships have ups and downs familiar to most middle graders, and while this competition ends at the close of this book, a new one begins, leaving all sorts of loose threads needing attention in a sequel. Meg is able to finally talk to her father about their shared grief and the damage it is doing to their father-daughter relationship but not everything is resolved and Ryan, Tana and Zane have not fully revealed the demons that plague them.

Great choice for readers in grades 4-7 and with the touch of romance budding and some computer hacking included may even extend its appeal to 8th graders. Text is free of profanity, sexual content and violence is limited to an enthusiastic snowball fight. Both staff and student body represent diversity in a big way: Japanese, Korean, Middle Eastern, British, Ojibwe Nation and a briefly noted same sex relationship. Great messages about our need for friendship and those we can share with and depend on.

Thanks for the print arc, Simon & Schuster/Aladdin.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Losing a parent and then being sent to boarding school could cause a lot of issues for Meg, but she overcomes them via a treasure hunt game with her classmates. Readers will enjoy the suspense and realistic nature of the story.

[Sarah Threlkeld · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced and fun treasure hunt mystery with a cliffhanger ending.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever since her mother died, Megumi “Meg,” has struggled in school. Her father is dealing with his grief by doing more work far away from home. She first got shipped off to stay with her dreadful aunt, but after her grades tanked, her father got her into the Leland Chase Academy which specializes in whipping troubled kids into Ivy League material. Meg finds herself 1 of 4 seventh grade students at the small school in a mansion made in a British countryside estate motif but set deep in the New England woods. Meg has plans to get her grades high enough and disciplinary record spotless enough to convince her dad to let her come home by Christmas. (Ok, she can’t resist rescuing a kitten and sneaking it in. But other than hiding Sir Grey, she’s being a perfect student.) But then a new plan presents itself. Someone is running a very hush hush scavenger hunt with the promise of an all expenses paid trip to Newport Beach, CA for Christmas break for the winner and one chaperone. The number of participants will drop with each round, and no school staff or 12th graders can find out about the game or it is off. The person running things calls themselves the Mastermind and seems to know an unsettling amount about each student and obviously has access to the school (notes are slipped under dorm doors). Meg is good at scavenger hunts. (They kind of used to be her thing with her mom.) And the concept of an ideal Christmas trip with her dad might be the ticket to convincing him to stay around. So Meg finds herself in this game to win it. But she didn’t count on accidently making friends at the school. How does she keep finding herself working with the other 7th years: Tana, Ryan, and Zane? And no one saw the game leading her to bigger questions, like if the school is in financial trouble or what the Mastermind’s endgame is in all this?

Debbi Michiko Florence has managed to come up with a compelling, atmospheric New England boarding school mystery for middle graders that doesn’t involve anyone dropping dead (so far). Perhaps craziest of all, it doesn’t involve students metaphorically stabbing each other in the back either. (Meg experienced that in the past and it makes her reluctant to trust others.) I really like seeing the grief-stricken, standoffish Meg’s walls being torn down by Tana, Ryan, and Zane. They are all good for each other in their own ways, and their skills complement each other well. (Tana is a hacker. Ryan is a charmer/social skills whiz. Zane is a good ol’ Dickens-style orphan taken in by a thief and then rescued, so he can pick locks and such.) And even the student RA who seems to have it out for Meg has secrets that Meg unravels and make her more human and likable. This book sees the 4 7th graders reach one end to the scavenger hunt, but there are much bigger questions uncovered and more to be resolved even in the scavenger hunt. The long wait for book 2 now commences.

Notes on content:
Language: None
Sexual content: None. There are some possible crushes developing between guys and girls, but nothing more than special looks at this point.
Violence: None
Ethnic diversity: Meg is Japanese American as is Zane, Ryan is Chinese American, Tana is Jewish American, some others in the school or on staff are Korean American and East Indian American and of other ethnicities of European origins.
LGBTQ+ content: None specified.
Other: Grief is a big topic as is learning what true friendship looks like. A lot of these kids have family issues or troubled pasts.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Megumi (Meg) Mizuno's mother has passed away, and since neither she nor her father could function because of their overwhelming grief, she ends up at the Leland Chase Academy, aka the "Last Chance" academy. Her roommate Tana seems nice, although her RA, Collette, is overbearing and tries to trip her up. There are only 35 students in grade 6-12, so classes are small. There is some free time in the evening and weekends, but there are also required activities, like movie nights and research projects. On her way into the school, Meg has picked up a kitten, Sir Grey, whom she hides in her closet, and supplies with food and kitty litter thanks to the local black market entrepreneur, Jung. When both she and Tana get an envelope inviting them to participate in a scavenger hunt, Meg is intrigued by the challenges posed by "the Mastermind". She wishes that she could go home and be with her father, and when he tells her he is going to sell the family home and move in with his sister, Aunt Vivian, Meg really wants to win the trip that is the prize in hopes of reconnecting with him and stopping the move. The clues are hard, but also personal. She works with Tana, as well as local lock pick expert Ryan, and manages to stay in the game, even after Collette intercepts one of her envelopes and threatens her. There's a time limit; the clues must all be figured out by Thanksgiving break. Since Meg's father will be in India, she'll be spending the holiday with her aunt. When competition over the treasure hunt causes tension among her friends, and Sir Grey goes missing, and secrets emerge about the academy, will Meg be able to keep her mind on the clues and her eyes on the prize?
Strengths: Even though I have never known anyone who attended a boarding school (even though there are a couple in Ohio), it's a setting that appeals to middle grade readers. Meg isn't thrilled to be at the school, but she is at least glad to escape some friend drama back home, and she's also glad that she doesn't have to live with her aunt while her father travels. While Collette is mean, most of the other students are nice to Meg, and despite a small misunderstanding with Tana, the two get along well-- they even both enjoy hiding the kitten! There are some interesting mysteries about the school in addition to the scavenger/treasure hunt that will keep readers turning the pages. I don't want to give away the ending, but it sets up the next book nicely.
Weaknesses: Longtime readers of my reviews know that I don't buy into the trope that grieving parents can't or won't take care of their children. Also, since my own daughter once kept a stray cat in her closet for two days before I discovered it, I couldn't buy that Sir Grey went without detection for more than about a week, especially if Collette was gunning for Meg to mess up.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers craving a boarding school mystery like Stevens' Murder is Bad Manners, Gerber's Liar's Society , Nobel's The Mystery at Black Hollow Lane, Yee's The Misfits. or even Lockhart's 2008 The Disreputable History of Franki Landau-Banks. The next book looks like it will follow four of the characters to Newport Beach.

[Bri's Reading Tangents · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meg has a lot on her plate – grief from losing her mom and fearing forgetting her, the distance from her dad, and a big fear of the unknown that is growing up. Then she gets thrown into this mystery/scavenger hunt at her last chance boarding school and finds a purpose that can help her move forward.

The vibes in this story are very sweet with the bucolic boarding school setting, the small cast of characters, and the emphasis on friendship and overcoming the ‘new girl’ stigma to find where Meg fits. It deals well with the pain of grief without marinating in it and I loved to see how Meg started to open up to herself and her new friends. The scavenger hunt drove the plot forward, but I didn’t feel like it was the only thing helping Meg on her transformation arc. The story definitely had a stronger theme than just external plot so it would be great for younger readers!

I love the characters in this story – the ragtag group of kids with very different backgrounds, skills, and goals who come together for fun and adventure. Each character feels unique and real and honestly I am excited to see how the friendship they have developed continues in this series.
Honestly, the scavenger hunt was my least favorite plot in the story.

For me, I wish there was more revealed at the end of the book. I know this is the first book in a series (evidenced by the huge series title and small book title on the cover) but I wanted more answers to the questions brought up in the mystery! I guess the series hook worked on me, though, since I will most certainly be reading the next book whenever it comes out!

[And as a total side note – for all that I love cats and kids having cats and showing that responsibility, I could not feel good about the cat in this book. I just worried about it the whole time and kind of wanted an adult to take care of it. But that was just a me problem, as an adult reader and owner of a cat.]

[Corinne’s Chapter Chatter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun mystery by way of scavenger hunt for younger readers! Even I as an adult enjoyed the story over all.
I can see it being a hit for 4th or 5th grader readers as an introduction to academia based novels as well as mystery and adventure type stories. It is on the more simplistic side and at times very repetitive but I think it may be intentional for how younger readers process and hold on to information.
I will say that the clues for the scavenger hunt were overly simplistic when they didn’t have to be.

The book is the first book in a future series and it ends on a cliff hanger but the main story focus was wrapped up. The cliff hanger was perfectly placed to encourage the reader to pick up the next installment.

I think the younger readers will be able to identify with the students in the book and I loved that they appeared imperfect and faced many of the things that today’s kids do as well as challenges with parents, teachers and peers.

The book comes out March 11,2025 and would make a great addition to a classroom or home library.

I am thankful to have gotten an eARC for free from Simon Kids through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system for Middle Grade and children’s books

⭐️ Significant problems and would never recommend to the audience.
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea but may have some appeal.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ an ok book which I wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend but it has some value for young readers
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! I would recommend for the age or reading level appropriate for the book
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Would recommend highly, especially to school programs as a wide spread reading opportunity.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a difficult time for Megumi, or Meg for short, since she lost her mother. As a result of her father's traveling for work, Meg does not get to spend much time with him. Because of her distaste for Aunt Vivian's house and her slipping grades, her father has decided Meg should transfer to a boarding school. This is Leland Chase Academy also known as Last Chance Academy. A total of 35 students in grades 6-12 attend the school.

One day, strange envelopes appear underneath the bedroom doors of her classmates. The invitation has not been received by everyone at the Academy. Meg is looking forward to this scavenger hunt since it promises a prize that is so valuable to her. In order to prevent her family from falling apart, she will do whatever it takes to win the prize, even if it means losing her friends. To move forward, the students must solve clues left by the Mastermind. In order to solve each clue, Meg realizes that she will need the help of her classmates.

She loves the idea of the scavenger hunt because her mother had done it with her when she was alive. Meg had a slight advantage over her classmates because of this. The Mastermind has such intimate knowledge of each student that it is freakishly scary.

To solve the last clue of the scavenger hunt, all four 7th year students will have to work together. Even after her best friend cast her aside after her mother died, Meg will learn she can trust others and have true friends. It was set up for only one individual to win, but now there were four. To outwit the Mastermind, what would the students do.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous start to a new middle grade mystery series! Meg is grieving the loss of her mother when she’s sent to the Last Chance Academy for literally her last chance. Her father who travels for work says she either makes it there or home-schools with her mean aunt. With everything on the line, Meg enters the cavernous, lonely building expecting the worst, but actually finding potential friends and one adorable kitten that she dubs Sir Grey. And just as she’s getting into the swing of things, a mysterious invitation calls everything into question—an unknown instigator invites Meg and the other students into a treasure hunt that pits them against each other for the trip of a lifetime. And this is where my recs for mysteries fall apart because I don’t want to give anything away so can I just say trust me this is excellent!?!??! Clue the First: Debbi Michiko Florence one again writes in a masterful tween voice that balances grief, curiosity, and hope to perfection. Clue the Second: young readers LOVE these slightly sinister boarding school settings and this book makes you feel like you’re in the middle of the woods in New York with your entire future at stake. Clue the Third: the twists and turns don’t stop to keep mystery fans guessing and they’re expertly woven into Meg’s personal growth for a girl facing down heart-breaking grief to learning to trust herself and her friends again. Clue the Final: there is a secret kitten, come on! Kids are going to love it so much.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just want to start off by saying that I loved this middle grade mystery and would recommend it! I would just have to add a small minor correction because I found the random anti-Thanksgiving message really bizarre to write in a kids' novel.

My main problem with it was that it really didn't have anything to do with the story other than to add in some "representation" for Native Americans. While there are a few Native American descendants who call it "the Day of Mourning", I (as a descendant from the Miami tribe) and my family celebrate Thanksgiving, as a day to give thanks for what we have with family and friends. The original Thanksgiving feast was meant to be a joining of separate cultures to help others (those who were outsiders and immigrants) learn how to survive. What happened afterward with colonization is devastating, but in no way would I villianize that holiday over it. I know some disagree, and that's fine, and they have the right protest. But to put this in a children's book as if this is a fact for all of us to feel about the holiday, and we should be proud to protest (as if celebrating Thanksgiving is the wrong stance), in my eyes isn't fair representation of all Native Americans. Yes, some do protest that holiday, but that isn't "right" or better than those who see it in a different way and therefore celebrate it for different reasons.

[Joyce T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was pretty good. From the description (and the cover), I was expecting more creepy stuff, but thankfully there wasn't really anything that was scary. I will say, however, that this book is more focused on Meg and how she and her friends become closer to one another throughout the course of the story. It's not that focused on the mystery. So if you're looking for a mystery- or thriller-oriented book, this book is not what you're looking for.

It's a really sweet story, though, and I'd definitely recommend it to middle-graders! Its mystery vibe is a bit similar to Book Scavenger, but it's not as creepy or thrilling, and the clues aren't exactly woven together from the beginning to the end as much. As far as the feeling I got from this book... it just made me feel really safe (though I'm not sure why).

Content: Clean. Mentions of mother passing away. No cursing, no explicit scenes. Great friend group that sticks together, and there are mentions of crushes, but it's all very pure and what you'd expect from innocent kids.

[Jaime Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/4 stars - I will take points off for the clear grammatical error on page 17.
TW: Death of a mother mentioned throughout, parental abandonment, interfamily dissonance, mention of a character having a history of food scarcity at home, grief, a pretty brutal best friend betrayal.

I absolutely plowed through this book. I enjoyed the characters and the writing. I liked seeing how Meg grew from her trauma and opened herself up to new a new little found family of misfits. I liked the puzzles, and I don't think I would have figured them out like Meg if I was in her shoes. However, I wish there was more resolution with who was the "big bad" over it all. Just a little more before the cliff-hanger. This book has fantastic atmosphere though. I could picture the old boarding school in my head, using Warnings at Waverly Academy the Nancy Drew PC game for reference. I will be highly anticipating the next books in this series. I will say, I think it could have done without some hints of romance or flirting, but that is what you get for putting a bunch of middle schoolers together in an isolated boarding school. If you are looking for a more middle grade and more mild version of The Thieves Gambit, this is your ticket.

[Varsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meg Mizuno has recently lost her mom, and she and her father deal with grief in two different ways. The father travels a lot and rarely stays home, while Meg stops trusting people and skips classes. Her father sends her to The Leland Chase Academy, or Last Chance Academy as the students refer to it. While Meg decides to keep to herself and not make any friends, a secret treasure hunt changes everything. Treasure hunts were something she and her mother used to do together. As she races to find the clue, she begins to warm up to her classmates and regains the old spark in her.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I liked how it is mysterious even when you are well into the book.
The book gave me the Wednesday web series vibe.

I loved the way the friendship between Meg, Tana, Ryan & Zane grew over time and how she was ready to trust people again.

The book ends with a new quest and a lot of questions unanswered. Nevertheless, the ending doesn’t leave you unsatisfied.

I definitely have to read the sequel to know more. Looking forward to the next book.
This is a great book for young readers.

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Meg Mizuno and her roommate both get mysterious silver envelopes inviting them to participate in a treasure hunt, this book gets really interesting. Here are four things I liked:

😻A little gray kitten named Sir Grey hitches a ride into the dorms in Meg's coat. Fortunately her roomie is willing to help keep him a secret.
🧰Teamwork makes the dream work. While Meg and the three other kids in Year 7 are all motivated to win the contest, they discover that each has a skill necessary to get across the finish line.
🧩The notes have clues that lead the kids to secret rooms, chests, and more. There is one cipher to solve that is fun to work out on your own.
ⓂWho is the Mastermind? Is he/she part of school administration? A donor? Whoever this person is, we will have to find out later in the series.

While there was one chapter I would dump if I were the editor, the rest of the book is intriguing enough to make me hang on for Last Chance Academy Book 2. Thank you to Aladdin and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

[Abi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so cute 😭

I read this in one sitting & I genuinely adored the story and characters.

I love YA but I don’t often venture into upper middle grade or even middle grade but every once in a while there’s book like this that makes me remember why they’re so good. I wish so desperately I had this book when I was in 7th grade, I think it would’ve been a favorite to middle school Abi.

It’s got mystery, found family, and a diverse cast. There’s just so many relatable aspects throughout the book and I just think this author will help a lot of kids, and adults, feel seen in this book. 🫶🏻

A 3 year old girl gets sent to a “boarding school” and there’s a little competition/treasure hunt and the hijinks she & her new peers get into hehe and a KITTEN 🐈‍⬛

Anywho, fully enjoyed this. I will definitely pick up another book by this author and the next in the series when it’s released!

4 stars 💕

[Grace-Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would give 3.5. The flow gets thrown off by Tik Tok wording and tries hard to be inclusive. At one point, there was a section talking about colonialism during a time she should be studying nature which doesn’t become a b plot or of importance later on in the book. Some characters who seem/ are supposed to be important don’t last the full book, which feeds into the inclusivity being shoved down the throat instead of immersing in the book.

The plot itself was great, easy to follow and the main focuses were easy to get attached to. I would read a continuation if the flow didn’t throw me off this time.

I do think the author is a great writer and should connect some b plots better if there were supposed to be any with the Tik Tok languages.

[K Gover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent middle grade mystery with great characters, realistic struggles and an ending that highlights positive friendships.

Summary Notes:
Meg gets sent to Last Chance academy because she had been living woaith her aunt (Dad's sister) after the passing of her mom. She needs to get her act together so that she can go home to her Dad. There is a mysterious scavenger hunt that ends with a vacation. Meg is desperate to win so that she can convince her Dad to not sell their house and let her come home. Along the way she figures out how to trust her new friends which has been really difficult for her. She also realizes that the Last Chance Academy isn't so bad.

Topics: mystery, boarding school, family, grief
Recommended: grades 6+