Murdle, Jr.: Sleuths on the Loose

Murdle Jr. Mysteries #1

by G.T. Karber, Chris Grabenstein

Inspired by the global phenomenon of the Murdle puzzle books comes the first book in a new thrilling mystery series, for fans of Mr. Lemoncello's Library and The Swifts.
 
It’s a cloudy day on the Sacred Kidney playground, but Jake likes it that way—dark and uncertain. For a junior detective like Jake, standing up to bad guys is a piece of cake. After all, she’s the only detective at Sacred Kidney Elementary with a hard-earned badge to her name. But just as Jake and her sidekick Sterling prepare to face off against the biggest bully in school, there’s a scream from inside the library.

The kids are sure they heard Miss Saffron cry out, but when they arrive at the scene of the crime, the library is how it’s always filled with books, but no Miss Saffron to be found! None of the adults still there after school are talking, but Jake, Sterling, and Brick the bully are determined to find out what happened. This unlikely trio pinky promises to solve…the crime at Sacred Kidney!

The second Murdle Jr. puzzle book Ready, Set, Sleuth!is a companion for this novel, with some Easter egg puzzles to solve between the pairing of books, for readers with the keenest of eyes!

Genres: Mystery, Childrens, Middle Grade

352 pages, Hardcover

Published May 27, 2025

About the author

G.T. Karber grew up in a small town in Arkansas, the son of a judge and a civil rights attorney. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Arkansas with a degree in mathematics and English literature. Then, he moved to Los Angeles, where he received a Masters in Fine Arts from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts.

As the General Secretary of the Hollywood Mystery Society, a theater ensemble and cinematic social club, he has overseen the staging of more than 30 immersive whodunits in the LA area. His first feature film, Killer Party, a horror-comedy-musical-whodunit he co-wrote and directed, is currently in post-production with plans to premiere in festivals in 2023.

Reviews

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murdle, Jr.: Sleuths on the Loose by G.T. Karber is a middle-grade novel with the characters from the Murdle, Jr. books.

"Jake, the junior detective and her sidekick, Sterling, hear Miss Saffron call out in the library. But when they get there, she's nowhere to be found. None of the adults are talking but Jake, Sterling and Brick the Bully are determined to find out what happened."

This has some of the same puzzles that are included in the Murdle, Jr. books. This is a companion book to Murdle, Jr. #2 - Ready, Set, Sleuth! There are some Clue vibes and lots of Encyclopedia Brown vibes. Jake is a great character - an old soul in a young body. The bullies' clubhouse is a place that every kid would love to spend time in.

A good pick for your budding middle-grade detective.

[Aleksandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Świetna opcja dla młodych detektywów!

Pierwsza powieść detektywistyczna z serii Murdle Junior zabiera czytelnika na emocjonujące i pełne humoru poszukiwanie sprawcy zaginięcia nauczycielki klasy trzeciej w szkole Świętej Nerki. Towarzyszymy znanej już z serii Jake oraz jej przyjaciołom w śledztwie – autor w atrakcyjny sposób wprowadza diagram dedukcyjny, tłumaczy jego znaczenie oraz wykorzystanie, splatając całość zgrabnie w powieściową formę dla młodego czytelnika.

Ale jako dorosła – bawiłam się doskonale w trakcie czytania i z chęcią będę podsuwać młodym detektywom do czytania w przyszłości 🩷

[Katy Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

New to Murdle... wasn't sure what to expect.

It's not something I've read/experienced at all before, so I was thrown in at the deep end really. There seemed to be lots of references to persons/characters I felt I should already know, though I checked twice this was the first in a children's series. Are the characters from another similar series perhaps?

Ostensibly a (potential?) murder mystery for children to help solve, set in a school (Sacred Kidney - loved the name), where a third grade teacher appears to have been hit on the head and disappeared, possibly killed, by one of four suspects, with one of four weapons - very Cluedo-like.

Jake is already a badged junior detective, with a bit of patter about her and a strong desire to solve mysteries as she finds them. Refusing to call Sterling a friend, he's her 'sidekick' and after a series of events stemming from him apparently getting a bully into detention, they and the bully witness what could be the murder of the lovely Miss Saffron in the library after school.

Leaping at the chance to solve the crime with her handy Deduction Grid (brilliant addition for kids), Jake and Sterling team up with Brick the bully to find out what happened to Miss Saffron.

It's like Cluedo come to life really, questioning suspects and investigating rooms, looking for clues and along for the ride with the three children, all of whom are quite amusing.

Moves quickly along, will keep attention with the regular clues, grids to update, suspect information and silly interaction between the main three, it's a great introduction to detective fiction.

Quick-witted readers will spot all the colour names of almost every character (anyone got a clue - ha ha - what Jake is short for? Or is that just a detective reference?). The grid is fun if not the easiest to work out at times, I think I'm just a newbie at this and missing a few references.

For ages 8-13.

[Abhilasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murdle, Jr.: Sleuths on the Loose is a clever and delightfully puzzling 🧩 middle-grade companion novel to Murdle, Jr. #2 – Ready, Set, Sleuth! 🕵️‍♀️, starring the lovable trio of Jake, Sterling, and Brick. When Miss Saffron mysteriously vanishes from the library 📚, junior detective Jake, her enthusiastic sidekick Sterling, and even Brick the Bully team up to crack the case 🔎 despite the adults refusing to talk 🤐.

This book is packed with mystery 🕰️, charm ✨, and logic puzzles that will thrill anyone who enjoys a good whodunnit. Fans of Encyclopedia Brown 📖 or Clue 🎲 will feel right at home. The puzzles are smartly woven into the story, with all the clues provided 🧠 to solve the mystery without spoiling the suspense 😲.

The illustrations 🎨 add another layer of fun, bringing the quirky characters and scenes to life 🧍‍♀️🧍‍♂️ and helping readers feel even more immersed in the sleuthing adventure. From expressive faces to detailed puzzle diagrams, the visuals are both charming and functional ✅❌.

Jake is a fantastic protagonist: an old soul wrapped in a pint-sized detective’s body 🧒🕶️, complete with 1920s slang 🗣️ that adds flair and fun to her dialogue. Occasionally, her companions express confusion 🤔, and Jake explains herself which adds a nice touch of humor 😂 and clarity.

Sterling and Brick round out the team with heart ❤️ and distinct personalities. Their clubhouse 🛖 is the kind of secret hideout you wish you had growing up, and the evolution of their friendship through tension and teamwork 🤝 is satisfying to watch 👀.

As a mystery-lover and puzzle enthusiast 🧠🕵️‍♂️, I thoroughly enjoyed this. The logic puzzles are brilliantly incorporated, making the reading experience interactive and engaging 🎯📘.

A children’s book, yes but one that’s clever, witty 😏, and impressively crafted. It captures the spirit of classic mysteries while delivering a fresh, interactive experience with its puzzles 🧩 and illustrations 🎭. Think Clue 🎲 meets Murdles, with a dash of vintage flair 🕰️. Smart, fun, and thoroughly entertaining this is one sleuthing adventure you won’t want to miss! 🕵️‍♀️💥📚

Big thanks to Hachette India for sending this delightful read my way! 💌🇮🇳✨

[Amanda Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good mystery. I also love logic puzzles (you know, the one where there are squares, you put checks and x’es to indicate who has what and where). I grew up solving them, and obviously it is a perfect tool to solve the crime. The authors give the readers all of the needed details to fill out the puzzle as you read while still keeping it suspenseful. Jake, Sterling, and Brick are three distinct characters, each portraying extreme characters - the private detective, the eager, nerdy sidekick, and the bully, respectfully. I loved how they worked together and grew as friends throughout times of disagreement and stress. My only complaint was the character, Jake. She completely embraces the 1920s vernacular. As an adult, I understood all of her quips and jokes, but I had to explain each of them to my kids. As the book went on, there were times where the characters would also express their lack of understanding, and she would briefly explain what she meant. Overall, it was a fun book to read, and I loved trying to solve it as we read it together (plus, now my boys want to do more logic puzzles with me!!).

[Mehsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ferrets, golden items, a missing teacher! This was oodles of fun!

Despite those issues I am really glad I got this book and I will definitely be getting the next one when it comes out. I would also love to read Jake's story with her fellow detectives, the before part! And I would recommend this one~

Review to come in March!

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

A kids book, yes - yet clever and brilliantly crafted, much like Murdles themselves. It’s like reading a game of Clue. Enjoy the ride!

[Lorri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Official Junior Detective Jake is defending her sidekick, Sterling, from school bully Brick when they hear a scream from the open window of the school library. Scurrying to the building the three children are shocked to see kindly third grade teacher Miss Saffron being clocked over the head with a golden weapon by an assailant they cannot clearly see. When the school authorities do not take them seriously, they set out to solve the case and find Miss Saffron themselves. This is an example of a middle grade book clearly meant to be read by the middle schooler alone rather than with an adult. The characters were stereotypes and the school completely unbelievable. I think it may have been intended to be satire for young readers but I couldn’t quite be sure. But beneath the intentionally sophomoric writing was a decent but not outstanding plot. There are piles of juvenile mysteries out there that manage to be both kid friendly and complexly plotted (Myrtle Hardcastle, Aggie Morton, and others); this one did not quite measure up. I knew who did it very early in the book. But if this is your first exposure to the genre this book does a good enough job to entice a young reader to seek out more mysteries. I was disappointed that the book didn’t do more with the Murdle tie-in. While the characters all had color based names and Deductive Logico and Inspector Irritino were regularly mentioned (along with other characters familiar to Murdle players), the logic puzzle grids found throughout the story were filled in for readers; despite a fairly lengthy tutorial in the beginning of the book there was no chance for readers to test their own logical power. In that sense the book felt like a long introduction for the actual murdle junior puzzle books, although giving a child a chance to solve their own puzzle grid might interest them in the puzzle books more than reading a story about filling out grids. I hope this series is successful and introduces many reluctant readers to the mystery genre but I don’t think I will be reading any future installments.

[Souls of Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

[współpraca recenzencka ]

𝐌𝗼́𝐣 𝗼𝐩𝐢𝐬:

Pierwsza powieść w świecie Murdle Junior! Odważysz się ją przeczytać?

Jake uczęszcza do szkoły Świętej Nerki, gdzie poza klasyczną nauką, rozwiązuje zagadki jako młoda detektyw. Razem ze swoim pomocnikiem Sterlingiem muszą, powstrzymać Bricka - szkolnego łobuza - przed jego słynnym noso-wykrętem, ale przypadkiem całą trójkę dobiega głośny krzyk z biblioteki…

Bohaterowie łączą siły, by wspólnie uratować Pannę Saffron. Nikt im nie wierzy, jednak oni wiedzą jedno… Jeśli nie odnajdą przestępcy, mogą już nigdy nie zobaczyć swojej ulubionej nauczycielki.

Tajemnic jest coraz więcej…Co jeżeli Jake nie powstrzyma przestępcy…

Czujesz napięcie? Jeżeli tak, to dobrze!

𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐳𝐣𝐚:

Witam Was serdecznie! Dzisiaj przychodzę z trochę innym gatunkiem - powieścią detektywistyczną przeznaczoną dla młodszych osób. Będąc obiektywną uwielbiam wiele książek przeznaczonych dla dzieci, jednak do tego tytułu, mam mieszane uczucia. Nie martwcie się, to nie będzie negatywna recenzja!

Muszę przyznać, że sam świat jest bardzo ciekawy, ponieważ łączy odrobinę magii, razem z tym co widzimy na codzień. Akcja głównie osadzona jest w Szkole Świętej Nerki, gdzie bohaterowie rozwiązują śledztwo. Jake jest tą inteligentną, sprytną i tajemniczą postacią, która razem z mądrym Sterlingiem i silnym Brickiem tworzą zespół nie do pokonania! Akcję w tej powieści napewno nie można uznać za nudną, wypełniają ją intrygi, tajemnice i wiele przygód.

Teraz przejdziemy do rzeczy, które nie koniecznie przypadły mi do gustu… Napewno znajdzie się tutaj szybka i nie naturalna zmiana charakteru Bricka. Po drugie, miałam wrażenie, że w pewnym momencie tracimy poczucie czasu, myślimy, że minął już tydzień, a potem okazuje się, że tylko doba, a następnie autorzy piszą, że bohaterka widziała Sterlinga, jak wracał do domu, po szkole kilka razy od połowy śledztwa, odbywającego się w książce. Oczywiście na końcu zostajemy poinformowani o czasie przebiegu śledztwa, który ostatecznie wynosi dwa dni. A najlepsza z tego wszystkiego jest naiwność nauczycieli, którzy ciągle nabierają się na kłamstwa uczniów… Przeszkadzał mi też trochę potoczny język, jakim została napisana ta powieść.

Tak czy siak, uważam, że jest to wartościowa lektura, która może umilić wieczór. Jednak uznałabym ją bardziej jako powieść idealną dla młodszych, mimo lekko mrocznej estetyki, którą widziałam czytając tę książkę!

𝟒/𝟓★★★★☆

[Glenna Coleman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jake is a tough cookie--she has been kicked out of many schools. Now, at the Sacred Kidney School, as the only gumshoe, it is natural for her to stand up to bad guys. When a teacher, Miss Saffron, goes missing under mysterious circumstances, it is up to Jake with her sidekicks Sterling and Brick to solve the puzzle and save the day. Written in the style of a hard-boiled detective story, Jake, Brick, and Sterling use deductive and listening skills to complete a logic grid, solve the mystery, and even make a new friend or two!

[BerryPass · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not the age demographic for this so I feel I would not be able to give a fair review, so I'll just say that I'm sure kids will love this, and I'm happy to see Murdle expanded as much as it has. The illustrations are also a nice surprise!
So excited to read the next Murdle <3 <3 I will continue to support this series forever.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this on audio, and I think it would have been better to read the actual book as I missed a few details as we went along. But I still solved the mystery. Cute characters. Young children will enjoy this.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very strange to shoehorn a murdle puzzle into a novel, and 50 pages on setup before we got to the disappearance was too much.

[Lisa D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Reminded me of the lemoncello series! Can’t wait for the sequel

[Corrine · Rating 3 out of 5]

The underlying story was good and the characters were entertaining, but it was a much slower read than it should have been.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
I love the Murdle format and it's interesting how it has been translated into a book for middle grade readers.

[Eveline + Ray & Yma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ray heeft het verslonden! Graag een vervolg 😆

[Prashant Gupta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book to my six year old, and he loved it

[Janneke · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of fun! There was a lull towards the middle of the book, where it felt more like a tutorial on how to play murdle than a novel, but both the beginning and the ending were incredible. I also adore the humor in this book