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Tangled Mysteries #1
Tangled Up in Luck
When seventh grade enemies research a missing set of jewels for a class project, they realize that the answers to the unsolved case might be much closer to home than they thought in this fun-filled mystery for fans of The Book Scavenger and Lemons.
If you told Sloane Osburn and Amelia Miller-Poe that they’d be hiding in their town cemetery from an evil mastermind, they would have been hard-pressed to believe you. If you also told them that person was intent on beating them to a cache of long-lost jewels using nothing more than a slingshot and wicked aim, they’d have been sure you got your facts wrong. Finally, if you told them they’d be doing all of this as friends…well, they would have been sure you needed medical attention.
Whether through serendipity (really, really good luck) or zemblanity (really, really bad luck), someone tricked their teacher into using their seventh-grade class to investigate the mystery of their town’s long-missing treasure. From there, things have escalated. Quickly. Now, the girls are stuck hiding behind a gravestone, dodging acorns (who knew acorns could be so threatening?), and just a few clues short of those jewels.
It’s up to these enemies-turned-partners to uncover centuries-old clues to find the treasure at the end of this book before the mysterious person on their trail can get to it first…
If you told Sloane Osburn and Amelia Miller-Poe that they’d be hiding in their town cemetery from an evil mastermind, they would have been hard-pressed to believe you. If you also told them that person was intent on beating them to a cache of long-lost jewels using nothing more than a slingshot and wicked aim, they’d have been sure you got your facts wrong. Finally, if you told them they’d be doing all of this as friends…well, they would have been sure you needed medical attention.
Whether through serendipity (really, really good luck) or zemblanity (really, really bad luck), someone tricked their teacher into using their seventh-grade class to investigate the mystery of their town’s long-missing treasure. From there, things have escalated. Quickly. Now, the girls are stuck hiding behind a gravestone, dodging acorns (who knew acorns could be so threatening?), and just a few clues short of those jewels.
It’s up to these enemies-turned-partners to uncover centuries-old clues to find the treasure at the end of this book before the mysterious person on their trail can get to it first…
1 pages, Audio CD
Published February 25, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
June 8, 2021
I really enjoyed this. Charming characters, fun town setting and cool historical mystery. I so appreciated the very realistic middle school foe to friendship transition and humorous encounters with family, teachers, librarians and the like. And of course zemblanity!
January 11, 2024
Trigger warnings: death of a parent (in the past), bullying, death of a child (in the past), theft
I wanted to like this, but I think at the end of the day I'm just too old. And that's fine - I'm like 30 years past the target audience of this book, it's absolutely not written for me. But the fact remains, I've enjoyed plenty of middle grade over the years - even THIS year - and there was just something about this one that didn't quite work for me. I never really engaged with the characters or the story, and the ending felt too abrupt for my liking.
So yeah, this is very definitely a Me Thing and not a Book Thing, but here we are.
I wanted to like this, but I think at the end of the day I'm just too old. And that's fine - I'm like 30 years past the target audience of this book, it's absolutely not written for me. But the fact remains, I've enjoyed plenty of middle grade over the years - even THIS year - and there was just something about this one that didn't quite work for me. I never really engaged with the characters or the story, and the ending felt too abrupt for my liking.
So yeah, this is very definitely a Me Thing and not a Book Thing, but here we are.
May 8, 2022
This was a cute, fun MG mystery of appropriate length for MG readers struggling with attention span difficulties. It has a tongue in cheek, sly sense of humor I loved. The characters are developed well too. This SHOULD have been a 4 star read. However, one thing I absolutely cannot abide is continuity errors. There are several. Do editors think kids are an audience not worth the time to get it right now? I wasn't even doing that close of a reading (because fun mystery!), and I caught them.
June 27, 2021
This was a fun mystery! When their class is required by the teacher to solve a century old jewel heist, two girls set aside their differences to complete the group project. They learn about friendship, family, and how historical "truths" can shift depending on who is telling the story. I didn't always love the tone of the narrator, but the rest of the mystery was great. Recommended for grades 4 & up.
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
May 27, 2022
I enjoyed it, and the messages about being yourself and about communication are good, but I have some concern that the intended demographic might find the book a little too juvenile. Then again, I am significantly older than the intended demographic, so I could be wrong.
September 14, 2023
I always like a good mystery. This one, though, didn't land the way I'd hoped it would. The first half of the book felt slow -- it's mostly middle school drama, with little in the way of advancing the plot or developing the mystery. Eventually things do pick up, even if some of the details are seem too convenient. Between the slow start and the overuse of adverbs, I almost gave up. The second half is better, and while the adverbs are still everywhere, the endgame offers some entertainment, including a setup for a series. 2.5 stars.
March 10, 2025
I read this because my daughter told me to read it. It’s cute. The words serendipity and zemblanity are used a lot 😆. It is a cute detective story with two girls becoming friends in the process.
October 2, 2021
I love this story of twisted mystery and the tangles on the way to friendship! And it taught me the word "zemblanity," for which I am ever grateful. Amelia and Sloane will have readers rooting for them (and guessing with them) all the way to the end. The author is 100% right when she says it isn't luck that matters most, but "how you choose to live your life around that luck." Definitely recommended for fans of Book Scavenger and Ernestine, Catastrophe Queen.
October 13, 2024
A fun read about two girls in 7th grade, being assigned to one another for a classroom project about a cold case mystery. What happened to the jewels? The story takes place in a small Ohio town and these two girls start off being on completely different sides of the social platform. Solane is mixed in with the popular sports girls, Amelia a loner. Solane is actually more like Amelia with the similar things they're interested in, but sadly just wants to blend in because her mom died and she didn't want the attention to be on her like how Amelia was getting the attention of being bullied by her schoolmates.
I found Solane's personal growth to be wonderful. I rooted for her, and she didn't disappoint me. She knew what she did, or in this case didn't do to stop the bullying of classmate Amelia, and took the blame for her actions by doing something crazy cool to make a difference in Amelia's life. While Amelia at home wasn't being listened to and as a child who isn't heard by your own parents, you feel very much alone. I feel for Amelia about her struggles at both home and at school. So it made me happy that both girls, who started out frightening or rather bickering, ended up being one of a kind friends by the end of the book.
Besides the character building and growth of two girls, there's a mystery to solve and a villain comes out at the end. I did not see the plot twist coming, both of the villain and the history of the two families who were involved in the mystery (don't want to spoil anything) but felt the villain part was rather weak once you figured out who it was stalking the girls in their journey to solving the mystery. So that's my only real gripe with the story. Did it really need to have a villain to be good? No. It just needed some cool characters like the granny's of Solane. Some interesting places like the spa/mansion and some cool grownups like the librarian and her German shepherd.
I really enjoyed the read and feel like anyone can agree that these two ladies really had great teamwork and chemistry together. I'm happy to know there are two other books in this series as I loved piecing together in each chapter, the clues. I want to uncover more mysteries with them too! A highly recommended read!
I found Solane's personal growth to be wonderful. I rooted for her, and she didn't disappoint me. She knew what she did, or in this case didn't do to stop the bullying of classmate Amelia, and took the blame for her actions by doing something crazy cool to make a difference in Amelia's life. While Amelia at home wasn't being listened to and as a child who isn't heard by your own parents, you feel very much alone. I feel for Amelia about her struggles at both home and at school. So it made me happy that both girls, who started out frightening or rather bickering, ended up being one of a kind friends by the end of the book.
Besides the character building and growth of two girls, there's a mystery to solve and a villain comes out at the end. I did not see the plot twist coming, both of the villain and the history of the two families who were involved in the mystery (don't want to spoil anything) but felt the villain part was rather weak once you figured out who it was stalking the girls in their journey to solving the mystery. So that's my only real gripe with the story. Did it really need to have a villain to be good? No. It just needed some cool characters like the granny's of Solane. Some interesting places like the spa/mansion and some cool grownups like the librarian and her German shepherd.
I really enjoyed the read and feel like anyone can agree that these two ladies really had great teamwork and chemistry together. I'm happy to know there are two other books in this series as I loved piecing together in each chapter, the clues. I want to uncover more mysteries with them too! A highly recommended read!
May 17, 2023
Fun read featuring two young girls who go from frenemies to friends, a mystery, a historical mansion, some crazy family trees, missing jewels, and lots of serendipity and zemblanity.
I didn't like this one quite as much as Ernestine for a couple reasons. The humor wasn't as fast or as sharp, and the mystery was more convoluted with all the complicated family tree branches and crosses and double crosses both past and present day. Most of all, it was a bit patronizing to the reader (a big no no!). And there were so many references to "if they had just known that X or Y or Z was bringing them one step closer to their acorn-wielding slingshot pursuer would they have done X or Y or Z" at the end of almost every chapter. The repetition did the opposite of build suspense - it deflated it. That schtick got very old very fast.
Plus they really hammered home the themes of friendship and communication and being open to other people, talking through problems with both your family and friends, which is the greatest "prize" you can win in any adventure. Gag. Too cheesy! You can make these points without literally having to spell it out, and it will likely be far more poignant and memorable if the characters get there through their own actions rather than a fancy speech at the end. Also all the Harry Potter references to immediately establish someone's character (are they Gryffindor or Slytherin? So are they good or bad?) completely undermines the whole point of Harry Potter houses - everyone is a bit of everything and no house is either completely good or bad. It's getting overused, and it's lazy writing, a substitute for doing the work of writing examples to show/reveal your character's true nature and motivations.
I did love the mansion turned luxury spa with carvings and hidden compartments. I loved Amelia's over the top Goodwill outfits and dramatic flair and unapologetic ownership of her quirkiness... except within her own family where everyone talks AT her and everything is sparkling, white, and bland. Slayer Sloan grieves for her deceased mother, tries to keep up "great" appearances with her dad as they fumble their way through the loss, and finds solace in her powerwalking Grannies Pearl and Kitty. She aims to blend in at school, subverting her Dr. Who admiration, instilled by her mom, and instead becoming a fierce volleyball player.
Wyatt's eclectic ensemble casts are one of her strengths and this one was no different. Really enjoyed Sloane's Grannies and her great grandma, who runs an illegal BINGO gaming operation from her condo. Priceless.
Will probably read the second installment in the series if I come across it someday, but won't be in a rush to find it.
I didn't like this one quite as much as Ernestine for a couple reasons. The humor wasn't as fast or as sharp, and the mystery was more convoluted with all the complicated family tree branches and crosses and double crosses both past and present day. Most of all, it was a bit patronizing to the reader (a big no no!). And there were so many references to "if they had just known that X or Y or Z was bringing them one step closer to their acorn-wielding slingshot pursuer would they have done X or Y or Z" at the end of almost every chapter. The repetition did the opposite of build suspense - it deflated it. That schtick got very old very fast.
Plus they really hammered home the themes of friendship and communication and being open to other people, talking through problems with both your family and friends, which is the greatest "prize" you can win in any adventure. Gag. Too cheesy! You can make these points without literally having to spell it out, and it will likely be far more poignant and memorable if the characters get there through their own actions rather than a fancy speech at the end. Also all the Harry Potter references to immediately establish someone's character (are they Gryffindor or Slytherin? So are they good or bad?) completely undermines the whole point of Harry Potter houses - everyone is a bit of everything and no house is either completely good or bad. It's getting overused, and it's lazy writing, a substitute for doing the work of writing examples to show/reveal your character's true nature and motivations.
I did love the mansion turned luxury spa with carvings and hidden compartments. I loved Amelia's over the top Goodwill outfits and dramatic flair and unapologetic ownership of her quirkiness... except within her own family where everyone talks AT her and everything is sparkling, white, and bland. Slayer Sloan grieves for her deceased mother, tries to keep up "great" appearances with her dad as they fumble their way through the loss, and finds solace in her powerwalking Grannies Pearl and Kitty. She aims to blend in at school, subverting her Dr. Who admiration, instilled by her mom, and instead becoming a fierce volleyball player.
Wyatt's eclectic ensemble casts are one of her strengths and this one was no different. Really enjoyed Sloane's Grannies and her great grandma, who runs an illegal BINGO gaming operation from her condo. Priceless.
Will probably read the second installment in the series if I come across it someday, but won't be in a rush to find it.
October 9, 2021
On a field trip 7th graders are given the assignment of a lifetime: figure out what happened to the jewels that were stolen in a forgotten local cold case more than a century prior. Drama loving Amelia Miller-Poe and volleyball star Sloane Osburn aren't keen to find out they've been paired together thinking the other will ruin their plans. Little do the girls know the whole project was set up by someone who desperately seeks the lost treasure, and that working together they might just have the best chance of solving it all...
I absolutely loved the whole idea of the cold case. It provided such a fun and interesting story that drove the novel. The layers of the mystery were satisfying and quite exciting to imagine. The leads were both personable, even if Amelia took a few chapters to grow on me with her over dramatic habits. Both had moving stories and saw incredible growth throughout which warmed my heart. Each chapter started or ended with a bit of a Lemony Snicket vibe which was quite fun though I sometimes wished it was used a bit more.
If you enjoy mysteries. lost treasure, and stories of friendship you should enjoy Tangled Up in Luck. A heartwarming tale about being true to yourself and standing up for what's right wrapped in an intriguing local mystery.
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced digital copy to review.
I absolutely loved the whole idea of the cold case. It provided such a fun and interesting story that drove the novel. The layers of the mystery were satisfying and quite exciting to imagine. The leads were both personable, even if Amelia took a few chapters to grow on me with her over dramatic habits. Both had moving stories and saw incredible growth throughout which warmed my heart. Each chapter started or ended with a bit of a Lemony Snicket vibe which was quite fun though I sometimes wished it was used a bit more.
If you enjoy mysteries. lost treasure, and stories of friendship you should enjoy Tangled Up in Luck. A heartwarming tale about being true to yourself and standing up for what's right wrapped in an intriguing local mystery.
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced digital copy to review.
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April 2, 2023Thank you to the Northwest Ohio Teen Book Festival for introducing me to this author and her book. The setting of the book is Wauseon, Ohio, a town near where I used to live. What fun to read about familiar names and places!
When the seventh graders at Wauseon Middle School are assigned a project the final weeks of the school year, Sloane Osburn and Amelia Miller-Poe become unlikely partners. Neither girl wants to work together, but there is no avoiding it. They are tasked with researching and trying to unravel the mystery of some jewels stolen generations ago.
Their English teacher, one of the town librarians, and the curator of the local historical museum have organized the project. As Sloane and Amelia put their heads together, they learn the mystery may involve their very own families. At first the girls struggle to work together, but learning to cooperate and share responsibilities proves to be the recipe for a budding friendship. Will they find the answer to the missing jewels? Will they discover sinister intentions involving members of their community?
Author Merrill Wyatt has crafted an entertaining mystery with plenty of twists and turns. Even if readers aren't familiar with the setting of Wauseon, I'm sure they will appreciate this clever middle grade mystery. I look forward to reading the sequel.
When the seventh graders at Wauseon Middle School are assigned a project the final weeks of the school year, Sloane Osburn and Amelia Miller-Poe become unlikely partners. Neither girl wants to work together, but there is no avoiding it. They are tasked with researching and trying to unravel the mystery of some jewels stolen generations ago.
Their English teacher, one of the town librarians, and the curator of the local historical museum have organized the project. As Sloane and Amelia put their heads together, they learn the mystery may involve their very own families. At first the girls struggle to work together, but learning to cooperate and share responsibilities proves to be the recipe for a budding friendship. Will they find the answer to the missing jewels? Will they discover sinister intentions involving members of their community?
Author Merrill Wyatt has crafted an entertaining mystery with plenty of twists and turns. Even if readers aren't familiar with the setting of Wauseon, I'm sure they will appreciate this clever middle grade mystery. I look forward to reading the sequel.
December 30, 2021
Mr. Roth (English teacher) challenges his Wauseon Middle School seventh-graders to solve the riddle of what happened to the lost Hoäl jewels in their small town in 1887. “Sloan the Slayer” Osburn (popular, athletic, cares about how bully “Mac Attack” Snyder sees her) and Amelia Miller-Poe (friendless, eccentric, and trying to start up her own YouTube station) are forced to partner even though they despise each other. In fact, Sloan labeled Amelia a “hairy yeti” after Amelia insensitively yammered on about Sloan’s mother, who had died the year before, and Mac maliciously spread the word. After several painful encounters with each other, Sloan and Amelia decide to work together to research old newspaper articles, search archives at the historical society, and speak to old-timers to unravel this mystery. Unknown to them, the person who secretly orchestrated this challenge is out to steal the jewels as they uncover clues in serendipitous (really good luck) and zemblanious (really bad luck) ways that connect their families with unexpected twists and turns. Their success as a detective team will certainly lead them to future adventures.
March 8, 2025
How do kids grow into being mystery readers? From books like this one. Wyatt's story has a lot more depth than many of the series that follow the trajectory of the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books. The two main characters are each dealing with personal challenges. In a rather typical middle grade plot, they are assigned to work together at school. Adult readers can predict the outcome. But by sharing both characters points of view, we get a fuller picture of how hard friendships can be. What set this book apart for me though was that Wyatt managed to deftly balance both the character's challenges and growth AND an intriguing mystery, with enough clues that astute readers can figure out the villain.
As an aside, this book is why I struggle with generifying fiction collections. It's definitely a mystery, but I don't want readers who are looking for good friendship stories to miss this one.
As an aside, this book is why I struggle with generifying fiction collections. It's definitely a mystery, but I don't want readers who are looking for good friendship stories to miss this one.
November 22, 2025
This was such a wonderful YA mystery — the kind that keeps you turning pages way past when you meant to stop! It’s full of twists and turns, and I loved that the solution wasn’t obvious.
The characters felt so real, especially the way friendship and family relationships shaped their choices. Sloane is the “popular athlete” who hides parts of herself just to fit in, while Amelia is quirky, confident, and completely herself. Watching these two opposites get paired up for a school project to solve an old missing-jewels mystery was so much fun.
Both girls experience major growth, moments of self-discovery, and some big family challenges along the way. As a middle school teacher, I especially loved the message about learning to stand up for yourself — such an important theme for this age group.
A fantastic, engaging mystery with heart. Highly recommend for young readers!
The characters felt so real, especially the way friendship and family relationships shaped their choices. Sloane is the “popular athlete” who hides parts of herself just to fit in, while Amelia is quirky, confident, and completely herself. Watching these two opposites get paired up for a school project to solve an old missing-jewels mystery was so much fun.
Both girls experience major growth, moments of self-discovery, and some big family challenges along the way. As a middle school teacher, I especially loved the message about learning to stand up for yourself — such an important theme for this age group.
A fantastic, engaging mystery with heart. Highly recommend for young readers!
November 29, 2023
It’s really unusual for me to still be reading the current Mark Twain nominees this late in the year, as I usually read them during the summer! However this book was one of the two that didn’t have an audio version available, so they got dropped to the bottom of the list! I honestly didn’t really want to read this book, and I can’t tell you why other than that I’ve generally been underwhelmed with the nominees this year with a couple of exceptions.
Honestly, this book was fine. It’s a cute little mystery with a cute little moral about being yourself and standing up for others. I definitely didn’t hate it… but I didn’t love it either. It didn’t make me think or feel anything - it was just cute. Grades 3+
Honestly, this book was fine. It’s a cute little mystery with a cute little moral about being yourself and standing up for others. I definitely didn’t hate it… but I didn’t love it either. It didn’t make me think or feel anything - it was just cute. Grades 3+
December 6, 2021
I really liked this book! The mystery is impossible to put down and turns in unexpected directions. Another thing for this book is a lesson that you shouldn't judge someone by what they look like and how they act sometimes. Teamwork makes a dream work! I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a great mystery. If you also like books that are hard to put down, this one is a great one!! If you don't like books where one character knows something the other doesn't, this book may not be for you.
September 22, 2023
Rounded up from 9.5/10
Every child is either a Sloane or an Amelia. I am a little ashamed to say I was a Sloane.
Middle grade leaders will fall in love with this caper. The fourth wall breaks are very Snicket-esque, and I think young girls in particular will enjoy the dynamics between Sloane and Amelia in this foes-to-friends novel. Who cares if some things were a little too convenient? It was fun. Sometimes books are just allowed to be fun and relatable.
Every child is either a Sloane or an Amelia. I am a little ashamed to say I was a Sloane.
Middle grade leaders will fall in love with this caper. The fourth wall breaks are very Snicket-esque, and I think young girls in particular will enjoy the dynamics between Sloane and Amelia in this foes-to-friends novel. Who cares if some things were a little too convenient? It was fun. Sometimes books are just allowed to be fun and relatable.
September 30, 2023
This book had some great advice for preteens, especially girls. The mystery was interesting, but nothing extremely novel. I still think it would hold the attention of many 4th-6th grade students. I think my favorite part was Amelia’s character. Her home life is very different than what is typically represented in books. On the outside, she has everything anyone would ever want, but appearances can be deceiving.
April 14, 2023
An entertaining middle grade mystery featuring missing jewels. Sloane becomes upset when she finds out her widowed father is dating Cynthia Seife, who makes homemade soaps; which is very funny because "Seife" in German means "soap."
October 26, 2023
Loved all the characters
Great book about friendship and family. Enjoyed all the grannies. I didn’t know who was behind it all until the very end. This will be a fun series to read.
Great book about friendship and family. Enjoyed all the grannies. I didn’t know who was behind it all until the very end. This will be a fun series to read.
December 12, 2023
Read with my son for his school reading group. I liked the story of friendship and the way they dealt with family feelings of growing up. My son thought it was a bit boring because it wasn't really action packed. It was a good start to the rest of the books of these characters.
March 5, 2024
I think there is a certain level of reading that I cannot enjoy. This was a bit too contrived and made me think of Scooby-Doo minus the "Zoinks!" I am sure younger children can enjoy this but it isn't one I will promote.
Want to read
April 27, 2021Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
January 21, 2022
A little cutesy, but overall a fast-paced and fun action-adventure mystery for 3rd-6th graders.
January 28, 2022
While we overall enjoyed the story, this book was in need of a better editor, lots of word repetition and meandering.
September 21, 2022
A charming little whodunit/friendship story. Bonus points for the delightfully badass librarian.
October 10, 2022
Love the mystery and true to life problems the characters face in this story. The characters are quirky and relatable for MG readers. If you enjoy mystery stories, this is a great one to read!
December 11, 2022
3.25 ⭐️
December 26, 2022
Even though this story is set in middle school, there really isn’t anything in it that makes it unsuitable for younger audiences. Good story, good message and sort of a mystery/ adventure story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews