What do you think?
Rate this book
The Mysteries of Maisie Hitchins #8
The Case of the Weeping Mermaid
Maisie Hitchins longs to be a detective. She's sure there are lots of adventures to be had on the streets of Victorian London. And, together with her faithful puppy, Eddie, she is determined to follow even the slightest scent of a mystery - no matter what! Maisie receives a peculiar parcel from her father containing papers he tells her he doesn't want to keep on board his ship. Meanwhile, Alice's father is having a run of bad fortune - two of his ships have disappeared and he has lost a lot of money. He travels to China to try to save his business and Alice comes to stay with Maisie at Albion Road. Maisie is sure she can solve the mystery herself, without travelling hundreds of miles, and heads down to London's sprawling docks to investigate. Can she discover what is happening far away at sea, bring her father home and save Alice's fortune?
176 pages, Paperback
First published May 4, 2015
9 people are currently reading
115 people want to read
About the author
Holly Webb
299 books404 followersHolly Webb is one of Britain's best-loved children's writers. She has written over a hundred books for children, and her work has been translated into over thirty languages. Holly lives in Tilehurst, just outside of Reading, Berkshire, with her husband, three children and several cats.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 21, 2017
A new mystery is happening in Victorian London, and it is up to Maisie and her friend to find out what has happened!
This is my first meeting with Maisie Hitchins, I spotted this book at a second hand part of a bookstore and it just seemed to be a book that I would like. Mystery, England (Victorian at that), friendship. Yep, I had to try it out, and boy, I am glad I bought this book as I had a lot of fun reading it.
You can read this book without any knowledge about the series/the other books. Sure, there are some points that were a bit confusing, but later on you get a bit more explanations about characters or what happened during previous events (thankfully without too many spoilers).
In this one we have missing ships. Are they being sunk? Or is someone selling the ships, painting them over? The case comes from two sides. Maisie's dad who is at sea (and coming home it seems) and sees that things are awry, and Alice's dad who is losing ships (and thus cargo). It is up to Maisie, and also her friend Alice, to find out what is happening, and fast, as Alice's dad is off to China to check what is going on.
I loved how our girls went to figure out what was going on. From dressing up as boys (which looked hilarious, they so didn't look like guys) to all sorts of other fun detective stuff. They really were dedicated, and while it was at times scary, they never gave up.
Maisie was a sweet and smart girl. I loved what she did for her best friend when she heard her friend had to go to China. Even if it meant losing her own space, she gave that up for her friend. Plus I loved how she generally didn't complain when she had to do housework (at least not directly).
Alice was a quick favourite of mine. She was so different from Maisie (frailer, more dignified) but she was also smart and dedicated. I loved that, despite being afraid, she tried her best for her dad. She did something stupid near the end, but I could forgive her for that. I would have done the same. :P
The ending was really fun and I am so happy for everyone, especially Maisie. Though I haven't read the earlier books it seemed she waited a long long time for that person. Plus what he did for her? So sweet!
I love how the book is formatted to look like a diary/notebook with pages that have gone through quite a bit.
The book also has illustrations and I did quite like them. It is a bit simple, especially in regards to the characters, but I do think the cute/simple style fits the book.
All in all, a cute and exciting book with a great mystery and a weeping mermaid. Would recommend it, and I will definitely be getting the other books too.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
This is my first meeting with Maisie Hitchins, I spotted this book at a second hand part of a bookstore and it just seemed to be a book that I would like. Mystery, England (Victorian at that), friendship. Yep, I had to try it out, and boy, I am glad I bought this book as I had a lot of fun reading it.
You can read this book without any knowledge about the series/the other books. Sure, there are some points that were a bit confusing, but later on you get a bit more explanations about characters or what happened during previous events (thankfully without too many spoilers).
In this one we have missing ships. Are they being sunk? Or is someone selling the ships, painting them over? The case comes from two sides. Maisie's dad who is at sea (and coming home it seems) and sees that things are awry, and Alice's dad who is losing ships (and thus cargo). It is up to Maisie, and also her friend Alice, to find out what is happening, and fast, as Alice's dad is off to China to check what is going on.
I loved how our girls went to figure out what was going on. From dressing up as boys (which looked hilarious, they so didn't look like guys) to all sorts of other fun detective stuff. They really were dedicated, and while it was at times scary, they never gave up.
Maisie was a sweet and smart girl. I loved what she did for her best friend when she heard her friend had to go to China. Even if it meant losing her own space, she gave that up for her friend. Plus I loved how she generally didn't complain when she had to do housework (at least not directly).
Alice was a quick favourite of mine. She was so different from Maisie (frailer, more dignified) but she was also smart and dedicated. I loved that, despite being afraid, she tried her best for her dad. She did something stupid near the end, but I could forgive her for that. I would have done the same. :P
The ending was really fun and I am so happy for everyone, especially Maisie. Though I haven't read the earlier books it seemed she waited a long long time for that person. Plus what he did for her? So sweet!
I love how the book is formatted to look like a diary/notebook with pages that have gone through quite a bit.
The book also has illustrations and I did quite like them. It is a bit simple, especially in regards to the characters, but I do think the cute/simple style fits the book.
All in all, a cute and exciting book with a great mystery and a weeping mermaid. Would recommend it, and I will definitely be getting the other books too.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
January 10, 2025
4.25 stars
TW // Violence, planned murder
This is the last installment of Maisie Hitchins Mysteries, the case in this one is a bit more serious as it involves several missing ships carrying cargo brought by Alice's father's company for their tea business, Maisie's father also sent a letter to Maisie telling about his own guess about the 'missing' ships, as he's heard rumors in the ships crew grapevine.
Overall this wraps nicely for a final installment, we finally get to see Maisie's sailor dad (he looks so young tho, like barely twenty, maybe 25?) and his part of the story, and what he will do now that he's retired as a sailor, as the age of steamer ships begin to take over.
We also get to see Alice again (this is the third story where it involves Alice) and George, I like how they become more comfortable around each other as friends when the three of them solve the case together, I adore Alice, she has change so much since the first series, what a brave and polite young lady.
At the end they got the answer abt the ships I'm happy for Maisie too, I really do, the steps to realizing her dream as a detective had been given by her dad though I wish Miss Holly the author would write bits of conclusions about the other characters, and how Alice dad reacts.
Overall I love this series and the experience reading them all, thank you Maisie and friends for accompanying me in the past month, I'll reread if I have time, much luvv 🔎🤍🤍
TW // Violence, planned murder
This is the last installment of Maisie Hitchins Mysteries, the case in this one is a bit more serious as it involves several missing ships carrying cargo brought by Alice's father's company for their tea business, Maisie's father also sent a letter to Maisie telling about his own guess about the 'missing' ships, as he's heard rumors in the ships crew grapevine.
Overall this wraps nicely for a final installment, we finally get to see Maisie's sailor dad (he looks so young tho, like barely twenty, maybe 25?) and his part of the story, and what he will do now that he's retired as a sailor, as the age of steamer ships begin to take over.
We also get to see Alice again (this is the third story where it involves Alice) and George, I like how they become more comfortable around each other as friends when the three of them solve the case together, I adore Alice, she has change so much since the first series, what a brave and polite young lady.
At the end they got the answer abt the ships I'm happy for Maisie too, I really do, the steps to realizing her dream as a detective had been given by her dad though I wish Miss Holly the author would write bits of conclusions about the other characters, and how Alice dad reacts.
Overall I love this series and the experience reading them all, thank you Maisie and friends for accompanying me in the past month, I'll reread if I have time, much luvv 🔎🤍🤍
July 9, 2024
Не думала, что детский детектив может меня настолько увлечь.
Но эта книга оказалась очень интересной. Такой интересной, что прочитав детям очередную главу я не выдержала и дочитала её сама.
Жаль, что это последняя история серии о Мейзи Хитчинс.
С другой стороны дела, с которыми приходится разбираться девочке, становятся все опаснее и серьёзнее. Возможно, следующее преступление ей одной уже было бы не под силу
Но эта книга оказалась очень интересной. Такой интересной, что прочитав детям очередную главу я не выдержала и дочитала её сама.
Жаль, что это последняя история серии о Мейзи Хитчинс.
С другой стороны дела, с которыми приходится разбираться девочке, становятся все опаснее и серьёзнее. Возможно, следующее преступление ей одной уже было бы не под силу
December 30, 2019
Alice dad is having trouble. His cargo ships are disappearing at sea. Or are they being stolen? Masie, George and Alice go and explore the docks, but when they are all in perilous danger, Masie and and unexpected arrival must be brave to save the people they love from a fiery fate
And you will never guess who the unexpected arrival is!
This last Masie h book is the best!!!!!!!!
And you will never guess who the unexpected arrival is!
This last Masie h book is the best!!!!!!!!
August 4, 2017
Another cute and fun little mystery. A tiny bit confusing or not totally explained I thought and with that title I expected at least to have the mermaid mentioned more. But it's still great! I skipped over books 2-7, now I need to get to reading those.
July 13, 2023
These books were fun
August 20, 2015
According to the dedication at the front of the book, this is the final Maisie Hitchins adventure Holly Webb is publishing. Thanking her readers who love these adventures, Webb takes us on an exciting journey into the shipyards and docks of Victorian London with Maisie's latest detective case.
When Maisie's best friend Alice confesses that her shipping family's fortunes are in tatters and are father is practically ruined through the loss of three ships and their cargoes, Masie remembers what her father wrote in some of his last letters and notebook. He is investigating a mysterious case of missing ships, vessels that seem to vanish on the China to Britain route without a trace - and then reappear under a new name and coat of paint at a different port, minus their original cargo.
With the help of fellow lodger Mr Smith, George the butcher's boy, little dog Eddie and Alice herself, Maisie haunts the warehouses of London's docks to find out more about the missing ships, while Alice's father and mother travel to China in an attempt to discover a trace of their missing ships.
Who is behind this maritime outrage? Before long, Masie visits the offices of Alice's father - where she and her friend make a startling discovery.
Well written and fast paced, this detective story has just the right amount of Victorian period detail in it to send young readers to their laptop screens to Google London dockyards, Lucifer matches and steam ships. While I hugely enjoyed the story, told with heart and humour, I don't like the illustrations produced by Marion Lindsay. Every character practically looks the same with enormous round heads and goggle eyes. Only the little dog is cute, but the human characters are actually weird and quite spooky.
Still, the story is good enough to stand on its own lettered feet and doesn't really need the illustrations to make for an enjoyable read. And all's well that ends well, in this case, Maisie finally gets to see her dad.
When Maisie's best friend Alice confesses that her shipping family's fortunes are in tatters and are father is practically ruined through the loss of three ships and their cargoes, Masie remembers what her father wrote in some of his last letters and notebook. He is investigating a mysterious case of missing ships, vessels that seem to vanish on the China to Britain route without a trace - and then reappear under a new name and coat of paint at a different port, minus their original cargo.
With the help of fellow lodger Mr Smith, George the butcher's boy, little dog Eddie and Alice herself, Maisie haunts the warehouses of London's docks to find out more about the missing ships, while Alice's father and mother travel to China in an attempt to discover a trace of their missing ships.
Who is behind this maritime outrage? Before long, Masie visits the offices of Alice's father - where she and her friend make a startling discovery.
Well written and fast paced, this detective story has just the right amount of Victorian period detail in it to send young readers to their laptop screens to Google London dockyards, Lucifer matches and steam ships. While I hugely enjoyed the story, told with heart and humour, I don't like the illustrations produced by Marion Lindsay. Every character practically looks the same with enormous round heads and goggle eyes. Only the little dog is cute, but the human characters are actually weird and quite spooky.
Still, the story is good enough to stand on its own lettered feet and doesn't really need the illustrations to make for an enjoyable read. And all's well that ends well, in this case, Maisie finally gets to see her dad.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews