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The Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society
In this exciting series starter, four best friends are trapped in a book-themed inn during an ice storm and they must use each of their special skills, as well as a few tips from an armchair-detective grandma, to figure out who killed one of the regular customers. From #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Mystery of Locked Rooms comes a thrilling murder mystery.
Merrick McGee has been having a tough time. When her Grandma Ida gets sick and moves in, the family can’t afford to keep sending Merrick to her beloved private school. So, she spends most of her time in the small room at the back of the bookstore/inn her mother works at being homeschooled, bored out of her mind, and lonely for her best friends.
But when an ice storm hits their town, and fate brings her friends together to ride out the storm at the inn with her, she’s stoked to finally be able to spend time with the people she loves the most. Until… the unthinkable happens, and someone is found dead—facedown in a birthday cake sitting right at Merrick’s own desk.
With the storm picking up the police remove the body and suggest the victim died of old age. But to Merrick it seems more like a murder. Luckily, she and her friends love solving mysteries, and with the suspects all under the same roof, and her friends eager to crack the case—the Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society is born! As the club begins to investigate, more questions come to light, and Merrick soon realizes her own grandmother may be the key to solving the case...
Merrick McGee has been having a tough time. When her Grandma Ida gets sick and moves in, the family can’t afford to keep sending Merrick to her beloved private school. So, she spends most of her time in the small room at the back of the bookstore/inn her mother works at being homeschooled, bored out of her mind, and lonely for her best friends.
But when an ice storm hits their town, and fate brings her friends together to ride out the storm at the inn with her, she’s stoked to finally be able to spend time with the people she loves the most. Until… the unthinkable happens, and someone is found dead—facedown in a birthday cake sitting right at Merrick’s own desk.
With the storm picking up the police remove the body and suggest the victim died of old age. But to Merrick it seems more like a murder. Luckily, she and her friends love solving mysteries, and with the suspects all under the same roof, and her friends eager to crack the case—the Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society is born! As the club begins to investigate, more questions come to light, and Merrick soon realizes her own grandmother may be the key to solving the case...
Audible Audio
First published September 15, 2026
About the author
Lindsay Currie
18 books1,048 followersLindsay Currie is a #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of mysteries for young readers, including the Delta Games series and X Marks the Haunt, She grew up on Nancy Drew and loves a good twisty tale. When she's not writing, Lindsay can generally be found looking for an adventure of her own. She loves researching forgotten history and recently relocated from Chicago to a 220 acre farm in downstate Illinois where she finally gets to see stars every night, and take hikes every day.
Coming soon: The Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society (September 2026) and Midnight at the Vampire Inn (Winter 2027)! For more details on Lindsay's upcoming books, please visit the My Books tab at the top of the page.
To find out more about Lindsay, please visit her website at www.lindsaycurrie.com. Instagram: @lindsayncurrie
Coming soon: The Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society (September 2026) and Midnight at the Vampire Inn (Winter 2027)! For more details on Lindsay's upcoming books, please visit the My Books tab at the top of the page.
To find out more about Lindsay, please visit her website at www.lindsaycurrie.com. Instagram: @lindsayncurrie
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
What do four tweens and a grandma have in common?
They are determined to find out whodunit on a very icy Chicago winter's night.
Here's what I loved about this new series starter:
⛸ It's the type of night when the streets are so bad that you need ice skates. Staying in place is the best option for these four friends. And they realize the murderer has got to be trapped in the same inn.
📚 Both the four tweens and Grandma Ida have been binging on Agatha Christie mysteries. Their methods would make Poirot proud. As they interview employees and guests at the inn, suspects are eliminated one by one.
🕵Our narrator Merrick has doing homeschool work in a bookstore staffroom (attached to a book-themed inn) and that room is also the scene of the murder. Fortunately her fellow sleuths -- Miko, Sonny, and Archer -- end up in a fender bender with Grandma in the street outside. A bit too coincidental? Maybe, but it sure does get them all together in one spot for the night.
🤔There are some interesting clues: a coded message, a small chunk of metal, an extra birthday cake, and more. Merrick is fascinated by the periodic table and her expertise will come in handy.
😱 I have enjoyed some of Lindsay Currie's past titles and their Chicago setting, but they have been more horror than mystery. This one is all cozy mystery and I would love to see what this bunch does next. They remind me of Trixie Belden and Scooby Doo (minus a dog).
Thank you to Sourcebooks and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review. Available on September 15, 2026.
They are determined to find out whodunit on a very icy Chicago winter's night.
Here's what I loved about this new series starter:
⛸ It's the type of night when the streets are so bad that you need ice skates. Staying in place is the best option for these four friends. And they realize the murderer has got to be trapped in the same inn.
📚 Both the four tweens and Grandma Ida have been binging on Agatha Christie mysteries. Their methods would make Poirot proud. As they interview employees and guests at the inn, suspects are eliminated one by one.
🕵Our narrator Merrick has doing homeschool work in a bookstore staffroom (attached to a book-themed inn) and that room is also the scene of the murder. Fortunately her fellow sleuths -- Miko, Sonny, and Archer -- end up in a fender bender with Grandma in the street outside. A bit too coincidental? Maybe, but it sure does get them all together in one spot for the night.
🤔There are some interesting clues: a coded message, a small chunk of metal, an extra birthday cake, and more. Merrick is fascinated by the periodic table and her expertise will come in handy.
😱 I have enjoyed some of Lindsay Currie's past titles and their Chicago setting, but they have been more horror than mystery. This one is all cozy mystery and I would love to see what this bunch does next. They remind me of Trixie Belden and Scooby Doo (minus a dog).
Thank you to Sourcebooks and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review. Available on September 15, 2026.
September 23, 2026
Fun middle grade mystery. This is the start to a new series. I didn't enjoy it as much as the Delta Games/Escape Room series, but middle grade mystery lovers should really take to these characters.
Merrick's grandmother is ill and moves in with Merrick's family, but that means that they can't afford to send Merrick to the private school she was attending. Now she's homeschooled in the back room of a bookstore that her mother runs, which is connected to an inn. An ice storm causes havoc, and as it happens her best friends from school end up trapped at the inn with Merrick and her family. A bigger shock is that they find a dead body in the very room where Merrick does her homeschooling. Can the group figure out which of the people trapped in the inn is responsible for the death and why?
The core story here is really good, but I didn't think the mystery was enough to propel the plot for as long as it did. Also, I thought that these twelve year olds were a bit too savvy about murder investigating than they should have been--I mean they did some things that real life kids never would have done during their investigating, and some of the clues were very complex if the murder victim didn't know what was going to happen to him.
All that said, this is a fun book for tweens and I know this age group will love the adventure of a locked room style mystery. Definitely recommended for that age group.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
Merrick's grandmother is ill and moves in with Merrick's family, but that means that they can't afford to send Merrick to the private school she was attending. Now she's homeschooled in the back room of a bookstore that her mother runs, which is connected to an inn. An ice storm causes havoc, and as it happens her best friends from school end up trapped at the inn with Merrick and her family. A bigger shock is that they find a dead body in the very room where Merrick does her homeschooling. Can the group figure out which of the people trapped in the inn is responsible for the death and why?
The core story here is really good, but I didn't think the mystery was enough to propel the plot for as long as it did. Also, I thought that these twelve year olds were a bit too savvy about murder investigating than they should have been--I mean they did some things that real life kids never would have done during their investigating, and some of the clues were very complex if the murder victim didn't know what was going to happen to him.
All that said, this is a fun book for tweens and I know this age group will love the adventure of a locked room style mystery. Definitely recommended for that age group.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
May 16, 2026
Many thanks to the publisher for an advance copy via NetGalley.
I grew up as a fan of the Nancy Drew reboot in the 80s, so I was quite interested to read a new mystery series geared toward pre-teens in 2026.
I thought the book was well written and a clever mystery. I LOVE that the club ends up including a Grandma and we see how the different generations end up getting along famously. I really liked the mystery itself and absolutely did not see the plot twist coming and was delighted when it showed up! No spoliers, but I can say I did not predict the outcome, and I loved that.
I understand that there is a second in the series already greenlit and I look forward to reading that one too!
I grew up as a fan of the Nancy Drew reboot in the 80s, so I was quite interested to read a new mystery series geared toward pre-teens in 2026.
I thought the book was well written and a clever mystery. I LOVE that the club ends up including a Grandma and we see how the different generations end up getting along famously. I really liked the mystery itself and absolutely did not see the plot twist coming and was delighted when it showed up! No spoliers, but I can say I did not predict the outcome, and I loved that.
I understand that there is a second in the series already greenlit and I look forward to reading that one too!
May 29, 2026
Scary/horror has been author Lindsay Currie’s go-to genre with middle grade titles including Scritch-Scratch, The Girl in White, Peculiar Incident on Shady Street, It Found Us and more. Then she branched out into the more action-filled, puzzle-solving, mystery type with two installments in The Deltas so far. Now, she’s adding full on murder mystery to her repertoire and that should thrill middle grade readers.
Merrick, Archer and brother/sister Sonny and Miko have been best friends since the four of them began attending private school together, but Merrick’s family has added her grandmother to their home and are helping to cover her dialysis costs so she is now being homeschooled and worrying that, despite their daily FaceTime talks, the friendship will suffer. When an ice storm strands the quartet in the Dog-Eared Inn, a book-themed hotel, along with her mom & grandmother, Aunt Jerrie, Sonny & Miko’s mom, a hiker, a couple visiting their dad, and 3 hotel employees, things take a murderous turn and their mutual interest in sleuthing must be applied to real life.
Currie puts readers right into the action with an older man found face planted in a birthday cake and only the basics of the main characters’ personalities and relationships established, letting the course of the investigation reveal more about them. Each middle schooler brings a unique skill set to the murder mystery-Merrick loves Science with special emphasis on nature’s elements and the periodic table, Archer is a skilled athlete and as captain of the school’s basketball team is used to leading, Miko is a mahjong player of some renown and has learned much about strategy and recognizing “tells,” and Sonny is a gamer extraordinaire who knows how to plan and make quick decisions. When you add a savvy grandmother with a love of Agatha Christie novels, what could go wrong?
Excellent mystery, models of great friendship and cooperation, and enough twists to keep readers guessing, maybe solving, right up to the last page.
*Target age: grades 4-7
*Profanity: none
*Sexual content: none (Little hints of a budding affection between Merrick & Archer but the only physical interaction are a few finger brushes and a joining of pinky finger fingers!)
*Representation: Characters’ racial backgrounds are not a factor in the plot with few physical descriptions or cultural connections noted.
*LBGTQ+: none
Thanks for an eARC, Edelweiss and Sourcebooks.
Merrick, Archer and brother/sister Sonny and Miko have been best friends since the four of them began attending private school together, but Merrick’s family has added her grandmother to their home and are helping to cover her dialysis costs so she is now being homeschooled and worrying that, despite their daily FaceTime talks, the friendship will suffer. When an ice storm strands the quartet in the Dog-Eared Inn, a book-themed hotel, along with her mom & grandmother, Aunt Jerrie, Sonny & Miko’s mom, a hiker, a couple visiting their dad, and 3 hotel employees, things take a murderous turn and their mutual interest in sleuthing must be applied to real life.
Currie puts readers right into the action with an older man found face planted in a birthday cake and only the basics of the main characters’ personalities and relationships established, letting the course of the investigation reveal more about them. Each middle schooler brings a unique skill set to the murder mystery-Merrick loves Science with special emphasis on nature’s elements and the periodic table, Archer is a skilled athlete and as captain of the school’s basketball team is used to leading, Miko is a mahjong player of some renown and has learned much about strategy and recognizing “tells,” and Sonny is a gamer extraordinaire who knows how to plan and make quick decisions. When you add a savvy grandmother with a love of Agatha Christie novels, what could go wrong?
Excellent mystery, models of great friendship and cooperation, and enough twists to keep readers guessing, maybe solving, right up to the last page.
*Target age: grades 4-7
*Profanity: none
*Sexual content: none (Little hints of a budding affection between Merrick & Archer but the only physical interaction are a few finger brushes and a joining of pinky finger fingers!)
*Representation: Characters’ racial backgrounds are not a factor in the plot with few physical descriptions or cultural connections noted.
*LBGTQ+: none
Thanks for an eARC, Edelweiss and Sourcebooks.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Merrick, the main character of Currie’s newest middle grade mystery, has been having a difficult time and misses her friends since she started being homeschooled in the back room of the bookstore her mother manages. Her parents have been having financial problems as her grandmother has been diagnosed with kidney disease. As a result, they can’t afford Merrick’s private school fees and her sick grandmother has also come to live with them. After a series of strange coincidences, her grandmother and her 3 best friends all wind up in the bookstore during a terrible ice storm. The bookstorm is conveniently part of a literary-themed hotel so arrangements are made for them to all spend the night. At first this seems like it could be a great adventure until one of Merrick’s favorite customers is found dead in the store’s back room. The story unfolds all in one night as the kids (who happen to be part of an afterschool sleuth club) decide that “old man Pipey” did not die of natural causes. And the murderer must still be in the hotel as the storm makes it impossible for anyone to leave. Everyone is a suspect, including the hotel staff and the dead man’s family. With the help of Merrick’s very funny grandmother, they begin the investigation and the Secret Bookstore Sleuth Club is born.
In the course of their secret sleuthing, we learn that all the friends have been grappling with their own hardships. Merrick has been trying to cope with major changes in her life because of her grandmother. One friend suffers from anxiety, another is still trying to come to terms with her adoption from China as a baby, and one finally shares how difficult things are for him because of his totally absent parents. In classic Lindsay Currie style the reader gets a full cast of unforgettable characters, which adds to the excitement. This is the first book of a projected new series. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
In the course of their secret sleuthing, we learn that all the friends have been grappling with their own hardships. Merrick has been trying to cope with major changes in her life because of her grandmother. One friend suffers from anxiety, another is still trying to come to terms with her adoption from China as a baby, and one finally shares how difficult things are for him because of his totally absent parents. In classic Lindsay Currie style the reader gets a full cast of unforgettable characters, which adds to the excitement. This is the first book of a projected new series. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
Read
August 9, 2026A group of friends gets trapped in a hotel with an attached bookstore during an ice storm, only to find themselves getting caught up in a potential murder that happened on the premise. With the help of Merrick's grandmother, the Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society gets to solve their first real mystery together.
A book with bookish elements in it? Sign me up!
A little cliché and repetitive, sure, but overall, a fun ride that kept me flipping through chapters, curious to know who the culprit was. I really enjoy middle grade books, especially ones with mystery and suspense in them. Merrick was an entertaining main character to follow, and while her friends' character traits were pretty stereotypical--the gamer talks about his video games every chapter, the basketball star talks about sports every chapter, etc.--they were still a great crew that provided humor and great detective skills. The way they worked with Grandma Ida was actually heartwarming, especially after learning all that the older woman had gone through, helping her feel like she was a part of something again. I had some guesses about "who dun it" throughout the book, and I was happy about the twist and reveal! I cannot wait to see what happens next with this crew.
CW for death, poisoning, mentions of grief/loss of family, health issues.
Thanks so much to Sourcebooks Kids and NetGalley for the ARC of The Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society by Lindsay Currie! All thoughts are my own.
A book with bookish elements in it? Sign me up!
A little cliché and repetitive, sure, but overall, a fun ride that kept me flipping through chapters, curious to know who the culprit was. I really enjoy middle grade books, especially ones with mystery and suspense in them. Merrick was an entertaining main character to follow, and while her friends' character traits were pretty stereotypical--the gamer talks about his video games every chapter, the basketball star talks about sports every chapter, etc.--they were still a great crew that provided humor and great detective skills. The way they worked with Grandma Ida was actually heartwarming, especially after learning all that the older woman had gone through, helping her feel like she was a part of something again. I had some guesses about "who dun it" throughout the book, and I was happy about the twist and reveal! I cannot wait to see what happens next with this crew.
CW for death, poisoning, mentions of grief/loss of family, health issues.
Thanks so much to Sourcebooks Kids and NetGalley for the ARC of The Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society by Lindsay Currie! All thoughts are my own.
October 1, 2026
I received a free advance copy of this book for review.
Mother daughter book review! This exciting new Middle Grade mystery was such a fun book for me to read with my 10 year old. The setting is a bookstore with a connected bookish themed hotel and that was the perfect vibes to match the bookstore I help run that also has a bookish Airbnb connected to it!
The story is locked room mystery (a favorite setup of mine!) where the characters all get stranded together in an ice storm right after someone dies in possibly suspicious circumstances. We were passing our theories back and forth as we worked on solving it ourselves. It is the perfect level of murder mystery for the age group as there is plenty of intrigue but it isn’t too intense, gory or scary. Although we didn’t feel like the reveal was quite as satisfying as we hoped.
My daughter was shocked at how the book took place over such a short amount of time and yet stayed interesting the whole time. She is an aspiring author herself and commented on how hard she would find that.
With a diverse group of friends and a grandparent who joins the sleuthing with them, this book would perfect for fans of a the Sherlock Society by James Ponti!
Mother daughter book review! This exciting new Middle Grade mystery was such a fun book for me to read with my 10 year old. The setting is a bookstore with a connected bookish themed hotel and that was the perfect vibes to match the bookstore I help run that also has a bookish Airbnb connected to it!
The story is locked room mystery (a favorite setup of mine!) where the characters all get stranded together in an ice storm right after someone dies in possibly suspicious circumstances. We were passing our theories back and forth as we worked on solving it ourselves. It is the perfect level of murder mystery for the age group as there is plenty of intrigue but it isn’t too intense, gory or scary. Although we didn’t feel like the reveal was quite as satisfying as we hoped.
My daughter was shocked at how the book took place over such a short amount of time and yet stayed interesting the whole time. She is an aspiring author herself and commented on how hard she would find that.
With a diverse group of friends and a grandparent who joins the sleuthing with them, this book would perfect for fans of a the Sherlock Society by James Ponti!
September 22, 2026
This middle grade mystery was fun. Merrick and her friends, plus her Grandma Ida team up to solve a murder. It turns out when a older man dies, instead of thinking it's just old age like the police Merrick suspects murder.
I liked the way the gang all used their strengths to figure things out and see clues others didn't. I liked their deduction technique of putting every suspect on a sheet of paper listing what they'd found out thereby figuring out who poisoned "Pipey".
I did feel that except for Merrick the other characters only had brief moments of not being almost one dimensional. For example Sonny is very obsessed with gaming and while his gaming does help with solving the mystery he isn't given much chance to be much more than Sonny the gamer.
Other than that great mystery that I think will appeal to lots of middle graders.
I would like to thank NetGalley, and Sourcebook Young Readers for providing me with an ARC of this book for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I liked the way the gang all used their strengths to figure things out and see clues others didn't. I liked their deduction technique of putting every suspect on a sheet of paper listing what they'd found out thereby figuring out who poisoned "Pipey".
I did feel that except for Merrick the other characters only had brief moments of not being almost one dimensional. For example Sonny is very obsessed with gaming and while his gaming does help with solving the mystery he isn't given much chance to be much more than Sonny the gamer.
Other than that great mystery that I think will appeal to lots of middle graders.
I would like to thank NetGalley, and Sourcebook Young Readers for providing me with an ARC of this book for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 23, 2026
I liked parts of this middle grade murder mystery more than others. The friend sleuth society who gets help from a spunky grandma dynamic was fun, the snowed in at an inn vibe was entertaining but I found the story dragged at times and some of the characters were a bit too immature for me at times. The mystery did keep me guessing though but I would have liked a bit of a faster-paced plot. Definitely not one I'll go out of my way to recommended but it was a quick light-hearted read that made me chuckle a time or two.
August 10, 2026
The Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society by Lindsay Currie
This was a cute and enjoyable middle-grade mystery. I especially liked the kids working together with Grandma to solve the mystery—there’s something about a multigenerational sleuthing team that just works for me. The characters were likable, the bookstore setting was fun, and the mystery kept the story moving at a nice pace.
While nothing really surprised or wowed me, it was still a solid, entertaining read and one I think younger mystery lovers will have a lot of fun with.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a cute and enjoyable middle-grade mystery. I especially liked the kids working together with Grandma to solve the mystery—there’s something about a multigenerational sleuthing team that just works for me. The characters were likable, the bookstore setting was fun, and the mystery kept the story moving at a nice pace.
While nothing really surprised or wowed me, it was still a solid, entertaining read and one I think younger mystery lovers will have a lot of fun with.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 21, 2026
I've always loved cozy mysteries and the fact that this one is perfect for young adults makes my heart happy. I was pleasantly surprised when the murderer was revealed, I had no idea how it was going to end! This story is perfect for young adults just getting started reading cozy mysteries, I can't wait to share it with my 12-year old daughter.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is based on an ARC from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is based on an ARC from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus
Merrick McGee's life has been complicated recently. Her Grandma Ida has kidney issues, so had to sell her house and move in with Merrick's family while she is undergoing dialysis. Her father is off working in a military lab, and her mother is busy running a bookstore, so doesn't have time to homeschool Merrick, although she's been taken out of her private school, Elkhart, to save money. This means that she has to hang out at the store and doesn't get to see her friends, members of the Sleuth Society, at school. She video chats with Sonny, his sister Miko, and Archer, but it isn't quite the same. When a big storm hits Chicago, a car accident strands her friends and her grandmother at the bookstore. Luckily, the store is attached to the Dog-Eared Inn and its restaurant, Novel Bites, so there is room for them, as well as Miko and Sonny's mother, Merrick' s Aunt Jerrie, the staff of the inn and restaurant, and several guests. Shortly after the accident, however, Merrick goes back to the storeroom to get her things... and discovers a dead man facedown in a cake! It turns out to be a longtime customer, Daniel, whom Merrick refers to as "Pipey" due to the fact he often carries a smoking pipe. Luckily, Officer Carleton is on hand, as are Daniel's son Tim and daughter-in-law, who were at the hotel to celebrate Daniel's birthday. The adults agree that Daniel's health issues no doubt led to his death, but Merrick suspects murder. Luckily, the Sleuth Society has plenty of skills to bring to the investigation; Miko plays mahjong and is good at recognizing "tells", Sonny is a video gamer, and Archer is a sports star and leader. Merrick is interested in chemistry, and is collecting elements. Even Grandma Ida gets involved, since she has recently been reading a lot of Agatha Christie novels and can cover for the kids when other adults ask questions! The group create a spreadsheet of suspects and start their investigations. Who would have wanted to murder Daniel? Avery, a young clerk at the hotel? Mrs. Dain, a local baker? "Everest" a hiker and commercial actress? Or Tim Fielding and his wife? When the power goes out, it's harder to investigate, but definitely more atmospheric. Will the Sleuth Society be able to convince the adults that Daniel was murdered, and to bring the perpetrator to justice?
Strengths: It should not surprise publishers that tweens ask for MURDER mysteries; look at the sheer number of BBC television shows that feature murder investigations, or the legion of adult mystery books where murders are being investigated. When I was in graduate school for library science, I did a project on "cozy" murder mysteries like Braun's The Cat Who mysteries, and there are still a ton of adult books set in bakeries, coffee shops, and bookstores where an inordinate number of people die in mysterious circumstances. Currie gets bonus points for Merrick's STEM interests in elements and chemistry, and for working this science into the investigation. I absolutely ADORED the inclusion of Grandma Ida, and the realistic protrayal of the challenges that her age and health presented. While she might not have wanted to crawl under tables, she kept up with the kids nicely, even if murder was "not on her bingo card". Aunt Jerrie's Britishisms and Ida's vintage phrases (as well as Merrick's translations!) were fun, and the chapter titles were very clever. It's been a while since I've read Christie, but the setting and investigative style seemed very much like the mysteries investigated by Miss Marple or Mr. Poirot. Now that Christie's work is coming into the public domain, I've been trying to get my students to read her work, as well as that of Dorothy Sayers and Patricia Wentworth! Tweens will appreciate the very nascent romance between Merrick and Archer, as well as the happy ending.
Weaknesses: I wasn't as convinced as Merrick was that Daniel's death was murder, and it rubbed me the wrong way that he was referred to as "Pipey" for reasons I can't quite explain. He had a connection to another character that came out of left field; this was interesting, and added quite the history to the characters, but seemed a little more unlikely. Young readers will take all of this in stride, and I am definitely purchasing a copy.
What I really think: This book will be a big hit with fans of Currie's work (The Girl in White, It's Watching, X Marks the Haunt, Mystery of the Locked Rooms), or Souder's new middle grade cozy murder mystery, Secrets of the Broken House. Kids are CONSTANTLY asking for murder mysteries, and I give publishers permission to start killing off elderly, slightly unpleasant neighbors with the same frequency that middle grade parents die to feed the tween appetite for murder. I love Stevenson's Wells and Wong mysteries, which also feature plenty of unfortunate deaths, but the historical setting on books like Murder is Bad Manners is a little harder to sell even when it is phys ed teachers who are the victim!
Merrick McGee's life has been complicated recently. Her Grandma Ida has kidney issues, so had to sell her house and move in with Merrick's family while she is undergoing dialysis. Her father is off working in a military lab, and her mother is busy running a bookstore, so doesn't have time to homeschool Merrick, although she's been taken out of her private school, Elkhart, to save money. This means that she has to hang out at the store and doesn't get to see her friends, members of the Sleuth Society, at school. She video chats with Sonny, his sister Miko, and Archer, but it isn't quite the same. When a big storm hits Chicago, a car accident strands her friends and her grandmother at the bookstore. Luckily, the store is attached to the Dog-Eared Inn and its restaurant, Novel Bites, so there is room for them, as well as Miko and Sonny's mother, Merrick' s Aunt Jerrie, the staff of the inn and restaurant, and several guests. Shortly after the accident, however, Merrick goes back to the storeroom to get her things... and discovers a dead man facedown in a cake! It turns out to be a longtime customer, Daniel, whom Merrick refers to as "Pipey" due to the fact he often carries a smoking pipe. Luckily, Officer Carleton is on hand, as are Daniel's son Tim and daughter-in-law, who were at the hotel to celebrate Daniel's birthday. The adults agree that Daniel's health issues no doubt led to his death, but Merrick suspects murder. Luckily, the Sleuth Society has plenty of skills to bring to the investigation; Miko plays mahjong and is good at recognizing "tells", Sonny is a video gamer, and Archer is a sports star and leader. Merrick is interested in chemistry, and is collecting elements. Even Grandma Ida gets involved, since she has recently been reading a lot of Agatha Christie novels and can cover for the kids when other adults ask questions! The group create a spreadsheet of suspects and start their investigations. Who would have wanted to murder Daniel? Avery, a young clerk at the hotel? Mrs. Dain, a local baker? "Everest" a hiker and commercial actress? Or Tim Fielding and his wife? When the power goes out, it's harder to investigate, but definitely more atmospheric. Will the Sleuth Society be able to convince the adults that Daniel was murdered, and to bring the perpetrator to justice?
Strengths: It should not surprise publishers that tweens ask for MURDER mysteries; look at the sheer number of BBC television shows that feature murder investigations, or the legion of adult mystery books where murders are being investigated. When I was in graduate school for library science, I did a project on "cozy" murder mysteries like Braun's The Cat Who mysteries, and there are still a ton of adult books set in bakeries, coffee shops, and bookstores where an inordinate number of people die in mysterious circumstances. Currie gets bonus points for Merrick's STEM interests in elements and chemistry, and for working this science into the investigation. I absolutely ADORED the inclusion of Grandma Ida, and the realistic protrayal of the challenges that her age and health presented. While she might not have wanted to crawl under tables, she kept up with the kids nicely, even if murder was "not on her bingo card". Aunt Jerrie's Britishisms and Ida's vintage phrases (as well as Merrick's translations!) were fun, and the chapter titles were very clever. It's been a while since I've read Christie, but the setting and investigative style seemed very much like the mysteries investigated by Miss Marple or Mr. Poirot. Now that Christie's work is coming into the public domain, I've been trying to get my students to read her work, as well as that of Dorothy Sayers and Patricia Wentworth! Tweens will appreciate the very nascent romance between Merrick and Archer, as well as the happy ending.
Weaknesses: I wasn't as convinced as Merrick was that Daniel's death was murder, and it rubbed me the wrong way that he was referred to as "Pipey" for reasons I can't quite explain. He had a connection to another character that came out of left field; this was interesting, and added quite the history to the characters, but seemed a little more unlikely. Young readers will take all of this in stride, and I am definitely purchasing a copy.
What I really think: This book will be a big hit with fans of Currie's work (The Girl in White, It's Watching, X Marks the Haunt, Mystery of the Locked Rooms), or Souder's new middle grade cozy murder mystery, Secrets of the Broken House. Kids are CONSTANTLY asking for murder mysteries, and I give publishers permission to start killing off elderly, slightly unpleasant neighbors with the same frequency that middle grade parents die to feed the tween appetite for murder. I love Stevenson's Wells and Wong mysteries, which also feature plenty of unfortunate deaths, but the historical setting on books like Murder is Bad Manners is a little harder to sell even when it is phys ed teachers who are the victim!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book was really fun! We follow our main character Merrick. She is bummed because her grandmother has gotten sick so she had to drop out of her private school to be homeschooled by her mom. She misses her friends and clubs she was in at school. During a bad ice storm at her mom's bookstore, her grandmother and friends crash their cars and end up getting stuck at the bookstore (that is connected to an inn). When they go back inside, one of the bookstore regulars is dead in their storage room. The police rule it natural causes, but Merrick thinks something more sinister might have happened. With everyone stuck at the bookstore/inn until the ice storm is over, is there someone dangerous roaming about?
I enjoyed the characters in this book. Merrick's best friends Archer, Miko and Sunny make up such a fun group. It's easy to tell that they really are a solid group of friends. They have each other's backs and make a really good team. They were all in a kind of murder mystery club at school so they think they have the knowledge to solve this potential murder. Merrick's grandmother now lives with them due to her health and this has kind of rubbed Merrick the wrong way because grandma does things differently than they did before she lived with them. But grandma inserts herself into the investigation and Merrick starts to see her in a different light. I loved the growing relationship between Merrick and her grandma. It was so heartwarming and cute. And grandma is hilarious. The others who are stuck in the inn make up a great cast of potential suspects. Some of them have motives, some have opportunity, some have both.
The plot was so engaging. Once Merrick notices the one thing that puts her on the path of potential murder, there are clues and alibis and just a really great, fast moving investigation. These kids are really clever and notice things others probably wouldn't. They make a list of suspects with their motives and clues and it's shown in the book as a little table which I loved and thought really added to the story. Everything that happened lead us closer to the culprit (if there is one!) and the group methodically checked off people when they found out they had alibis or something didn't add up to one of the clues they had.
Everything added up in a way that made sense and closed all the loops. It was a really satisfying ending and I loved how the clues added up. I am hoping this is going to be a series because I would gladly eat up any other stories with these kids!
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Kids for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I enjoyed the characters in this book. Merrick's best friends Archer, Miko and Sunny make up such a fun group. It's easy to tell that they really are a solid group of friends. They have each other's backs and make a really good team. They were all in a kind of murder mystery club at school so they think they have the knowledge to solve this potential murder. Merrick's grandmother now lives with them due to her health and this has kind of rubbed Merrick the wrong way because grandma does things differently than they did before she lived with them. But grandma inserts herself into the investigation and Merrick starts to see her in a different light. I loved the growing relationship between Merrick and her grandma. It was so heartwarming and cute. And grandma is hilarious. The others who are stuck in the inn make up a great cast of potential suspects. Some of them have motives, some have opportunity, some have both.
The plot was so engaging. Once Merrick notices the one thing that puts her on the path of potential murder, there are clues and alibis and just a really great, fast moving investigation. These kids are really clever and notice things others probably wouldn't. They make a list of suspects with their motives and clues and it's shown in the book as a little table which I loved and thought really added to the story. Everything that happened lead us closer to the culprit (if there is one!) and the group methodically checked off people when they found out they had alibis or something didn't add up to one of the clues they had.
Everything added up in a way that made sense and closed all the loops. It was a really satisfying ending and I loved how the clues added up. I am hoping this is going to be a series because I would gladly eat up any other stories with these kids!
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Kids for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Although Lindsay Currie might be best known for her MG horror, she’s been branching out lately into other genres. Considering how many of her stories seemed to involve a bit of mystery, perhaps it was inevitable that she tried her hand at a murder mystery. The result – The Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society – contains a lot of the charm readers loved about her other novels since the voice and characters are both endearing. However, like some of her other novels, the pacing feels off at times and the ending is perhaps a little weak.
As a general disclaimer, I suppose I’m something of a Currie fan at this point, having read six of her books (four of the “paranormal mysteries” (horror), The Mystery of Locked Rooms, and now The Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society). I’ve generally enjoyed her writing style, particularly where the MC’s voice is concerned. However, I’ll admit that her paranormal mysteries started to feel like they had a bit of a same-y quality, which is why I appreciate Currie mixing things up a bit with this novel. And I imagine most readers who enjoyed her other work will like this one, too. While I won’t say this is my favorite Currie novel (that’s still What Lives in the Woods), it’s a great addition to her catalog.
The Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society tells the story of a group of friends who, thanks to an accident, wind up staying at an inn during a blizzard where a suspicious death just occurred. Although the police write it off as natural causes, the main character notices an unexplained set of footprints before the body is found, suggesting murder. And, if she can’t figure out the culprit before the storm ends, the killer might get away with their crime.
The set-up is simple, but effective. Unfortunately, the mystery feels a little simple as well – most of the suspects have no real motive. However, for younger readers who haven’t read murder mysteries, this probably won’t be an issue. And for everybody else, there’s still the charm of the story and the characters.
It’s an enjoyable novel, although perhaps not quite on par with What Lives in the Woods or Scritch Scratch. However, it’s a welcome change.
(NOTE: I was provided an advanced reader copy via NetGalley.)
As a general disclaimer, I suppose I’m something of a Currie fan at this point, having read six of her books (four of the “paranormal mysteries” (horror), The Mystery of Locked Rooms, and now The Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society). I’ve generally enjoyed her writing style, particularly where the MC’s voice is concerned. However, I’ll admit that her paranormal mysteries started to feel like they had a bit of a same-y quality, which is why I appreciate Currie mixing things up a bit with this novel. And I imagine most readers who enjoyed her other work will like this one, too. While I won’t say this is my favorite Currie novel (that’s still What Lives in the Woods), it’s a great addition to her catalog.
The Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society tells the story of a group of friends who, thanks to an accident, wind up staying at an inn during a blizzard where a suspicious death just occurred. Although the police write it off as natural causes, the main character notices an unexplained set of footprints before the body is found, suggesting murder. And, if she can’t figure out the culprit before the storm ends, the killer might get away with their crime.
The set-up is simple, but effective. Unfortunately, the mystery feels a little simple as well – most of the suspects have no real motive. However, for younger readers who haven’t read murder mysteries, this probably won’t be an issue. And for everybody else, there’s still the charm of the story and the characters.
It’s an enjoyable novel, although perhaps not quite on par with What Lives in the Woods or Scritch Scratch. However, it’s a welcome change.
(NOTE: I was provided an advanced reader copy via NetGalley.)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This one intrigued me because it seemed more like a straightforward whodunnit rather than horror, which is what I usually expect from Lindsey Currie. It’s a fun locked room mystery (with some Miss Marple vibes thrown in, although she might be the only Christie character who doesn't get name-checked).
Merrick’s mother owns a bookstore, which is attached to sort of a tourist-trap novelty inn (all of the rooms are book-themed). Merrick’s a little bitter at the moment - her mother pulled her out of her expensive private school and started her on homeschooling (done from the stock room at the store) because they’ve taken in her grandmother, who is on dialysis and has some staggering medical bills. Her dad isn’t around much - he does something that requires a lot of travel, although I confess I kept forgetting and thinking he was dead (probably because that’s the case in X Marks the Haunt, Currie’s last book before this one). Also mom has a British bestie named Jerrie whose slang Merrick constantly has to translate for the others.
Anyway, there’s a big ice storm, and in a spectacular confluence of events, a car full of Merrick’s friends (siblings Miko and Sonny, and crush Asher) gets rear-ended by Merrick’s grandma right outside the bookstore. When everyone goes outside to deal with the accident, they’re drawn back in by the sound of someone screaming - a hiker who was probably a guest at the inn (she’s holding a key card when they find her) has stumbled upon a dead body in the stock room - right on top of Merrick’s desk no less. The guy is someone she only knows as “Pipey” (because he always had a pipe), and he’s facedown in a cake which definitely wasn’t there fifteen minutes earlier. And also very dead. But he was old, so there’s not much investigation.
At this point it becomes clear that the storm is so bad that no one is getting home for the night. And Merrick is convinced that something isn’t right about this crime scene. So she and her friends - and grandma, who’s been reading lots of Agatha Christie during her dialysis appointments - form their own Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society. They’re in a mystery book club at school! This is just like that! Except they very quickly find out that there’s a big difference between what you see on TV and trying to solve a crime in real life. Plus it’s tough to keep it all a secret from her mom and Aunt Jerrie. BUT it’s pretty clear that someone stuck at the inn definitely murdered Pipey, and they only have until morning to figure it out.
It’s an entertaining look at the process, as Merrick and crew determine suspects and then realize their initial assumptions are incorrect. My only quibble is that there’s not much of an unraveling of the WHY once we learn the WHO. And while it does make slightly more sense that Pipey was staying at the inn (so he didn’t just wander in off the street with a cake for no reason), it still sort of strains believability that he would just…set up shop in the bookstore office to decorate this cake. But it’s a fun ride anyway.
Merrick’s mother owns a bookstore, which is attached to sort of a tourist-trap novelty inn (all of the rooms are book-themed). Merrick’s a little bitter at the moment - her mother pulled her out of her expensive private school and started her on homeschooling (done from the stock room at the store) because they’ve taken in her grandmother, who is on dialysis and has some staggering medical bills. Her dad isn’t around much - he does something that requires a lot of travel, although I confess I kept forgetting and thinking he was dead (probably because that’s the case in X Marks the Haunt, Currie’s last book before this one). Also mom has a British bestie named Jerrie whose slang Merrick constantly has to translate for the others.
Anyway, there’s a big ice storm, and in a spectacular confluence of events, a car full of Merrick’s friends (siblings Miko and Sonny, and crush Asher) gets rear-ended by Merrick’s grandma right outside the bookstore. When everyone goes outside to deal with the accident, they’re drawn back in by the sound of someone screaming - a hiker who was probably a guest at the inn (she’s holding a key card when they find her) has stumbled upon a dead body in the stock room - right on top of Merrick’s desk no less. The guy is someone she only knows as “Pipey” (because he always had a pipe), and he’s facedown in a cake which definitely wasn’t there fifteen minutes earlier. And also very dead. But he was old, so there’s not much investigation.
At this point it becomes clear that the storm is so bad that no one is getting home for the night. And Merrick is convinced that something isn’t right about this crime scene. So she and her friends - and grandma, who’s been reading lots of Agatha Christie during her dialysis appointments - form their own Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society. They’re in a mystery book club at school! This is just like that! Except they very quickly find out that there’s a big difference between what you see on TV and trying to solve a crime in real life. Plus it’s tough to keep it all a secret from her mom and Aunt Jerrie. BUT it’s pretty clear that someone stuck at the inn definitely murdered Pipey, and they only have until morning to figure it out.
It’s an entertaining look at the process, as Merrick and crew determine suspects and then realize their initial assumptions are incorrect. My only quibble is that there’s not much of an unraveling of the WHY once we learn the WHO. And while it does make slightly more sense that Pipey was staying at the inn (so he didn’t just wander in off the street with a cake for no reason), it still sort of strains believability that he would just…set up shop in the bookstore office to decorate this cake. But it’s a fun ride anyway.
September 25, 2026
The Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society
By: Lindsay Currie
Publish Date: September 15, 2026
Publisher: Sourcebooks Kids/Sourcebooks Young Readers
Children's Fiction
I would like to thank both NetGalley and Sourcebooks for allowing me to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.
Book Review:
I really enjoyed this book and gave it 4 stars. This is a different type of book for her to write. She usually writes about ghost and having the young person help them out. In this book the young children are solving a crime with the help of a grandma.
In this book a young girl is being homeschooled because the family needs to saves money and the school she was going to was a private school. The reason they need to save money is because her grandma needs to have dialysis and the medical bills are expensive. On this particular day there is an ice storm coming and they need to get home before it comes. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen because a car accident happens outside the shop where her mom works. While they are outside dealing with the accident inside the store something is happening that no one expects.
The accident happened to be between her grandma and her friend's mom who was picking the children up from school. When it is all settled they all go inside while they wait for the police when they get inside, they hear a scream and find a dead body. The girl knows the man who is dead at her table which she uses as a desk.
When the police arrive for the accident, they are told about the man in the storage room. The police rule it as an accidental death, but the girl doesn't believe it because of the wet shoe prints on the floor.
That is all I am going to tell you because I want you to read the book.
What I liked about the book is the friendship and the family. I love how they work together and protect each each other. The girl realizes that her grandma isn't as bad as she thought.
By: Lindsay Currie
Publish Date: September 15, 2026
Publisher: Sourcebooks Kids/Sourcebooks Young Readers
Children's Fiction
I would like to thank both NetGalley and Sourcebooks for allowing me to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.
Book Review:
I really enjoyed this book and gave it 4 stars. This is a different type of book for her to write. She usually writes about ghost and having the young person help them out. In this book the young children are solving a crime with the help of a grandma.
In this book a young girl is being homeschooled because the family needs to saves money and the school she was going to was a private school. The reason they need to save money is because her grandma needs to have dialysis and the medical bills are expensive. On this particular day there is an ice storm coming and they need to get home before it comes. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen because a car accident happens outside the shop where her mom works. While they are outside dealing with the accident inside the store something is happening that no one expects.
The accident happened to be between her grandma and her friend's mom who was picking the children up from school. When it is all settled they all go inside while they wait for the police when they get inside, they hear a scream and find a dead body. The girl knows the man who is dead at her table which she uses as a desk.
When the police arrive for the accident, they are told about the man in the storage room. The police rule it as an accidental death, but the girl doesn't believe it because of the wet shoe prints on the floor.
That is all I am going to tell you because I want you to read the book.
What I liked about the book is the friendship and the family. I love how they work together and protect each each other. The girl realizes that her grandma isn't as bad as she thought.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
** “Teammates have to be able to trust each other.” **
Lindsay Currie delivers a fun mystery with “The Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society,” a story about friendship, courage, teamwork and seeking the truth.
Merrick is missing her friends when she has to start homeschooling because her family needs to care for her ill grandmother … doing her schooling at the bookstore/inn where her mother works. But when a bad storm strands all her friends and family at the inn, Merrick looks forward to a fun night … until a man is found dead, with his face laying in a birthday cake, on top of her school desk.
The four friends, along with Grandma Ida, quickly form The Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society to figure out what happened to “Pipey,” the name Merrick calls him because he always carries a pipe when she sees him in the bookstore. They think there’s more to the story about his death so set out to find the truth.
Can the group figure out what happened to “Pipey” while organizing potential suspects, motives and alibis? Are they even correct that there’s something nefarious behind his death?
Currie does a great job of creating a fun, mysterious, plot filled with lots of twists and turns, as well as red herrings. She creates a great cast of characters, filled with relatable strengths and weaknesses, moxie and intrigue. She even includes some good themes, like we should always try to protect each other, even if it isn’t always easy or safe; everyone has a past, things we don’t know about; using our strengths to complement each other and accomplish huge things; and learning who to trust.
Recommended for children ages 9 and up, even adults will enjoy this story. Fans of series like “The Sherlock Society” by James Ponti, “Minerva Keen” by James Patterson and “Confessions of a Junior Spy” by Rosaria Munda will love “The Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society,” which is due out Sept. 15.
Five stars out of five.
Sourcebooks Young Readers provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.
Lindsay Currie delivers a fun mystery with “The Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society,” a story about friendship, courage, teamwork and seeking the truth.
Merrick is missing her friends when she has to start homeschooling because her family needs to care for her ill grandmother … doing her schooling at the bookstore/inn where her mother works. But when a bad storm strands all her friends and family at the inn, Merrick looks forward to a fun night … until a man is found dead, with his face laying in a birthday cake, on top of her school desk.
The four friends, along with Grandma Ida, quickly form The Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society to figure out what happened to “Pipey,” the name Merrick calls him because he always carries a pipe when she sees him in the bookstore. They think there’s more to the story about his death so set out to find the truth.
Can the group figure out what happened to “Pipey” while organizing potential suspects, motives and alibis? Are they even correct that there’s something nefarious behind his death?
Currie does a great job of creating a fun, mysterious, plot filled with lots of twists and turns, as well as red herrings. She creates a great cast of characters, filled with relatable strengths and weaknesses, moxie and intrigue. She even includes some good themes, like we should always try to protect each other, even if it isn’t always easy or safe; everyone has a past, things we don’t know about; using our strengths to complement each other and accomplish huge things; and learning who to trust.
Recommended for children ages 9 and up, even adults will enjoy this story. Fans of series like “The Sherlock Society” by James Ponti, “Minerva Keen” by James Patterson and “Confessions of a Junior Spy” by Rosaria Munda will love “The Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society,” which is due out Sept. 15.
Five stars out of five.
Sourcebooks Young Readers provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
trigger warnig
When a storm traps people in a hotel, hanging out with her friends could be so fun, were it not for the murderer in their midst.
Our protagonist misses school. To raise funds for her grandmother's medical treatments, Merrick is now being homeschooled by her mom. Or rather, is sitting in the storage room of a bookstore, helping out with chores there, and researching the elements on the periodic table.
At her desk, a body is found, and since Merrick and her friends are there anyway, and they fear the murderer still is with them, they band together with Merrick's grandmother to do some sleuthing.
I was a bit confused about how fixed they were on the murder method without having more proof than what the body looked like. Most of the investigation rests on one clue they found, which frustrated me a bit when they got distracted and had to go back and look again at a person. Of course, that is realistic for children investigating, and since this novel is relatively short, it wasn't so bad as it could have been.
What I liked most was the setting of a hotel with a bookstore attached, and the hotel rooms are book themed. Merrick for example gets assigned the Sherlock Holmes room that is full of dark wood, hosts a tabacco pipe collection and deerstalker hats one can try on. There are eleven rooms, and I had hopes we'd see every single one or at least get mentions of what the others are. Sadly, that did not happen. At least Mer was interested enough by the Alice in Wonderland room to plan on picking that book up, and I think she'd like it.
I think most of my issues come from it being summer, very hot, and not vibing with a snow storm as much as I could have at another time. It is a solid book and I'd recommend it for readers in the target age range who like crime.
I probably would have loved this as a kid.
The arc was provided by the publisher.
When a storm traps people in a hotel, hanging out with her friends could be so fun, were it not for the murderer in their midst.
Our protagonist misses school. To raise funds for her grandmother's medical treatments, Merrick is now being homeschooled by her mom. Or rather, is sitting in the storage room of a bookstore, helping out with chores there, and researching the elements on the periodic table.
At her desk, a body is found, and since Merrick and her friends are there anyway, and they fear the murderer still is with them, they band together with Merrick's grandmother to do some sleuthing.
I was a bit confused about how fixed they were on the murder method without having more proof than what the body looked like. Most of the investigation rests on one clue they found, which frustrated me a bit when they got distracted and had to go back and look again at a person. Of course, that is realistic for children investigating, and since this novel is relatively short, it wasn't so bad as it could have been.
What I liked most was the setting of a hotel with a bookstore attached, and the hotel rooms are book themed. Merrick for example gets assigned the Sherlock Holmes room that is full of dark wood, hosts a tabacco pipe collection and deerstalker hats one can try on. There are eleven rooms, and I had hopes we'd see every single one or at least get mentions of what the others are. Sadly, that did not happen. At least Mer was interested enough by the Alice in Wonderland room to plan on picking that book up, and I think she'd like it.
I think most of my issues come from it being summer, very hot, and not vibing with a snow storm as much as I could have at another time. It is a solid book and I'd recommend it for readers in the target age range who like crime.
I probably would have loved this as a kid.
The arc was provided by the publisher.
Read
June 14, 2026I love the setting for this one and the Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society themselves as well!
I love that they were a club who formed based on shared interest of solving Agatha Christie style mysteries!
One of my favorite parts of this book and the writing is the way several of the chapters end in suspense that is so well done that it feels like they are ending with a “dun dun dun” reveal each time. I seriously heard it in my head (and refrained ... barely... from saying it out loud) each time. Lindsay continues to write characters that are multilayered and interesting, who have varying interests that draw readers in to either connect and see themselves or learn about something new. I love that the characters in this book were interested in video games, sports, mahjong, and science. A little mix of everything that will help readers see how working together and incorporating all the different ways we think can help us thrive at problem solving in all kinds of situations. The mystery and intrigue of this "locked room" style death investigation will keep readers turning the pages to find out who is responsible and why!
My students specifically asked me to find more mysteries and more fantasy to add to our library shelves next year and this is one mystery I will certainly be adding to the collection and recommending widely! (My students are already big Currie fans, so it won't be a hard sell, but they will love this one as much as they have loved her others! And I look forward to seeing which kids move this into their "favorite" spot! It's one sign of a fantastic author that they don't all say the same book when you ask which one is their favorite. Different Currie books take that spot for different kids and I love that so much!)
I love that they were a club who formed based on shared interest of solving Agatha Christie style mysteries!
One of my favorite parts of this book and the writing is the way several of the chapters end in suspense that is so well done that it feels like they are ending with a “dun dun dun” reveal each time. I seriously heard it in my head (and refrained ... barely... from saying it out loud) each time. Lindsay continues to write characters that are multilayered and interesting, who have varying interests that draw readers in to either connect and see themselves or learn about something new. I love that the characters in this book were interested in video games, sports, mahjong, and science. A little mix of everything that will help readers see how working together and incorporating all the different ways we think can help us thrive at problem solving in all kinds of situations. The mystery and intrigue of this "locked room" style death investigation will keep readers turning the pages to find out who is responsible and why!
My students specifically asked me to find more mysteries and more fantasy to add to our library shelves next year and this is one mystery I will certainly be adding to the collection and recommending widely! (My students are already big Currie fans, so it won't be a hard sell, but they will love this one as much as they have loved her others! And I look forward to seeing which kids move this into their "favorite" spot! It's one sign of a fantastic author that they don't all say the same book when you ask which one is their favorite. Different Currie books take that spot for different kids and I love that so much!)
September 17, 2026
Merrick spends a good deal of time inside of a bookstore, either working beside her mother or attempting to homeschool herself. She desperately misses her friends at Elkhart, but family needs have won out and Merrick is left alone while everyone seems to be having fun without her. When a terrible ice storm halts all traffic and Merrick’s friends unexpectedly find themselves stranded inside the bookstore and adjoining inn along with Merrick, everything seems to be great. Until, that is, a man is found dead, prompting the youth to work together to assemble several clues to determine who might have been responsible for his death.
This middle grade murder mystery is cozy in many ways and centers around a group of friends that no longer gets to spend as much time together as they would like. Merrick is the narrator, so readers get to experience the story primarily through her eyes. Her scientific prowess shines as the investigation unfolds, gently educating readers in the midst of a fictional tale. Realistic interactions among the children and adults in the story make the novel feel real even if the events within it are otherwise less so. A believable forced-proximity situation keeps the momentum of the novel moving forward, amplifying the stakes of the investigation as it continues. With an assortment of colorful characters and myriad red herrings, readers are kept guessing about the final resolve until it arrives. And thanks to the addition of helpful charts, readers are able to keep track of all the information along with the protagonists. Best for confident middle grade readers with an interest in murder mysteries, this is a fun addition to library collections both at school and at home, and it is primed for a sequel.
This middle grade murder mystery is cozy in many ways and centers around a group of friends that no longer gets to spend as much time together as they would like. Merrick is the narrator, so readers get to experience the story primarily through her eyes. Her scientific prowess shines as the investigation unfolds, gently educating readers in the midst of a fictional tale. Realistic interactions among the children and adults in the story make the novel feel real even if the events within it are otherwise less so. A believable forced-proximity situation keeps the momentum of the novel moving forward, amplifying the stakes of the investigation as it continues. With an assortment of colorful characters and myriad red herrings, readers are kept guessing about the final resolve until it arrives. And thanks to the addition of helpful charts, readers are able to keep track of all the information along with the protagonists. Best for confident middle grade readers with an interest in murder mysteries, this is a fun addition to library collections both at school and at home, and it is primed for a sequel.
September 21, 2026
⭐⭐⭐
Favorite things:
💜 Tweens teaming up with grandma to solve crimes is possibly one of my favorite things to ever happen in a mystery book.
💜 Although they’re trapped in an inn with a murderer, the book leans more into cozy murder mystery with just a bit of suspense. The bookstore and book-themed inn, plus the friend group, keep things from feeling too tense.
💜 Each member of the society has their own set of skills that make them an important part of solving the mystery. Merrick loves science, Miko is a mahjong player who excels at strategy, Sonny is a gamer, Archer is an athlete with leadership experience, and Grandma knows Agatha Christie novels. I love that each one has moments to shine with their skills and interests.
Less favorite things:
☔ The characters were a little stereotypical, like the gamer kid constantly mentioning his games. I would love to see their characters round out more in later books. I think it’s hard to introduce four close friends and have them all distinct without being a little stereotyped at first.
☔ Some elements were cliche and seemed like a bit of a stretch, like the revealed connections to another character at the end or why there would be a cypher at all.
Overall thoughts:
This is just plain fun for mystery lovers and kids just getting into cozy mysteries. While I would love to see more characterization in the friend group and things to feel just a little more plausible than some of the things in this book, I think overall this is a great option for young readers. I especially loved how Merrick got to know her grandma and start imagining her as a 12-year-old girl once too.
You can find me with more book content on Threads and Instagram at @sailsandscales
Favorite things:
💜 Tweens teaming up with grandma to solve crimes is possibly one of my favorite things to ever happen in a mystery book.
💜 Although they’re trapped in an inn with a murderer, the book leans more into cozy murder mystery with just a bit of suspense. The bookstore and book-themed inn, plus the friend group, keep things from feeling too tense.
💜 Each member of the society has their own set of skills that make them an important part of solving the mystery. Merrick loves science, Miko is a mahjong player who excels at strategy, Sonny is a gamer, Archer is an athlete with leadership experience, and Grandma knows Agatha Christie novels. I love that each one has moments to shine with their skills and interests.
Less favorite things:
☔ The characters were a little stereotypical, like the gamer kid constantly mentioning his games. I would love to see their characters round out more in later books. I think it’s hard to introduce four close friends and have them all distinct without being a little stereotyped at first.
☔ Some elements were cliche and seemed like a bit of a stretch, like the revealed connections to another character at the end or why there would be a cypher at all.
Overall thoughts:
This is just plain fun for mystery lovers and kids just getting into cozy mysteries. While I would love to see more characterization in the friend group and things to feel just a little more plausible than some of the things in this book, I think overall this is a great option for young readers. I especially loved how Merrick got to know her grandma and start imagining her as a 12-year-old girl once too.
You can find me with more book content on Threads and Instagram at @sailsandscales
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC for review. To be published September 15, 2026.
4 stars
Merrick McGee is twelve and is adjusting to being homeschooled in the backroom of the bookstore her mom manages. She’s had to give up going to her private school because her grandmother is sick and is now living with Merrick and her mother, so expenses have made economy necessary. She’s misses her school and her best friends Archer, Sonny and Miko.
An ice storm rolls into town and a number of people get stuck at the bookstore and its attached inn, including Merrick, her mother and grandmother and all three of Merrick school friends.
Even worse than the storm? A man has been found dead in the back room of the bookstore! He’s an older gentleman, one of their regular customers and he’s found facedown in a birthday cake.
Perhaps he died of natural causes, but could it have been murder? The four friends, who love mysteries, and Merrick’s grandmother band together to try to solve the case before the police are able to brave the unrelenting storm to reach them.
This is intended to be the first book in a middle grade series. It was cute and appropriate for younger kids, nine and up is what is indicated by the publisher and I think kids would enjoy it. It’s clever and ticks a lot of boxes; I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone with kids.
4 stars
Merrick McGee is twelve and is adjusting to being homeschooled in the backroom of the bookstore her mom manages. She’s had to give up going to her private school because her grandmother is sick and is now living with Merrick and her mother, so expenses have made economy necessary. She’s misses her school and her best friends Archer, Sonny and Miko.
An ice storm rolls into town and a number of people get stuck at the bookstore and its attached inn, including Merrick, her mother and grandmother and all three of Merrick school friends.
Even worse than the storm? A man has been found dead in the back room of the bookstore! He’s an older gentleman, one of their regular customers and he’s found facedown in a birthday cake.
Perhaps he died of natural causes, but could it have been murder? The four friends, who love mysteries, and Merrick’s grandmother band together to try to solve the case before the police are able to brave the unrelenting storm to reach them.
This is intended to be the first book in a middle grade series. It was cute and appropriate for younger kids, nine and up is what is indicated by the publisher and I think kids would enjoy it. It’s clever and ticks a lot of boxes; I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone with kids.
Read
July 11, 2026A team of four best friends solve a murder mystery during an ice storm - with the help of an Agatha Christie-loving grandmother!
Merrick is have a rough time. Her Grandma Ida is sick and has to move in with them. That means Merrick can't attend private school. Instead, her mom is homeschooling her in the storage room of the bookstore where she works. The bookstore is attached to a book-themed hotel - and it has a lot of quirky customers that Merrick gets to know since she is there all of the time.
One night, a fierce ice storm descends on the hotel just as her three best friends from school stop by for a visit. And then -- a dead body is discovered! In the storage room of the book store! The police decide that the elderly gentleman - "Pipey" - died of natural causes but Merrick and her Grandma Ida have noticed a few odd things about the scene and they believe that he was murdered! And they realize they are all trapped in the hotel until the weather clears.
Can they figure out who the murderer is before someone else gets hurt?
Lots of fun deductive reasoning and more than a few warm fuzzies as the story unfolds. This is the first in a series - I look forward to reading more about this gang of friends. I am guessing future stories will be told from the perspective of one of the other friends.
Merrick is have a rough time. Her Grandma Ida is sick and has to move in with them. That means Merrick can't attend private school. Instead, her mom is homeschooling her in the storage room of the bookstore where she works. The bookstore is attached to a book-themed hotel - and it has a lot of quirky customers that Merrick gets to know since she is there all of the time.
One night, a fierce ice storm descends on the hotel just as her three best friends from school stop by for a visit. And then -- a dead body is discovered! In the storage room of the book store! The police decide that the elderly gentleman - "Pipey" - died of natural causes but Merrick and her Grandma Ida have noticed a few odd things about the scene and they believe that he was murdered! And they realize they are all trapped in the hotel until the weather clears.
Can they figure out who the murderer is before someone else gets hurt?
Lots of fun deductive reasoning and more than a few warm fuzzies as the story unfolds. This is the first in a series - I look forward to reading more about this gang of friends. I am guessing future stories will be told from the perspective of one of the other friends.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4/5
Very fun middle grade mystery about a group of friends (and grandma) who are stuck in an inn during a snowstorm, only to find a man face first in a birthday cake. The police say it was old age, but the kids are in a mystery club, and they (and Grandma) believe it to be murder! Who among the snowed-in guests is really the killer? And will the kids make it out alive??? (Yes, it's a middle grade book lol).
I really enjoyed this book! It reminded me of Nancy Drew and wanting to solve mysteries of my own as a kid. There are some parts that are repetitive, but every kid had their own special “thing”. Merrick was into science and the Periodic Table, Archer was a natural leader and a good athlete, Sonny was a gamer who had fast reflexes if not a short attention span, and Miko who is a mahjong player with the ability to read people and guess their true intentions based on subtle clues. And of course Grandma Ida, the wacky grandma who loves mysteries, but is a responsible adult and tries to keep the kids safe.
I have to say, I predicted who the killer was, but everyone looked suspicious, and the clues they found were sometimes unexpected, so it kept me on my toes!
This is the beginning of a series, and I’m dying to know what the next mystery will be! Hard to beat a snow-bound murder! I would buy this!!
Very fun middle grade mystery about a group of friends (and grandma) who are stuck in an inn during a snowstorm, only to find a man face first in a birthday cake. The police say it was old age, but the kids are in a mystery club, and they (and Grandma) believe it to be murder! Who among the snowed-in guests is really the killer? And will the kids make it out alive??? (Yes, it's a middle grade book lol).
I really enjoyed this book! It reminded me of Nancy Drew and wanting to solve mysteries of my own as a kid. There are some parts that are repetitive, but every kid had their own special “thing”. Merrick was into science and the Periodic Table, Archer was a natural leader and a good athlete, Sonny was a gamer who had fast reflexes if not a short attention span, and Miko who is a mahjong player with the ability to read people and guess their true intentions based on subtle clues. And of course Grandma Ida, the wacky grandma who loves mysteries, but is a responsible adult and tries to keep the kids safe.
I have to say, I predicted who the killer was, but everyone looked suspicious, and the clues they found were sometimes unexpected, so it kept me on my toes!
This is the beginning of a series, and I’m dying to know what the next mystery will be! Hard to beat a snow-bound murder! I would buy this!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A delightful middle grade murder mystery.
Merrick is currently stuck being homeschooled at her mom's bookstore/inn and worrying about her Grandma Ida. But then an ice storm hits their town and her friends end up snowed in with her at the inn. And someone is found dead, face-down in a cake on Merrick's desk. The police thought he died of old age, but Merrick has questions. She and her friends decide to crack the case as the Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society!
The setting is absolutely perfect. It gives such a great opportunity for everyone to be locked up together. The characters all have secrets, making for an interesting mystery to try to solve. We also get to see Merrick and her friends work on challenges their each facing, along with utilizing their strengths. Merrick's love of science is just so great.
I think this book reads towards the younger end of the middle grade range, which wasn't exactly what I was expecting. There obviously isn't anything wrong with that, just something to keep in mind when deciding if this book will be a good fit for you or your child.
Overall, if you like fun middle grade murder mysteries, I definitely recommend giving this one a try. Curl up with it and a cup of cocoa and enjoy this story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Kids for providing an advanced copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
Merrick is currently stuck being homeschooled at her mom's bookstore/inn and worrying about her Grandma Ida. But then an ice storm hits their town and her friends end up snowed in with her at the inn. And someone is found dead, face-down in a cake on Merrick's desk. The police thought he died of old age, but Merrick has questions. She and her friends decide to crack the case as the Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society!
The setting is absolutely perfect. It gives such a great opportunity for everyone to be locked up together. The characters all have secrets, making for an interesting mystery to try to solve. We also get to see Merrick and her friends work on challenges their each facing, along with utilizing their strengths. Merrick's love of science is just so great.
I think this book reads towards the younger end of the middle grade range, which wasn't exactly what I was expecting. There obviously isn't anything wrong with that, just something to keep in mind when deciding if this book will be a good fit for you or your child.
Overall, if you like fun middle grade murder mysteries, I definitely recommend giving this one a try. Curl up with it and a cup of cocoa and enjoy this story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Kids for providing an advanced copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
September 15, 2026
The Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society by Lindsay Currie is a closed-circle mystery for middle-grade readers.
One December night in Chicago, four friends become trapped by an ice storm in a building that houses both a bookstore and an inn. The mother of one of the friends, Merrick, is the store’s manager. All four kids are smart individuals with different skills, which comes in handy when they have to figure out who killed one of the bookstore’s customers before the weather conditions improve and the culprit can leave without being caught.
The story is very engaging, with references to Agatha Christie’s storytelling, Hercule Poirot’s famous “little grey cells” method of solving mysteries, and plenty of red herrings. The level of gore surrounding the murder is appropriate for the book’s intended audience. The author also weaves themes of friendship and family bonds into the story. I particularly enjoyed watching the growing relationship and intergenerational understanding between Merrick and her grandmother, Ida, as they worked side by side to solve the case.
I would recommend this book to mystery lovers, both young and older, who enjoy an engaging mystery alongside strong, interesting characters and a warm family atmosphere.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
One December night in Chicago, four friends become trapped by an ice storm in a building that houses both a bookstore and an inn. The mother of one of the friends, Merrick, is the store’s manager. All four kids are smart individuals with different skills, which comes in handy when they have to figure out who killed one of the bookstore’s customers before the weather conditions improve and the culprit can leave without being caught.
The story is very engaging, with references to Agatha Christie’s storytelling, Hercule Poirot’s famous “little grey cells” method of solving mysteries, and plenty of red herrings. The level of gore surrounding the murder is appropriate for the book’s intended audience. The author also weaves themes of friendship and family bonds into the story. I particularly enjoyed watching the growing relationship and intergenerational understanding between Merrick and her grandmother, Ida, as they worked side by side to solve the case.
I would recommend this book to mystery lovers, both young and older, who enjoy an engaging mystery alongside strong, interesting characters and a warm family atmosphere.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 19, 2026
Four friends. An ice storm. A bookstore/inn. A locked-room murder mystery. I’m in!
When Merrick’s friends get trapped at the bookstore/inn with her during a major ice storm, the last thing they expect is to discover a customer dead in a birthday cake. With the storm keeping everyone inside and the police calling it an accidental death, Merrick and her friends decide to investigate for themselves… and the Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society is born!
I REALLY enjoyed this one! I love a good locked-room mystery, and this middle-grade version absolutely delivered. There were great twists and turns, plenty of tension from the ice storm holding everyone hostage, and a fantastic cast of interesting characters.
And Grandma Ida?! An Agatha Christie-loving grandma who patiently helps the kids put their detective skills to work? I absolutely loved her! I also really enjoyed that Merrick is a STEM girl and uses her knowledge to help solve the mystery.
This was an engaging page-turner that kept me guessing and held my interest all the way to the final page. I especially loved how the mystery encouraged the kids to use different strengths and work together.
I’m definitely ready for more from the Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
When Merrick’s friends get trapped at the bookstore/inn with her during a major ice storm, the last thing they expect is to discover a customer dead in a birthday cake. With the storm keeping everyone inside and the police calling it an accidental death, Merrick and her friends decide to investigate for themselves… and the Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society is born!
I REALLY enjoyed this one! I love a good locked-room mystery, and this middle-grade version absolutely delivered. There were great twists and turns, plenty of tension from the ice storm holding everyone hostage, and a fantastic cast of interesting characters.
And Grandma Ida?! An Agatha Christie-loving grandma who patiently helps the kids put their detective skills to work? I absolutely loved her! I also really enjoyed that Merrick is a STEM girl and uses her knowledge to help solve the mystery.
This was an engaging page-turner that kept me guessing and held my interest all the way to the final page. I especially loved how the mystery encouraged the kids to use different strengths and work together.
I’m definitely ready for more from the Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC | A good mystery for young readers, if a bit off pace | I do love to review a new middle grade mystery, and this one includes all the needed parts: crime, suspects, checking for alibis and motives, time pressure, a detecting team, and a plausible explanation for the scene to be limited in a way that makes the story possible. The actual killer and motive were clear the moment they sat down to dinner, but I'm an adult and I suspect the target audience would find it far less obvious. I did find the pacing to be off, the murder happens so quickly, before we have gotten to know anyone, and all the rest of the action feels like it's taking place over much longer than it actually is. It seemed like dawn would break any moment, and with it the killer's escape, but actually it was just on 11pm. There was a bit of box-checking, where each character had a special skill that perfectly matched the needs and clues for this specific murder, and everyone had their own Very Special Moment in the resolution. But again that's something an adult reader notices more. Overall it's a good example of the genre, and potentially a good start to a series.
Advanced Reader Copy provided free of charge by the publisher, which did not impact my review.
Advanced Reader Copy provided free of charge by the publisher, which did not impact my review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I don’t read middle grades novels that often (my students are usually reading YA novels), but some of my favorites of all time are books like The Candymakers, Mr. Lemonchello’s Library, and The Mysterious Benedict Society. I chose this book because I thought it would have similar “puzzle” vibes to those. I was happy to see that it did have some similar elements to the books I’ve enjoyed in the past. However, this book felt slow to me for the first 60% or so. The stakes didn’t feel high enough (mom would find out!), and the clues were coming slowly. The story does pick up toward the ending, and there is one real puzzle that gets worked out. I also struggled somewhat with Merrick a little bit- she has a very negative attitude toward her grandmother for a large portion of the book. I get why the author felt the need to do this, but it still made me sad for the grandmother (who is truly the best part of this novel). Merrick’s friends and all the inn guests/employees are great characters, and the science element was a lot of fun. As an adult reader, I would give this three stars, but since I think 6th/7th graders will enjoy this, and it’s a good entry into the locked room murder mystery genre, I am bumping to 4.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel!
July 14, 2026
Once again, this review is going to be a little different because I'm letting my kids handle the star rating. Honestly, I think that's only fair considering this is a middle grade book.
Ryker: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Yes... six stars.)
"I loved it. It was mysterious and I never knew what was going to happen next, which made it really exciting."
Spencer: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"I really liked that it had science and mystery in it. Science is my favorite subject. I also liked the twists and the tiny bit of romance."
Now for my mom take.
I thought this was a really fun read and a fantastic introduction to murder mysteries for younger readers. It keeps the mystery engaging without feeling too heavy, and I loved watching my kids try to solve it as we read.
I also got quite a few laughs out of the grown-up references sprinkled throughout. There were multiple moments where I felt personally called out... especially the bit about having to feed your sourdough starter.
If you have kids who love mysteries, puzzles, or trying to piece clues together before the big reveal, I think this is a wonderful choice. It gets their brains working while still being a genuinely fun story, and judging by the six-star review from one of my kids, I'd say it was a pretty big hit in our house.
Ryker: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Yes... six stars.)
"I loved it. It was mysterious and I never knew what was going to happen next, which made it really exciting."
Spencer: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"I really liked that it had science and mystery in it. Science is my favorite subject. I also liked the twists and the tiny bit of romance."
Now for my mom take.
I thought this was a really fun read and a fantastic introduction to murder mysteries for younger readers. It keeps the mystery engaging without feeling too heavy, and I loved watching my kids try to solve it as we read.
I also got quite a few laughs out of the grown-up references sprinkled throughout. There were multiple moments where I felt personally called out... especially the bit about having to feed your sourdough starter.
If you have kids who love mysteries, puzzles, or trying to piece clues together before the big reveal, I think this is a wonderful choice. It gets their brains working while still being a genuinely fun story, and judging by the six-star review from one of my kids, I'd say it was a pretty big hit in our house.
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