What do you think?
Rate this book
The Detention Detectives #1
The Detention Detectives
'Sharply drawn... convincingly humorous and stroppy' - The Guardian"Finding a dead body at my new school was a pretty rubbish way to start. But actually getting mixed up in the case? I was bound to get into deep, deep trouble for that!"Murder comes to Hanbridge High, and three Year Seven misfits want to solve the boy Jonno hopes playing detective will convince his parents that moving to Hanbridge was a big mistake.School reporter Lydia thinks her news story will sweep everything else off the front page.And young carer Daniel needs the police to arrest the right culprit - for his mum's sake.They may not be friends, but they're about to become. . .The Detention Detectives.'a fresh new take on the murder mystery genre' - The School Library Association'Friendship, trust, courage and determination are at the heart of this extremely funny murder-mystery tale' - BookTrustMisfits and murder meet in this brilliantly fun new mystery series by debut author Lis Jardine. A perfect next read for fans of Sharna Jackson's The High-Rise Mysteries, Fleur Hitchcock's Murder in Midwinter, and Robin Stevens' Murder Most Unladylike.
342 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 5, 2023
15 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
March 10, 2023
Murder comes to Hanbridge High, and three Year Seven misfits want to solve the crime:
New boy Jonno hopes playing detective will convince his parents that moving to Hanbridge was a big mistake.
School reporter Lydia thinks her news story will sweep everything else off the front page.
And young carer Daniel needs the police to arrest the right culprit - for his mum's sake.
They may not be friends, but they're about to become. . .The Detention Detectives.
When I first started reading this book as a teacher and an avid middle grade story reader I was thinking to myself this is a bit dark for a kids book. However, as the story developed I really enjoyed the twists and turns and the characters that Jardine created. The blossoming friendship and camaraderie between Jonny, Lydia and Daniel is heartwarming and I am already excited for book two as I want to solve kore mysteries with the trio.
When I first started reading this book as a teacher and an avid middle grade story reader I was thinking to myself this is a bit dark for a kids book. However, as the story developed I really enjoyed the twists and turns and the characters that Jardine created. The blossoming friendship and camaraderie between Jonny, Lydia and Daniel is heartwarming and I am already excited for book two as I want to solve kore mysteries with the trio.
Want to read
December 28, 2022This Book Does Not disappoint with it's Premise & it Reminds me of the Disney Channel show Fillmore!
(Thanks to Net Galley for this Book).
(Thanks to Net Galley for this Book).
March 26, 2024
A murder, a mystery, new friendships, and more!
I came across this book/the writer on Twitter and was instantly intrigued. I do love a good MG mystery so I had to have this one!
In this one we meet a boy named Jonathan, or Jonno as he prefers to be called. He has just heard he had to move to a new town and go to a new school. You can imagine that is not the thing he wants. Well, I do think murder was also not on the menu for him! Jonathan was a fun character and while at times he was a bit much, I did understand why he did the things he did. Plus, I do love that instead of just going NO THANK YOU after finding out a dead body he went to investigate (well, OK, he got some extra motivation thanks to Daniel) but I loved that he kept hunting for clues and tried to figure out who the murderer is and why and hows.
Daniel wasn’t always my favourite character but in the end I liked him more and more. OK, the Star Trek references became a bit much (and this is from a girl who loved watching the shows when she was a kid). But I liked him more and more as a character and I was so proud of him and all he did for his mom.
Lydia was the hardest character to like and that was mostly because she was so nosy and didn’t always seem to care about people’s feelings and just wanted a good story. Later as the story continued she showed other sides and I started liking her more and more and she became a good asset to the team. Not just because she was able to figure out so much but also because kicks some serious butt.
The murder mystery was a lot of fun to read especially since there were so many red herrings, things that didn’t make sense, or things that just couldn’t be true… or were they? I really enjoyed the mystery and loved how it thickened as the story continued. There is a lot more going on then you think at first and there are some fun twists and turns as well. And some very exciting moments!
I loved that next to the mystery we get to see our MC try to settle and at first also try to think of plans so he could go back home to his friends. Plus, there is Daniel who takes care of his mother as she is sick and all that comes with that.
Oh, and the ending with Jonathan’s old friends? I DID NOT EXPECT THAT. That is all I will say.
Also, dear parents, prepare your kids a bit more on impending moves/big chances. Thank you.
I was just disappointed in the fact that the mystery DOESN’T end in this book. I am very used to MG detective series having a case per book. So I was very much looking forward to things getting wrapped up neatly, but as the end drew near and near and we just got new twists and new suspects, I was a bit disappointed. Yes, I was already planning on reading the next book but I had hoped that the next one would be a fresh mystery. Not a continuation.
But despite the ending being a bit of a disappointment I had a lot of fun reading this and I loved that next to the mystery we also got to see our MC settle in a new town/place.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I came across this book/the writer on Twitter and was instantly intrigued. I do love a good MG mystery so I had to have this one!
In this one we meet a boy named Jonathan, or Jonno as he prefers to be called. He has just heard he had to move to a new town and go to a new school. You can imagine that is not the thing he wants. Well, I do think murder was also not on the menu for him! Jonathan was a fun character and while at times he was a bit much, I did understand why he did the things he did. Plus, I do love that instead of just going NO THANK YOU after finding out a dead body he went to investigate (well, OK, he got some extra motivation thanks to Daniel) but I loved that he kept hunting for clues and tried to figure out who the murderer is and why and hows.
Daniel wasn’t always my favourite character but in the end I liked him more and more. OK, the Star Trek references became a bit much (and this is from a girl who loved watching the shows when she was a kid). But I liked him more and more as a character and I was so proud of him and all he did for his mom.
Lydia was the hardest character to like and that was mostly because she was so nosy and didn’t always seem to care about people’s feelings and just wanted a good story. Later as the story continued she showed other sides and I started liking her more and more and she became a good asset to the team. Not just because she was able to figure out so much but also because kicks some serious butt.
The murder mystery was a lot of fun to read especially since there were so many red herrings, things that didn’t make sense, or things that just couldn’t be true… or were they? I really enjoyed the mystery and loved how it thickened as the story continued. There is a lot more going on then you think at first and there are some fun twists and turns as well. And some very exciting moments!
I loved that next to the mystery we get to see our MC try to settle and at first also try to think of plans so he could go back home to his friends. Plus, there is Daniel who takes care of his mother as she is sick and all that comes with that.
Oh, and the ending with Jonathan’s old friends? I DID NOT EXPECT THAT. That is all I will say.
Also, dear parents, prepare your kids a bit more on impending moves/big chances. Thank you.
I was just disappointed in the fact that the mystery DOESN’T end in this book. I am very used to MG detective series having a case per book. So I was very much looking forward to things getting wrapped up neatly, but as the end drew near and near and we just got new twists and new suspects, I was a bit disappointed. Yes, I was already planning on reading the next book but I had hoped that the next one would be a fresh mystery. Not a continuation.
But despite the ending being a bit of a disappointment I had a lot of fun reading this and I loved that next to the mystery we also got to see our MC settle in a new town/place.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
July 25, 2025
If I'm being honest, I can absolutely see why the PE teacher would be the first victim if there were a murder at a high school. That was the first thing that grabbed me when I started reading this book.
Lis Jardine has a vivid writing style—you can tell she's a crime TV series geek. She’s also created some really interesting characters: Jonno, the talkative one; Daniel, the smart guy; and Lydia, the ninja badass. Three teenagers determined to find out who did it—who killed their PE teacher.
I read it in one breath. It’s like a perfect cocktail of the best UK crime shows, but told from the perspective of kids. I can’t wait to read the next one.
Lis Jardine has a vivid writing style—you can tell she's a crime TV series geek. She’s also created some really interesting characters: Jonno, the talkative one; Daniel, the smart guy; and Lydia, the ninja badass. Three teenagers determined to find out who did it—who killed their PE teacher.
I read it in one breath. It’s like a perfect cocktail of the best UK crime shows, but told from the perspective of kids. I can’t wait to read the next one.
October 7, 2023
Was cute, not sure if i'll pick tongue next book though.
December 18, 2022
Great read! Strong voice, great characters perfectly pitched at any budding detectives. Particularly loved Lydia and Daniel was sensitively portrayed as was the growing friendship group. Great plotting with clever recaps so readers can follow the clues. Highly recommend
February 24, 2023
heartfelt and intriguing
A proper MG muder mystery young readers will love. Likeable and relatable characters, surprising twists, and quick pace storytelling that will keep you turning the page for more.
A proper MG muder mystery young readers will love. Likeable and relatable characters, surprising twists, and quick pace storytelling that will keep you turning the page for more.
November 29, 2022
A dazzling new voice in middle grade murder mystery!
December 13, 2022
This debut MG novel from Lis Jardine is a brilliant, laugh out loud detective story. Jonno moves to a new school and hates it. All he wants is to go back to his old town, old school and old friends. When he and a classmate find the dead body of a PE teacher they set out to solve the mystery of who did it. Jonno's main mission is to get in a lot of trouble so his mum and dad move him back to his old school, but along the way, daniel and Jonno start to become friends are are soon joined by nosy, confident Lydia. Together they work to find out who murdered the teacher and get Daniel's mum's best friend of the hook. What I liked about this story was the evolving friendship and how they start to trust each other with things they have kept hidden. At points I laughed out loud and it reminded me of the style of Jenny Pearson.
January 13, 2023
I was lucky enough to read an early copy and absolutely loved this detective MG debut. It stars a trio of misfit school kids investigating the murder of their PE teacher. As the case unfolds, so do their new friendships and there are plenty of plot twists and turns to keep your mini-investigators working their little grey cells right up until the end. I loved the references to TV crime dramas for older readers too. I'd recommend this for fans of Robin Stevens and Sharna Jackson’s High-Rise mystery books.
November 30, 2022
I loved this book and couldn't put it down. The writing is so engaging full of vivid descriptions and rich imagery which will really captures kids attention and imagination. The characters were well developed and I took to some of them straight away. I can't wait to see what this author does next. A great read.
January 19, 2023
OMG I totally and utterly fell in love with this book. I loved the main characters, I loved the twists involved and I loved the messages being portrayed!! Don’t think I’m going to be able to wait for the second one, I’m that excited!!!
October 23, 2024
I enjoyed the turns and suspense of the book and was pleasantly surprised how child friendly murder could be.
I thought the characters were tired and predictable and it would be nice to see a wider range of characters in children’s literature.
I thought the characters were tired and predictable and it would be nice to see a wider range of characters in children’s literature.
December 1, 2022
Loved it!!! The voice is so fun and I loved all the references. Really engaging and exciting. Looking forward to book 2!!!
August 26, 2023
This was really fun! I’ve always wanted to read a middle-grade modern murder mystery set at a school, and this did not disappoint.
December 9, 2023
I LOVED this book SO MUCH I loved how jonno,Daniel and Lidya work it out and be a team at the same time and just everything about it
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2024
3.5 stars
This was fun, I liked the characters and the story even ended on a nice little cliffhanger.
This was fun, I liked the characters and the story even ended on a nice little cliffhanger.
January 29, 2023
An incredibly fun and inventive children’s novel that feels like a direct descendant of Agatha Christie mysteries. Lis Jardine has put together a humorous and well paced mystery with three likeable protagonists and a stack of unexpected twists and turns. As a stand alone novel, this was highly enjoyable but as the start of a series it has buckets of potential.
February 14, 2023
AMAZING!😲😲
OMG!!!!! That book was very good but all look sad 😢 that the next one is coming out in 2024..... That's way to long!!!!!!!! so sad 😢... The only reason that I can have it 4 stars was because I don't give out 5 stars 4 is my highest rating by if I have it a 4 that means it was AMAZING!!!!!!!! 😜😜😛😜😛😜😛😛😜😜😜
OMG!!!!! That book was very good but all look sad 😢 that the next one is coming out in 2024..... That's way to long!!!!!!!! so sad 😢... The only reason that I can have it 4 stars was because I don't give out 5 stars 4 is my highest rating by if I have it a 4 that means it was AMAZING!!!!!!!! 😜😜😛😜😛😜😛😛😜😜😜
February 7, 2023
I love books like this, where teachers, parents and librarians can be happy about the representation of young carers, diverse family set-ups etc, but kids will just take it in their stride as they’re totally glued to the murder mystery. Detention Detectives is pacy and fun and packed with great characters. Just enough clues and red herrings paced perfectly for young readers to be both delighted and satisfied when the murderer is revealed! Ideal for fans of High Rise Mystery
March 26, 2023
A quirky school murder mystery with fantastic voice and a great twist. A lovely array of characters, all very well drawn with secrets of their own. I loved the little footnotes and thought they were a wonderful way to explain concepts the young reader may not be familiar with in a grown-up, non-condescending way. Reminded me of the Murder Most Unladylike series. My daughter is now racing her way through it and can’t put it down! Loved it.
June 9, 2024
A brilliant murder mystery that's perfect for middle grade readers. Great characters and dialogue, fast-paced action and a twisty whodunit make for a fun read. Loved it!
September 9, 2023
Amazing loved reading it the ending cliffhanger was really great it made me curious. Can’t wait for next book!
Edit: OMG the author liked my comment wow wow wow
Edit: OMG the author liked my comment wow wow wow
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2023
I don't know how I heard about this book, but I somehow did and ended up reserving it before it even got to the library. It did not disappoint.
Going in, I was aware I was not in the target audience for this book, but thought that reading widely and with great variety has been my goal for a while. I am just so glad that I picked this up. When it comes to books aimed at those a bit younger, I can find the language to be a bit plain. I can completely understand why but makes it a bit harder to really enjoy these books. Well, not this one. The humour in this book was great, the writing was good and the plot was on-point.
The book tackles some typical coming-of-age issues; moving, school, family etc. but this is sandwiched between some higher stake themes such as murder, gambling, cheating, chronic illness and money. It had everything. I particularly loved the inclusion of a young-carer. Representation I have never read before, let alone in a book aimed at younger readers. Another thing I felt was introduced nicely, was the use of footnotes. I probably wouldn't have appreciated this as much as a kid, but as an adult I love a good footnote. I loved how they were used to explain detective and sci-fi references and weren't used all the time, but just peppered in.
I'd say that one of the biggest turn-offs I had about this book was the cover. Initially it definitely pulled me in with all of the colours but it wore thin quickly. I felt like it was aimed at a younger audience then the book itself and felt like because of this, the book might not do as well as it should. I would say that the writing and plot lends itself for 13-to-14-year-olds but the cover is looking a little younger. I could be completely wrong here though, as its been a while since I was that age. I felt like the design of the characters was a little off as well, but then it could fit perfectly with everybody else's interpretation.
Overall, I would say that this book is such an enjoyable story, which can be appreciated by both adults and those a bit younger. I am definitely setting my sights on the sequel that is meant to come out in January 2024.
Going in, I was aware I was not in the target audience for this book, but thought that reading widely and with great variety has been my goal for a while. I am just so glad that I picked this up. When it comes to books aimed at those a bit younger, I can find the language to be a bit plain. I can completely understand why but makes it a bit harder to really enjoy these books. Well, not this one. The humour in this book was great, the writing was good and the plot was on-point.
The book tackles some typical coming-of-age issues; moving, school, family etc. but this is sandwiched between some higher stake themes such as murder, gambling, cheating, chronic illness and money. It had everything. I particularly loved the inclusion of a young-carer. Representation I have never read before, let alone in a book aimed at younger readers. Another thing I felt was introduced nicely, was the use of footnotes. I probably wouldn't have appreciated this as much as a kid, but as an adult I love a good footnote. I loved how they were used to explain detective and sci-fi references and weren't used all the time, but just peppered in.
I'd say that one of the biggest turn-offs I had about this book was the cover. Initially it definitely pulled me in with all of the colours but it wore thin quickly. I felt like it was aimed at a younger audience then the book itself and felt like because of this, the book might not do as well as it should. I would say that the writing and plot lends itself for 13-to-14-year-olds but the cover is looking a little younger. I could be completely wrong here though, as its been a while since I was that age. I felt like the design of the characters was a little off as well, but then it could fit perfectly with everybody else's interpretation.
Overall, I would say that this book is such an enjoyable story, which can be appreciated by both adults and those a bit younger. I am definitely setting my sights on the sequel that is meant to come out in January 2024.
December 8, 2025
”Мистерия в гимназията” - Лиз Джардийн 🔎
🔎 Джонатан Арчър наскоро се е преместил в гимназия “Хамбридж”. Буквално са изминали две седмици, когато той и Даниел Хорсфел - луд на тема “Стар Трек” умник - откриват труп. Учителят им по физическо възпитание е мъртъв и по всичко изглежда, че това е криминално деяние. Джонатан е запален почитател на мистерии, за което огромна заслуга имат романите и сериалите, които е споделял с баба си.
Към звездния отбор на двете момчета се присъединява “досадната лепка” Лидия Стронг, която е начинаеща журналистка. Тримата ще влязат в ролята на детективи, опитвайки да разрешат случая.
🔎 Авторката е създала умело едно изключително приятно и мъдро четиво, което ни подсеща за важни теми, докато разследваме мистерията на едно убийство. Историята е за тийнейджъри герои и възрастните около тях, но е поучителна и за родители, които могат да се замислят по много въпроси. Децата преживяват собствените си проблеми паралелно на трагичните събития. А те са свързани с вписването в непозната среда, приятелството, взаимоотношенията с големите и още много други.
Книгата ми хареса страшно много и я препоръчвам на подрастващи и пораснали, защото освен забавна, увлекателна, интересна, мистериозна, динамична, е и страшно мъдра и проникновена. Освен това се влюбих в сърдечността, която струи от нея, в сладкия хумор и незабравимите бележки под линия, които са разяснения от самия Джонатан. По-хубавото е, че финалът предвещава продължение, а съвсем на края авторката отговаря на готини въпроси. Благодаря от сърце на любимите “Асеневци” за възможността да се върна назад в гимназиалните си години! 💜
🔎 Прочитът е в категория “Те бяха трима - прочети книга, чиетоо заглавие е с три думи/ има думата "три" в заглавието или има любовен триъгълник” в любимото #коледополис #коледнапесен 💜
Вие обичате ли криминални загадки?
https://www.ozone.bg/product/misteriy...
🔎 Джонатан Арчър наскоро се е преместил в гимназия “Хамбридж”. Буквално са изминали две седмици, когато той и Даниел Хорсфел - луд на тема “Стар Трек” умник - откриват труп. Учителят им по физическо възпитание е мъртъв и по всичко изглежда, че това е криминално деяние. Джонатан е запален почитател на мистерии, за което огромна заслуга имат романите и сериалите, които е споделял с баба си.
Към звездния отбор на двете момчета се присъединява “досадната лепка” Лидия Стронг, която е начинаеща журналистка. Тримата ще влязат в ролята на детективи, опитвайки да разрешат случая.
🔎 Авторката е създала умело едно изключително приятно и мъдро четиво, което ни подсеща за важни теми, докато разследваме мистерията на едно убийство. Историята е за тийнейджъри герои и възрастните около тях, но е поучителна и за родители, които могат да се замислят по много въпроси. Децата преживяват собствените си проблеми паралелно на трагичните събития. А те са свързани с вписването в непозната среда, приятелството, взаимоотношенията с големите и още много други.
Книгата ми хареса страшно много и я препоръчвам на подрастващи и пораснали, защото освен забавна, увлекателна, интересна, мистериозна, динамична, е и страшно мъдра и проникновена. Освен това се влюбих в сърдечността, която струи от нея, в сладкия хумор и незабравимите бележки под линия, които са разяснения от самия Джонатан. По-хубавото е, че финалът предвещава продължение, а съвсем на края авторката отговаря на готини въпроси. Благодаря от сърце на любимите “Асеневци” за възможността да се върна назад в гимназиалните си години! 💜
🔎 Прочитът е в категория “Те бяха трима - прочети книга, чиетоо заглавие е с три думи/ има думата "три" в заглавието или има любовен триъгълник” в любимото #коледополис #коледнапесен 💜
Вие обичате ли криминални загадки?
https://www.ozone.bg/product/misteriy...
December 22, 2022
Starting with a bang, well, with the discovery of a dead PE teacher actually, this school-based murder mystery is a read to relish. The lead character, Jonathan, is a lad that is adamant he can solve the case – or gain something from failing. For he's hating the fact he's the new kid in school, and is insistent that he can somehow disappoint or scare his parents enough to leave and take them all back to where they used to live. To that end he's also adamant that he can not be bothered to befriend the school's resident sci-fi expert, but when he in turn has an urgent need to solve the crime, they just have to get it done – detention slips and grounding regardless...
This really seems to be an out-and-out success – it's a really quite fine thriller read, and related to us from the point of view of a realistic-sounding lad, whose reaction to everything, from the darkest murder to the grimmest school lunch, is spot on. If I have to discuss any flaws, it's that I had the impression it thought it was a lot more humorous than it is – but the comedy failed with me, if it were even intended. (Some bonkers adults-only pun about water-sports needed dumping, for sure.) It's hard to tell, or to care, for the brio with which all this is narrated is sterling work, and the four years from first draft to now were well spent. Opening a trilogy – nay, potentially a career – in fine fashion, this is one of the stronger entries to this genre that I can remember. Four and a half stars.
This really seems to be an out-and-out success – it's a really quite fine thriller read, and related to us from the point of view of a realistic-sounding lad, whose reaction to everything, from the darkest murder to the grimmest school lunch, is spot on. If I have to discuss any flaws, it's that I had the impression it thought it was a lot more humorous than it is – but the comedy failed with me, if it were even intended. (Some bonkers adults-only pun about water-sports needed dumping, for sure.) It's hard to tell, or to care, for the brio with which all this is narrated is sterling work, and the four years from first draft to now were well spent. Opening a trilogy – nay, potentially a career – in fine fashion, this is one of the stronger entries to this genre that I can remember. Four and a half stars.
June 8, 2023
Debut author and school librarian Lis Jardine brings us a murder mystery with twists and turns galore. It is clear to see where her inspiration has come from, schools are rife with ideas for great books, which this one is. Invention is the key to a good murder mystery - invent a crime - then explore all the possibilities that could lead to clues to solving the mystery before it is too late. There are misheard conversations, people in the wrong place at the wrong time and even a few people in the right place at the right time. There are clues and, if you are reading closely, you will find them all but this is a classic whodunnit and finding the answer is not going to be easy!
Jonno Archer is changing schools, like any grumpy teenager he really doesn’t want to and so it is that he has decided to put absolutely no effort into making friends the trouble is this is not convincing his parents that moving house was a mistake, he is going to have to do something else, something a little more dramatic. Is finding a dead body at his new school going to do the trick? It seems like a really rubbish way to start in a new place and op course getting mixed up in it, that must be bad, right? Wrong! Before long Jonno finds he is enjoying playing detective, he may not want the new friends, but he does need help and well, let’s see where that leads to…
Jonno Archer is changing schools, like any grumpy teenager he really doesn’t want to and so it is that he has decided to put absolutely no effort into making friends the trouble is this is not convincing his parents that moving house was a mistake, he is going to have to do something else, something a little more dramatic. Is finding a dead body at his new school going to do the trick? It seems like a really rubbish way to start in a new place and op course getting mixed up in it, that must be bad, right? Wrong! Before long Jonno finds he is enjoying playing detective, he may not want the new friends, but he does need help and well, let’s see where that leads to…
January 20, 2023
Absolutely adored this, a clever murder mystery and the writing is sublime, honestly so readable. Couldn't put it down! Perfect for MG readers. Like a modern Agatha Christie for kids.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews