Mystery
Killer’s Instinct by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Jun.04, 2015, under Mystery, Student Reviews, Thriller
Review by Kim K.
Who would like this book? People that I think will like this book are people that like a good story and people that like a little plot twist and a lot of blood.
The goods on this book: The set up in this book is a murder book and it follows a girl named Cassia and her friends Dean, Lia, Michal and Sloane. They are a group of kids that can do stuff that other kids can’t do. Cassia can “read” people and Dean can do the same. Lia is a human lie detector and Michael and read people’s emotions. What theses kids are facing is a murder that is a copycat of how Dean’s father used to murder, but now he is in jail. They are trying to find out who would do it and who is the person doing these murders. It was a good book except there’s a long wait for them to figure out the evidence that is right in front of them.
The details: 357 pages; 2014 Review by Kim K.
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on May.04, 2015, under Adventure, Mystery, Student Reviews
Review by Maylie N.
Who would like this book? Children and teens interested by action, adventure, mystery, fighting evil, problem solving, and genius people will love this book so much they may not be able to put it down! Be careful, though. If you have trouble or do not like following complicated plots with lots of plot twists, misleads, and tricky puzzles, this book may not be for you.
The goods on the book: A young orphan boy named Reynie is excluded by everyone around him. But when he sees an ad for talented kids, his life changes forever. The ad is for a very difficult test, and Reynie steps up to the challenge. Using his genius brain to figure out all of the tricks, he is whisked somwhere else for more tests, where he meets Kate, Sticky, and Constance, all who are talented as well. A mysterious man tells the children they have been selected for a dangerous mission. The mission is very dangerous indeed. They are sent to the Institute to pose as students, while meanwhile they are plotting to stop an evildoer bent on world domination. During their mission, they encounter Morse Code, rude people, mysterious messages, amnesia, geniusus, evil, and a very strange and frightening place. The children are forced to use every bit of their knowledge… And courage. Will they stop the upcoming evil? Can they work as a team? Find out in this riviting, action-packed book.
The details: 485 pages; 2007
Artemis Fowl #4: The Opal Deception by Eoin Colfer
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Apr.27, 2015, under Detective/Spy, Fantasy, Mystery, Student Reviews
Review by Zach L.
Who would like this book? People who might like this book are, well, anyone. This is a great all-around book if you like mystery and fantasy.
The goods on this book: In this book, Opal is back and she wants revenge. She’s going after Holly, Artemis, Butler and Julius. She’s had a whole year to think about it. Her plan is foolproof. Right? Who will win this epic?
The details: 342 pages; 2005 Review by Zach L.
The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Mar.02, 2015, under Mystery, Student Reviews, Supernatural, Teen Top 10, Thriller
Review by Selah D.
Who would like this book?
The goods on this book: The Name of The Star is a great book. It is a well-spun plot with mystery, action and humor all in one. It follows Rory, an American student from Lousianna attending Wexford, a Britsh school in London. One more thing about Rory: She can see ghosts. When a Jack the Ripper fake strikes, she gets thrown into a crazy adventure of buried secrets under the Tube with a secret department of ghost-seeing police officers. The Name of The Star is book one in the Shades of London Book series. After reading it you’ll be craving more, so luckily there’s book 2 in the book series, named The Madness Underneath. So get ready for a wild ride through modern London in a hunt for Jack the Ripper.
The details: 372 pages; 2011 Review by Selah D.
The Cellar by Natasha Preston
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Feb.26, 2015, under Mystery, Student Reviews, Thriller
Review by Mazzy N.
Who would like this book? I think girls, 13+, who are into kidnapping and thrillers would like this book.
The goods on this book: Summer was walking to a club to meet friends when someone had grabbed her. A man who called her Lily took her away and Summer was locked away in a cellar. There she met three other girls, all named after flowers, and together they try to get through this tragic experience. In the cellar they all witness friends and strangers being killed.Everyone is looking for Summer but are they giving it their best?
The details: 368 pages; 2014
A Spy in the House: The Agency #1 by Y. S. Lee
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Feb.24, 2015, under Detective/Spy, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Student Reviews
Review by Grace N.
Who would like this book? Girls would probably like this book better than boys, ages 12-15. It has plenty of mystery to keep you up at night, with suspense and romance that’s very appealing to readers, all in an old Victorian time setting.
The goods on this book: Mary wishes for something more out of her education at Ms. Scrimshaw’s Academy for Girls. So when the academy turns out to be a cover for the Agency, a secret group of female detectives that are highly skilled, Mary doesn’t hesitate to join. Her first case concerns missing cargo ships owned by a rich businessman, and Mary’s determined to solve the case. Disguised as a paid companion to the vicious Angelica Thorold, and nobody, not even a handsome engineer would suspect a thing about Mary Quinn…she hopes.
The details: 335 pages; 2010 Review by Grace N.
Bad Times, Big Crimes by Carolyn Keene
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Feb.12, 2015, under Detective/Spy, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Student Reviews
Review by Sophie U.
Who would like this book? The people who would like this book are people who like reading about the Great Depression and people who like mysteries.
The goods on this book: Nancy Drew, a detective, time travels to the 1930s. In the 1930s, she meets a family who has just been cheated out of their house. She decides to find out who cheated them out of their house and to find out why. She discovers that the people who cheated their family out of their house were famous gangsters named Loretta and Clay Gaines. Will Nancy be able to catch the Gaineses, or will the Gaineses take everyone’s money?
The details: 139 pages; 2005 Review by Sophie U.
Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Jan.26, 2015, under Battle of the Books 2011-2012, Detective/Spy, Grief, Mystery, Real life, Student Reviews
Review by Kennedy H.
Who would like this book? I think both genders would enjoy this book very much. Ages 11-13 or 14 would probably like this book the most. Also, people who like action fiction that has some plot twists to it would like this book a lot!
The goods on this book: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life is a great book! It’s set in present-day New York and is about two best friends, Jeremy Fink and Lizzie Muldoun. Lizzie is an outgoing girl who is willing to do anything to get what she wants. Jeremy likes staying in his comfort zone, staying safe, and collecting candy. They’re searching for the four missing keys to the box Jeremy’s deceased father gave to him. The problem is, he doesn’t know where to look for them. Jeremy and Lizzie search all over New York and meet a lot of new people and do a lot of new things that they had no idea they would do! I think this book was really good and kept me wanting to read more. Wendy Mass is a fantastic author, and this is another one of her great books!
The details: 289 pages; 2006 Review by Kennedy H.
Perfect Shot by Elaine Marie Alphin
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Jan.18, 2015, under Historical Fiction, Mystery, Real life, Sam's Reviews, Sports, Thriller
Who would like this book? Anyone, grades 7 and up, who likes murder mysteries, basketball action, social issues, relationship issues, and/or meaningful history.
The goods on this book: In this ambitious book, Brian struggles to come to terms with the violent deaths of his girlfriend Amanda, her brother, and her mom. Their father has been charged with shooting them to death, but Brian saw another person close to the scene of the crime. He assumes that those in charge are following up on his lead, and he continues his senior year as leader of a basketball team that are tight as brothers but must work to keep their grades up. A unique assignment from their history teacher connects Brian with Todd, an outsider who has been the target of their bullying. They must research the 1913 Leo Frank murder case, which turns out to have disturbing parallels to the current murder trial of Amanda’s father. Another significant layer of this book’s engaging plot involves Julian, the star of the basketball team who encounters trouble only because he is African-American. The author does a great job of pulling all the different parts of the plot together, and Brian is an engaging, empathetic narrator. As the book drives toward its thrilling climax, I couldn’t put it down!
The details: 360 pages, 2006 Review by Samrarian
The Mystery at Lilac Inn by Carolyn Keene
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Jan.13, 2015, under Detective/Spy, Mystery, Student Reviews
Review by Sophie U.
Who would like this book? The people who would like this book are people who like great mysteries.
The goods on this book: Nancy Drew and her friend Helen Corning are going to visit Emily Willoughby, who is about to get married. On the way to Lilac Inn, the inn that Emily and her fiance Dick bought, Nancy sees her friend Doris Drake who tells her that she has a double. Nancy and Helen are surprised but do not think anything dangerous will happen. When they get to Lilac Inn, Emily tells them about strange things that have been happening at Lilac Inn. Nancy begins to wonder if her double has anything to do with it or if Mary Mason, a waitress that just quit, knows anything about it. This is a great mystery that keeps you wondering what will happen next.
The details: 180 pages; 1961 Review by Sophie U.
