Spooks and scooters by Elen Caldecott

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The Marsh Road Mysteries bk 3. Bloomsbury, 2016. ISBN 9781408852736
(Age: 9+) Recommended. Themes: Mystery; Adventure; Industrial espionage. The Marsh Road Mysteries revolve around a group of English friends who seem to keep finding mysteries that need their combined talents to help solve the problems that adults are incapable of unravelling. In this adventure, Flora and Sylvie, who are twins with very different personality traits, attempt to rescue their father from disaster when his business becomes the target of intellectual theft and industrial espionage. The consequences will be catastrophic for his business prospects and he is at risk of losing everything. The twin's parents are separated and the girl's father has a new girlfriend who has not yet won Sylvie's affection. She too becomes embroiled in the mystery. Is she the thief? The twins' other friends assist them to outwit the bumbling Personal Investigator that has been hired by the business, and together they use their talents to piece the puzzle together.
This is a crime mystery for young readers and will satisfy the needs of those young readers who like mystery and intrigue. The child characters use their talents and brain power, and young readers will enjoy the way they problem solve (and bend the rules) to enable them to pursue their investigations. Caldecott manages to write in such a way that a young reader will not feel patronised. Perfect for a school library collection, it can be recommended to young capable readers and older readers who like an intriguing tale.
Carolyn Hull

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