The Merry Christmas Murders by Alexandra Benedict
Brooke is starting a new school, this is always daunting but especially when your parents have recently separated and you’ve moved to a new town.
Headteacher Dr Buxted isn’t exactly welcoming either, particularly when Brooke turns up with her emotional support dog, Buoy. In fact, he seems more interested in the Inter-schools County Christmas Cup than helping any of the teachers with their various requests for help and resources.
Luckily for Brooke, Robyn is in her form class and introduces her to the members of the Neurokind Club.
Faced with the horror of Dr Buxted’s murder by mince pie, on her first school day, Brooke joins Robyn, Mikey, Nisha and Kellan to try and solve the whodunnit.
Can Brooke and her friends help Detective Sergeant Jenkins (aka Robyn’s Mum) solve the case?
The Merry Christmas Murders is a novel with five neurodivergent detectives.
‘If you’ve met one autistic person, you’ve met one autistic person.’
Filled with holly, Jingle Bells, gingerbread, tinsel, Christmas trees and decorations this novel is sure to get you into the Christmas mood but watch out for the Mince pies!
I really enjoyed the engaging characters, the humour and the interactions between children and adults, let’s hope there’s a follow up adventure.
I love the puzzles to solve in each chapter. Look out for the puns and anagrams!
Illustrations by Flavia Sorrentino
@a.k.benedict
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@simonkidsuk
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Thank you to Simon and Schuster for the review copy.
Silent Night by Emma Read
Mason, Conor and Joss wake up on Christmas morning and discover all the adults have disappeared.
As if that wasn’t bad enough a storm means there is a power cut. Cold, hungry and frightened, they decide to search for some help and are found by Gloria but not before they meet another adult, one who has been zombified by an ‘infection’.
Could it have something to do with the disgusting mushroom-like Christmas trees they find in every house?
Brought to safety by Gloria’s father Dr H, Mase and Joss at first delight in the warmth of his house. Ice cream, hot chocolate, a pool, it seems to be too good to be true.
Something just doesn’t feel right to Mase but could his investigations lead him into danger?
Who can he trust?
Inspired by Day of the Triffids, ‘Silent Night’ is a very creepy Christmas story of fungus induced zombies. Once started I couldn’t put it down!
What an absolute nightmare scenario to think all the adults in the world have been infected and turned into zombies.
I really felt for the protagonist, Mase, who knows he has to take everything ‘one step at a time’ and often needs time to zone out after a lot of stimulation. That Mase knows his strengths and understands how to control his feelings and emotions helps the reader to get on his side, especially when he has to deal with his big cousin, Conor.
A clever, twisting tale that leaves you wondering who to trust!
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Cover illustration by Tom Clohosy Cole
Thank you to Laura Smythe and Chicken House for the review copy.
A Stocking Full of Spies by Robin Stevens
This is the third book in the series, The Ministry of Unladylike Activity and it’s a cracker of a whodunnit!
In these Top Secret Case Files, we read extracts from the diaries of Fionnuala O’Malley, May Wong and Eric Schlossbauer.
It’s a cold December in 1941 and the ongoing Second World War means everyone is involved in the war effort. And that is where the three children come in.
Reunited at Bletchley Park, they are asked to investigate the murder of one of the code breakers.
After all, who is going to pay any attention to three children who take messages between the huts?
Time is running out, it looks as if their friend, Bertie is being framed for the murder.
Could it be possible there is a spy in their midst?
As if things couldn’t get any worse the horrible Colonel MacNair dies from apparent poisoning.
What can they do to prove Bertie’s innocence?
‘A Stocking Full of Spies’ will have you leaving everything else to the side until you find out if the intrepid trio manage to solve the mystery.
Nuala, May and Eric each utilise their skills to try and help solve the case.
Set in the code breaking world of Bletchley Park, author Robin Stevens has created a novel with fascinating characters. It is action packed whilst steeped in history. What a super way to introduce readers to these important historical events.
A page turning thriller of a story!
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Thank you to Daisy Northway at Penguin Random House Children’s for the review copy.
