Libby and the Parisian Puzzle is an utterly charming, joyous mystery that kept me entranced and intrigued as I joined some daring young sleuths on their first Travelling School Mystery.
Libby is used to travelling with her photographer Mum but, when her Mum goes to Ecuador, Libby is sent to stay with her Aunt Agatha who runs a rather unconventional boarding school. Libby is both excited and nervous to travel to Paris as it is her first time away from her Mum, and she has never attended school before.
When she arrives in Paris, she is upset to find that her Aunt is not there to meet her but, after speaking to her on the phone, she takes a taxi there with a new member of staff who has travelled in the same train carriage.
Libby soon meets the other students, including her roommate Connie, and begins her education – in a class room? Mais non! The students who are enrolled in Mousedale’s Travelling School learn about the culture and history of the places they visit by exploring their sights, sounds and tastes, so Libby finds herself on a boat trip on the Seine, visiting the Louvre and Montmartre not to mention enjoying the taste of freshly baked bread, pastries and macarons. I can’t deny that this made me crave another visit to Paris!
Libby is enjoying getting to know Paris and her new school mates but disaster strikes when her aunt is accused of a jewellery theft and arrested. As Libby and her friend Connie search for clues, solve puzzles and uncover secrets, will they be able to unravel the mystery and prove Aunt Agatha’s innocence?
This is such an exciting, fast-paced and cleverly woven mystery that kept me turning pages as I was as desperate as Libby to find the culprit. I can just imagine young readers finding and following the clues with Libby; wondering if they have discovered the identity of the thief. I’d love to keep a sleuthing journal on a re-reading of this mystery!
I absolutely adored Libby who is such a likeable young girl. She loves reading mysteries, is outgoing, determined and naturally curious. She makes a wonderful friendship with the more reserved Connie who has her own secrets, and together they form a perfect partnership!
I absolutely love the idea of a Travelling School which is such a clever concept and offers so much opportunity for the naturally inquisitive, gregarious Libby to visit and learn about new places, to make new friends and to solve other mysteries … and I have no doubt that she will have lots of young (and older!) readers eager to follow her adventures.
There are a few illustrations sprinkled in my proof copy which are just gorgeous and so expressive. I have pre-ordered a finished copy, and am really looking forward to enjoying all the illustrations.
This is a sparkling jewel of a mystery: action-packed, exciting and intriguing, and I absolutely cannot wait to join Libby on her next sleuthing adventure in The Travelling School Mysteries.
Thank you to Firefly Press for a proof copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Book Craic 