Review: Murder at the Ivy Hotel

Written by Emily Hourican
Illustrated by Paola Escobar
*Published by Scholasti*c *on 12th February 2026*

Murder at the Ivy Hotel is a cosy whodunnit, brimming with charm, intrigue and danger, that kept me utterly entranced throughout.

Meredith and her younger sister, Macy, live in an apartment in the grand Ivy Hotel in Dublin where their mother is the General Manager. Changes are afoot at the hotel as it faces a change of ownership, something that is causing their mum stress as the new owners are more interested in profit than retaining the cosy and friendly character of the beloved hotel where long-term residents and staff feel more like family than guests. When it seems that the new owners are keen to find reasons to dismiss their mum, there is a real possibility that Meredith and Macy may lose their home, something they are determined to fight against.

But then something happens that may well ruin the reputation of the hotel: the suspicious death of a guest. Could a murder have taken place and, if so, can the sisters discover the culprit and save the their home?

And so begins a terrifically twisty, intriguing mystery as the sisters and their new friend, Colin, work together to solve a puzzling crime. I loved the blend of cosy mystery, intrigue and danger that had me eagerly turning pages as I followed this sleuthing trio as they worked together to piece together the clues to discover the culprit behind this crime. I really enjoyed the sense of urgency as the mystery unfolds over the course of a week, the increasing level of peril and the red herrings all of which made this an exciting and fast-paced read which I have no doubt its young readers will adore – just as I did! I can also imagine many young readers wanting to keep their own notes – just as Colin does – as the mystery unfolds.

The tenacious trio of children in this whodunnit are incredibly likeable and together bring different qualities to form a perfect sleuthing team. Twelve-year-old Meredith has an intuitive and sensible nature whereas her ten-year-old sister Macy is more impulsive and practical. Their new friend Colin, who lives at the hotel, is meticulous and keeps notes as they investigate the crime. I also really enjoyed the feeling of family within the hotel as the children have close and trusting bonds with both employees and long-term guests who clearly care for them.

A delightfully charming and cosy mystery, with friendship and family at its heart, perfect for young sleuths of 9+.

Thank you to Scholastic for sending me a proof copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review: A Sycamore Hill Mystery: The Vanished Girl by Natasha Mac a’Bháird

Written by Natasha Mac a’Bháird
Cover Illustration by Lauren O’Neill
Published by The O’Brien Press

The Vanished Girl is the second book in the A Sycamore Hill Mystery series, set in 1960s Donegal – and what a wonderfully exciting return to the Sycamore Hill Boarding School this proved to be as friends Clare, Rose and Molly find themselves immersed in another mystery, a mystery brimming with danger and intrigue that completely captured me from start to finish.

Following a long weekend away from Sycamore Hill to attend her aunt’s wedding, Clare returns eager to tell her friends all the details. However, her news is somewhat overshadowed by the announcement that a new girl is starting mid-term, and one of the girls from St Anne’s dormitory will need to move out to allow room for her. Clare is immediately curious as to why a new girl would be starting part way through the term: could this be a new mystery for the sleuthing trio to solve?

When the girls meet their new dorm mate, Amy, she shares that she has started to board as her dad has a new job and the family are in the process of moving house. Despite Clare having some doubts about the truth of this information, it is not long before the three friends are welcoming Amy into their group, especially as she appears just as keen as they are to take part in the upcoming school musical and to get a place on the hockey team alongside Clare.

After a brilliant audition by Amy, Clare can’t help but wonder if she’s a film star. So why then does the new nun, Sister Eva, who has come to help out with staging the musical, deny such a talent from taking part in the performance? Why do the teaching staff not allow Amy to leave the school grounds or take part in any activities that would bring attention to her presence at the school?

Clare and her friends decide to, once again, become a sleuthing trio to reveal the secrets that Amy is hiding from them. But could her secrets be more dangerous than they first suspected? Could Sister Eva be spying on Amy and, if so, are her intentions to keep her safe, or to harm her?

I absolutely loved being back at Sycamore Hill Boarding School with Clare and her friends as they work together to solve a mystery brimming with intrigue and danger. I was never quite sure who the girls could trust and really enjoyed following them as they determinedly uncovered clues. I couldn’t stop turning pages as the danger increased and the courageous sleuthing trio took more risks to help their new friend even when this put them in increasing peril.

The friendship between Clare, Rose and Molly is such a wonderful part of this story, feeling really genuine and supportive as they look out for each other and take Amy into their group.

I love that this story is set in an isolated boarding school which I think is a perfect setting for a mystery as there is such scope for the friends to go sneaking around to discover clues but also opening themselves to the possibility of getting caught which increases the tension.

An absolutely gripping and fantastically exciting return to Sycamore Hill for another mesmerising mystery brimming with secrets and danger, perfect for readers of 9+.

Thank you to The O’Brien Press for sending me a copy of this book. It was my decision to read and review the book any my review is my honest opinion of the book.

St Patrick’s Day middle-grade recommendations: Irish authors

Happy St Patrick’s Day! I thought today would be the perfect opportunity to share books by some of my favourite Irish middle-grade authors. I have included a link to my review for each of my book recommendations.

The Eye of the North is a brilliantly fast-paced, thrilling adventure that truly deserves the plaudit of ‘unputdownable’. It opens with the best line ever:

For as long as she could remember, Emmeline Widget had been sure her parents were trying to kill her.

and transported me into the most gripping adventure, brimming with twists and turns, with danger and daring, and with breath-taking revelations.

The Time Tider is a ferociously fast-paced, thrilling and intriguing contemporary fantasy that transported me into an enthralling adventure where the phrase ‘just one more chapter’ has never been so apt. An exhilarating, irresistible page-turner: a heart-warming, intricate story of family and friendship woven into the most brilliant time-twisty plot that is guaranteed to bring hours of reading delight!

The Silver Road is the MOST incredible, action-packed quest adventure, brimming with magic, with danger, with discoveries … I was swept into a modern world interwoven with the old magic and mythology of Ireland and was completely and utterly spellbound. I don’t want to say too much for fear of spoilers, but be prepared to meet witches, giants, wolves, ancient gods and warriors in a gripping adventure that is guaranteed to have you on the edge of your seat as the peril reaches a fierce crescendo. Epically brilliant!

Elsetime is an exhilarating time-slip story which completely captivated me as it took me on a fascinating journey where past, present and future meet in ‘elsetime’, a time where intrigue, danger and revelations swirl amidst friendships, courage and hope. Inspired by the real-life Great Flood of London in 1928, this is a stunningly spectacular read with a beautifully heart-warming ending.

The Chestnut Roaster is an unforgettable, mesmerising historical fantasy which swept me into late 19^th century Paris and into a gripping, dangerous and exciting adventure that completely captivated me. A breath-taking, magical adventure: a story of loss, survival, and the strength of friendship, family and self-belief.

The Shadows of Rookhaven is an absolutely stunning story told from different viewpoints in short atmospheric chapters: tantalising and intriguing; heart-warming and heart-breaking; a story that oscillates with secrets and revelations, and a delicious darkness and tension that makes it an excruciating delight to read.

Stitch is an absolutely stunning, incredibly powerful and thought-provoking story that completely gripped me from start to finish. The action, brimming with peril, discoveries and secrets, kept me turning pages as I was desperate to find out how the three friends would survive in a world where their differences make them more likely to be hated or feared than accepted.

The Lost Girl King is a truly spellbinding adventure that swept me into the mythical land of youth and into an action-packed, unforgettable quest brimming with daring, courage and wit. This is a magical, joyous and exciting adventure brimming with family and friendship, with danger, delight and hope … an absolute must-read!

Pirates of Darksea is stardust-sprinkled, swashbuckling adventure with great peril, incredible courage and the bonds of brotherhood and friendship at its heart. I absolutely loved this action-packed, gripping quest which is brimming with peril, magic and the most brilliant and unexpected twists and turns. I genuinely gasped at some of the revelations which kept me turning page after page as I was completely swept into the magic and power of the story-telling.

Sally in the City of Dreams is a wonderfully charming and exciting historical adventure with friendship and family at its heart. I have no doubt that young readers will enjoy getting to know Sally and her friends as they travel from early 1900s Ireland to New York, the City of Dreams, to start a new life. A heart-warming, exciting historical adventure with strong friendships, sure to be adored by young readers of 9+.

The Spirit Snatcher is a spine-tinglingly thrilling, spooky story that completely captivated me: an adventure brimming with friendship, humour, danger and a brilliant cast of supernatural creatures.

Search for the Black Mirror is the second in The Light Thieves trilogy: a thrilling, gripping rollercoaster of an eco-adventure that kept me utterly entranced throughout. This is a brilliantly inventive, unputdownable eco-adventure that is guaranteed to captivate readers of 9+.

The Wild Way Home is an absolute treasure trove of adventure, excitement and danger set in a wild and natural environment whilst, at its heart, it resonates with the importance of family, friendship and acceptance. This is a truly breath-taking story – both painful and heart-warming – that completely captured me as I was transported back in time for an action-packed adventure with Charlie and Harby who prove that being born millennia apart is no barrier to friendship.

The Way to Impossible Island is a stunning, action-packed timeslip adventure linking the past to the present in such an exciting and mesmerising way. It wholeheartedly captured me from the peril in the opening chapter to the wonderfully uplifting ending, transporting me into a richly evocative landscape with the most wonderful characters. This is an exhilarating and heartfelt adventure where the ancient past and present day meet through the hopes and fears of the most remarkable young characters who find each other at just the right time … an unforgettable story of friendship, family and acceptance.