Start the Story
6
Issue 1 , June 201 2
There's something addictive about a good detective story. It drags you in and keeps you guessing until
the mystery is finally unravelled . Not all of the choices in this month's 6 of the Best are traditional detective
stories, but they all feature crime at their heart. The crimes in these books range from cat theft to cold-blooded
murder, so we've made some suggestions for what we think are suitable age-ranges for each one.
The Falcon's Malteser
Anthony Horowitz - Walker
978-1 406341 423
£5.99
This first book in the Diamond Brothers
series sees the world's worst private
detectives become tangled up with
gangsters, assassins and dimwitted police
as they try to figure out the significance of a
box of Maltesers. Lots of action and plenty
of humour. Should appeal to more
confident readers aged 9+.
The Third Pig Detective Agency
Diddle? Wonder no longer. Part love story,
part crime caper, The Adventures of the
Dish and the Spoon is the rags-to-riches
and back again tale of the most dazzling
crockery-cutlery duo of all time. Genuinely
funny, yet at times almost heartbreaking,
this is a picture book that can be enjoyed
by all ages.
Judy Moody, Girl Detective
Megan McDonald - Walker
978-1 406327434
£4.99
Judy Moody is in a mood. A sleuthing,
Nancy Drew kind of mood. So what’s a
WBMS (world’s best mystery solver) to do?
Go find a mystery, that’s what! This is the
first in a series of very funny tales in which
Nancy Drew fan, Judy, tries to emulate her
literary hero. Despite having a girl as the
main character, these adventure-packed
books should appeal to boys, too, if you
can convince them to try them out.
Suggested for ages 6 and upwards.
Bob Burke -The Friday Project
978-1 906321 758
£6.99
Harry Pigg, the only surviving brother from
the Big Bad Wolf attacks, has set up
business as a private detective in
Grimmtown, only things aren't
going too well. But then in
walks local businessman
Aladdin who needs someone
to help him track down an old
lamp. A very funny blend of A Slightly Jones Mystery: The Case
fairy tale and film noir. Perfect of the London Dragonfish
for
upper
primary/early Joan Lennon - Catnip Publishing
secondary pupils.
978-1 846470981
£5.99
The Adventures of the Dish and the Slightly Jones has red hair, too many
Spoon
freckles, and a flyaway temper, but she’s
Mini Grey - Red Fox Picture Books
not going to let that stop her becoming the
978-0099475767
next Sherlock Holmes It’s the 1 890s and
£5.99
a precious find is about to be presented to
Ever wondered what happened after the Queen Victoria at the new Natural History
dish ran away with the spoon in Hey Diddle Museum. But then the exhibit goes missing,
S T O RY
I n "The Falcon's Malteser", th