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Detective Stories For Children

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From murder mysteries to crimes to crack, detective fiction remains a popular genre with children in Key Stage 2. Katherine Woodfine – author of The Taylor & Rose Secret Agents series – shares her recommendations of the best books for children who love detective stories.

Siobhan Dowd
Chapter book

Ted and his sister Kat watch their cousin Salim climb aboard the London Eye. But when his pod returns to the ground and the doors open, Salim has completely vanished. Where could Salim have gone? Has he been kidnapped — or worse? With the police baffled by his disappearance, it’s down to Ted to use his unique abilities to solve the mystery — following a trail of clues that lead across London, with Kat’s help. Starring a brilliant young detective, Siobhan Dowd’s ‘howdunnit’ is a real classic, which will keep you gripped from beginning to end.

Robin Stevens
Chapter book

Robin Stevens’ Murder Most Unladylike mystery series brilliantly evokes the golden age murder mysteries of the 1930s: intrepid schoolgirl detectives Daisy and Hazel piece together clues, investigate suspects, assess crime scenes and bring murderers to justice — with plenty of bunbreaks along the way. First Class Murder is one of my favourites in the series, incorporating a clever ‘locked room’ mystery and a glamorous railway journey, in a delightful tribute to Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express.

Lauren St John
 & David Dean
Chapter book

11-year-old Laura moves to live with her uncle in Cornwall, where she soon discovers mystery is in store. Why won’t her uncle let her go to Dead Man’s Cove? Who has left a secret message in a bottle for Laura to find? The award-winning first book in Lauren St John’s Laura Marlin series is an absolute delight. It has all the ingredients of a classic children’s mystery story: friendship, adventure, a seaside setting and of course, a loyal dog.

Sharna Jackson
Chapter book

When their art teacher is mysteriously murdered during the summer holiday, sisters Nik and Norva turn detective to solve the case and find his killer. With a modern-day urban setting in a high-rise block, this entertaining whodunnit will keep you turning the pages. A sequel, Mic-Drop, sees the smart and curious young sleuths investigate the suspicious death of a pop-star — and I hope there will be lots more mysteries to come for Norva and Nik.

Katherine Woodfine
 & Karl James Mountford
Chapter book

Katherine’s own international detective series, Taylor and Rose: Secret Agents, is a popular choice with fans of detective fiction.

Many readers who have read and loved the author’s previous detective series called the Sinclair Mysteries will adore these fast-paced international adventures that are characterised by a slightly more grown-up feel. With a strong sense of peril and not-quite-knowing-who-to-trust, plenty of twists, interesting geographical details and gutsy, inspiring female lead characters, this is a thrilling middle-grade series with a winning formula for fans of detective stories.

Find out more about the latest instalment on our blog.

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