The Silverton Sleuths by Liam Moiser
Ten-year-old Rose Watson has a skill for getting into trouble. But when that particular skill leads her into the sinister world of art forgery, theft, and betrayal, trouble takes on a whole new meaning: danger.
On a trip from Silverton Primary School to an art gallery in a nearby town, Rose is intrigued to learn the painting that most captures her eye is actually a fake. Her beloved gran had been devastated by accusations of forgery before she passed away, and Rose can't help wondering if the two things are connected. Then, as she leaves the gallery, a strange man is watching her. Why is that very same man arguing with her headmistress the next morning? Is he too connected?
Determined to get to the bottom of the mystery and clear her gran's name, Rose drags her best friend Sally into her investigation, and together they become the Silverton Sleuths. Convinced that essential clues lie in her gran's old journal with an odd symbol on its cover, cast aside in her parents' attic, Rose is dismayed when she goes to retrieve it to discover someone has got there first. All her gran's possessions have vanished, the only thing remaining being a note filled with regret and despair.
With dark warnings coming from the very people she should be able to trust, and the odd symbol popping up in unexpected places, Rose wonders if she's out of her depth. And when the truth behind the symbol starts to become clear, she knows she is. But by then, it's too late. She's somewhere truly terrifying, and she's there all alone.
Will Sally be able to follow the clues and come to Rose's rescue? Or will the Silverton Sleuths' first case end in disaster?
LoveReading4Kids – Indie Book We Love
Best friends have a mystery to solve in the start of a new chapter book series
Rose has a skill for getting into trouble, but when that skill leads her to a strange art forgery spotted on a school trip and a mystery tied to her grandmother, she's compelled to keep investigating regardless of the danger. With her best friend Sally, they work to uncover theft and betrayals as they try to clear Rose's grandmother's name, but will the search for clues put their friendship at risk too?
This is a twisty, fast-paced mystery with short, easy to read chapters for independent readers. The writing flows well and Rose's character is brought to life with a keen sense of justice and desire to know the truth, even when it can get her into trouble. I did like that the more risky behaviours were flagged by Sally, her pointing out "stranger danger" and questioning whether they should meet someone to get answers. I found the writing compelling and entertaining, "about as much fun as a damp Monday" made me smile on the first page and set the tone for a cheeky main character. There's more left to uncover for the Silverton Sleuths and the ending hints at the adventures to come.
Readers Favorite – 5 Stars Badge
Rose Watson is a ten-year-old who gets into trouble for drawing a rude picture of her teacher, Mr. Cross. The headmistress warns her that if she doesn’t change her behavior, she will lose her position at the Silverton Young Artists’ Programme. Later, the school plans a tour to the museum, and Rose deviates from the group and discovers an odd painting that she discovers is not an original. While returning to school, Rose informs her friend that there is a strange man staring at them. Things become weirder when eavesdropping on an argument between Mr. Cross and the headmistress about a stolen painting. Rose is convinced it has something to do with her grandmother and wants to get to the bottom of it. In her investigations about why a strange man has been following the headmistress, she discovers some hidden information about her grandmother. How will things unfold in The Silverton Sleuths by Liam Moiser?
There was never a dull moment in The Silverton Sleuths by Liam Moiser, and once you start reading it, there is no putting it down. I was hooked from the first chapter to the last as the well-utilized suspense kept me on my toes, looking forward to the events of subsequent chapters. The thought-provoking work got me thinking about art and how much authenticity means when it comes to paintings and other art forms. The work also captures why we should be careful even when we deal with trusted colleagues, as we see in the betrayal between characters like Mrs. Seers and Mr. Batty. Liam ensured all events were vividly captured, and the readers will also appreciate the amazing narration, which added to the overall beauty of the work. I look forward to reading something else by Liam Moiser.
I found this middle grade mystery to be fun and interesting as I turned the pages, following along with Rose and Sally while they tried finding answers to this mystery everyone seemed to want to keep buried. Liam Moiser created well-developed characters that readers will invest themselves in as they try to solve the mystery right alongside Rose and Sally.
The author did a wonderful job plotting the story and moving it along at just the right places. I, as an adult, was just as eager to solve this mystery as any middle grade reader would be. Moiser sprinkled details throughout the chapters allowing his readers to devour chapter after chapter in hopes of solving this mystery right along with the girls. When I reached the ending, I felt satisfied with how everything tied up for the readers.
One thing I want to mention is the author created his character Rose to be very precocious for her age. She did things I wouldn’t suggest children her age do such as sneaking out of the house before her parents woke up so she could meet up with someone she really didn’t know much about, but felt that he had information to share with her. Also, she lied often to cover up that she and Sally were doing an investigation to clear her grandmother’s name.
There was a part toward the end that had me raising my eyebrows in how the situation unfolded regarding going undercover with the police authorities. I can’t see police of any country allowing a ten-year-old to run the sting operation they were putting together. That was a bit unbelievable for me to accept. Other than that flaw, I felt the story was believable for the readers to enjoy.
Overall, this first novel in this mystery series is one that will entertain readers young and old. The characters are relatable, the storyline is intriguing, and the ending tied up nicely to satisfy the readers. Readers can look forward to another book eventually being released in this new series.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781835842621 |
| Title | The Silverton Sleuths |
| Author | Liam Moiser |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Rowanvale Books |
| Number of pages | 176 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |