Buck & Ears Pirate Detectives:

By Author / Illustrator

Jennifer Bell, illus Sarah Horne

Genre

Mystery & Detective

Age range(s)

Publisher

Walker Books

ISBN

9781529519518

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

07-05-2026

Synopsis

Two terrible pirates . . . two brilliant detectives! The first book in a hilarious illustrated pirate mystery series for readers 6-9, crammed with puzzles and clues for the reader to solve. Young fans of funny books like Invesitgators and Grimwood and puzzle books like Cluedle and Murdle Junior will love this series!

Buck and his loyal rabbit, Ears, are officially the WORSE PIRATES on the Seventy Seas! When they bump into the terrifying CAPTAIN BLOODFANG, she gives them an ultimatum: follow CLUES to find her missing chef, or else be turned into pirate stew!

Along with their MISFIT CREW, can Buck and Ears SOLVE THE CASE and save themselves from a horrible fate? Laugh out loud as you spot the clues and try to solve the mystery before pirate detectives Buck and Ears!

Praise for Buck & Ears Pirate Detectives: "Buck & Ears is the funniest book of 2026! Hilariously bonkers and full of brilliantly twisty puzzles to solve, this is as fun and as fab as a book can be!" Elle McNicoll, author of A Kind of Spark; "Five stars on the seven seas for this brilliant new series." Andy Shepherd, author of The Boy who Grew Dragons; "A funny mystery story with perfectly plotted clues and stunning illustrations. The perfect reading for pleasure series." Mel Taylor-Bessent, author of Race to Imagination Island; "A rollicking read packed with humour and heart. I can't wait to read Buck & Ears' next adventure!" Rachel Chivers-Khoo, author of The Wishkeeper's Apprentice.

Reviews

Sue

Buck and his loyal companion, Ears, might be the worst pirates ever to have sailed the Seventy Seas, but they are about to embark on a new career as Pirate Detectives. An encounter with the terrifying Captain Bloodfang leaves them with a stark choice - find her missing friend, the famous mermaid chef Valentina Vermicelli, or end up as rabbit and pirate stew! Having found a ship and a pirate crew, the bold duo set off to crack the case!

Inspired by the works of Agatha Fishty, the most famous mystery writer on the Seventy Seas, Buck and Ears make an excellent detective team! Plenty of humour, tantalising clues and piratical action make Buck and Ears Pirate Detectives a very entertaining and enjoyable read. The story bursts with lively energy which is matched by the wonderful illustrations, which are full of humour and things to notice (including guest appearances by Agatha Fishty herself!), adding much to the enjoyment of the book.

Regular visits to the notes Ears has made about The Case of the Missing Mer-chef allow readers to keep tabs on all the clues and to reflect on questions posed by the evidence, keeping them engaged with solving the mystery every step of the way.

Buck and Ears are themselves very engaging characters. Their different personalities make them an excellent team and having 'failed' at being pirates, their determination to find success in another career pays off! The crew of the 'Agatha Fishty' are a wonderful bunch. Who would have thought that a pigeon with a condition known as alphabet-outbursting called Pricilla Fontaine, a porcupine called Huggable Pete, and a giraffe called Apprentice Professor Darwin Montgomery (Darwin for short), would make such a brilliant crew, supporting Buck and Ears in their investigations and becoming great friends along the way.

Great fun for sharing with a class or as a bedtime story, this would also make an excellent independent read for anyone looking for a highly illustrated, highly entertaining story!

224 pages / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher