Outside Chance (Don't Doubt the Rainbow 2)

By Author / Illustrator

Anthony Kessel

Genre

Personal Growth

Age range(s)

11+

Publisher

Crown House Publishing

ISBN

9781785835889

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

19-08-2022

Synopsis

The second book in the Don’t Doubt the Rainbow series, Outside Chance is a fast-paced YA thriller in which teen detective Edie Marble is tasked with solving four very different but equally puzzling mysteries.

It's been three months since 13-year-old Edie solved the case of her mother's death and became a supersleuth. Now, her reputation is spreading far and wide - everyone wants her help to solve mysteries… Why does Edie's neighbour’s long-lost friend suddenly keep turning up wherever she goes? How can students fail an exam when they know their answers were correct? What led to the vicious attack on an elderly woman on Hampstead Heath? And - most alarming of all - should Edie's schoolfriend be worried about his stepfather's new activist friends?

To solve each mystery, Edie must harness the Three Principles, a new approach to understanding how the mind works that is currently proving invaluable in improving mental health and well-being in children internationally. As tensions across the city reach fever pitch, can Edie follow the clues and coach her own mind to avert a potential catastrophe?

Outside Chance is the second instalment in Anthony Kessel's four-book Don't Doubt the Rainbow series, a new contemporary middle-grade detective series with a difference. To solve each mystery, 13-year-old Edie Marble must harness the Three Principles, a new approach to understanding how the mind works that is currently proving invaluable in improving mental health and well-being in children internationally.

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Reviews

Outside Chance, the second book in the Don't Doubt The Rainbow series by Anthony Kessel, is a cracking read! Fast-paced and page-turning, I read it in a couple of sittings whilst on holiday and it was the perfect mystery to enjoy at the beach. That said, it would be a good read for any time of year and I enjoyed it even more than the first book in the series.

Again the story centres around Edie, the main character, an award-winning teen detective. Her character and that of her family and friends are developed further and in Outside Chance I found Edie to be softer, more thoughtful perhaps and reflective in this story. Once again, the intrigue is layered while Edie balances her family life, school and her multiple detective cases. The outcome is not obvious as you read and there were at least three surprises at the end that I didn't anticipate. Nevertheless, all the loose threads were satisfyingly resolved.

The author weaves detective strategy and psychological theories into the story and the school-based course for well-being and resilience sounded so good I wish it was available for all students. I will definitely recommend this book to all my secondary students and eagerly await the next one in the series.

220 pages / Reviewed by Ruth Cornish, school librarian