The Case of the Haunted Wardrobe

By Author / Illustrator

Kereen Getten, Leah Jacobs-Gordon

Genre

Mystery & Detective

Age range(s)

Publisher

Pushkin Children's Books

ISBN

9781782693925

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

05-10-2023

Synopsis

The second book in Kereen Getten's action-packed mystery series for younger readers! Fayson has been dreaming of going back to the island ever since she left. But no sooner is she reunited with Di Island Crew than a mysterious case comes their way - a haunted wardrobe that keeps making a spine-chilling sound! And to make matters worse, the crew have all received a letter threatening to reveal their deepest secrets. With the clock ticking, Fayson must rally her friends and take charge of the detective agency to solve the eerie mystery. But with tensions rising and friendship squabbles getting in the way, can they work together to crack the case and keep their secrets safe?

READERS ARE LOVING Di ISLAND CREW: 'So much fun' 'I really enjoyed this mystery story and read it from start to finish in one sitting' 'A fun adventure with just the right amount of fear and peril... I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for the rest of the series' 'Great characters, brilliantly paced and a big fat recommendation from my daughter'.

See Book 1 in the Di' Island series: The Case of the Lighthouse Intruder

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Reviews

The Case of the Haunted Wardrobe, the second book in this fresh, lively new series Di' Island Crew, features the same group of engaging, inquisitive and diverse young characters from their first mystery, The Case of the Lighthouse Intruder.

12 year old Fayson returns to the lush island on which her rich cousins live and on which she tentatively made new friends and learnt to trust others, despite the differences in her own economic background and experiences in life and her Island friends' privileged lifestyles. This time it is winter break and previous mean-spirited 'leader' of the gang, Tia, has been ostracized by the rest of crew (leaving Fayson unsettled and wresting with her own natural good conscious) but a new mystery brings great excitement as eccentric neighbour invites the sleuthing crew to investigate an (unearthly?) sound from the depths of an empty wardrobe.

Alongside delving into the possible haunting of Miss Hammond's house, there is also the (more close to home and personal) mystery of the unpleasant, secret notes that all Di' Island Crew appear to be receiving from an anonymous sender…

I love this detective series for a younger audience; the books are an ideal shorter read with enough intrigue, peril, clues and suspicions to satisfy the curiosity of readers who love this genre specifically. The friendship storylines, however, create another direction for the book, making it a story in which you can relate personally and emotionally to the characters; how friendship fallouts are managed, how being honest with your friends can be worrying but vitally important and also, through Fayson's eyes, how giving others second chances and empathizing with their weaknesses and struggles can build up stronger and truer relationships.

The Case of the Haunted Wardrobe is a fun, lively and warm-hearted book - lots of action, a richly described fantastic landscape, plenty of unexpected twists and turns as well as changes in hearts and minds as Fayson tries to unite the Crew and unpick Tia's attitude problem. It is really lovely to have a new, contemporary series to offer out to readers at school that they can enjoy and keep looking forward to the next adventure!

192 pages / Ages 8+ / Reviewed by Jennifer Caddick, teacher