The Case of the Lighthouse Intruder

By Author / Illustrator

Kereen Getten, Leah Jacobs-Gordon

Genre

Mystery & Detective

Age range(s)

Publisher

Pushkin Children's Books

ISBN

9781782693901

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

01-06-2023

Synopsis

Fayson has always wanted to be a detective. When her cousins recruit her to their top-secret gang on the island one summer, her dreams seem to be coming true. But the Greatest Gang of All Time don't live up to their name, and keep getting distracted from missions by things like food, falling asleep and a fair bit of squabbling!

Guided by her favourite mystery novels, Fayson takes charge and tries to track down clues about the strange shadow that has been appearing in the island's lighthouse. With tensions stirring within the gang, can she use all her smarts to solve the case?

See Book 2 in the series: The Case of the Haunted Wardrobe

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Reviews

An absolutely charming, lively and fun mystery adventure set on a lush Caribbean island, introducing the reader to an engaging , feisty and likeable young character with a love of crime-busting stories. 12-year-old aspiring detective, Fayson, is unexpectedly invited to her (rich) cousin's summer holiday home. Happy enough in her book-filled world of mysteries to solve, Fayson isn't all that keen. However, her mama, working all the hours she can as a nurse to make ends somehow meet, insists that she go.

On arrival in her refined and intimidating new surroundings, Fayson discovers that her cousins and the rest of The Greatest Gang OF All Time, are counting on her crime-busting talents to solve the island's own shadowy mystery of a figure spotted over at the lighthouse.

The story is fast-paced, suitably gently perilous (for a younger independent reader ) and packed full of intriguing clues and standard detective genre scenes. It feels reminiscent of older, classic mysteries - The Famous Five, The Secret Seven spring to mind but with a fresh new group of kids, with more modern, relatable and diverse backgrounds.

Fayson herself is a character set apart from the others with her financially tight, city background and her natural Patois dialect versus the manicured gardens, maids and "properly" spoken English all around her. This adds a whole other layer to the story - taking on the themes of social boundaries, class and divided families - whilst sticking to the detective script whereby the detective is often an outsider, looking in and observing others to spot the guilty party.

There are red herrings, multiple theories and a night time stake out that doesn't go to plan. The relationships between the members of Fayson's family and the tensions between her and stuck up, dominant gang leader Tia, are what make the heart of the story and elevates the story with the dramas and emotions of each character.

It is a vibrant, colourful, thoughtful and exciting mystery story. I am delighted that it is the first in the series featuring 'Di Island Crew’ and look forward to meeting each and every diverse character as they develop more sleuthing skills.

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