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THE LOST ONES

Name: THE LOST ONES
Author: Johan Rundberg
ISBN: 9781662525940

From the Moonwind Mysteries series , Vol. 3

by Johan Rundberg ; translated by Eva Apelqvist ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 7, 2025

Exceptionally entertaining, always suspenseful, and eminently satisfying.

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A big case helps an orphan unravel the mysteries of her past.

Enough time has passed since The Queen of Thieves (2024) that the heat is finally off 12-year-old Mika after her explosive prison break. Her newly restored anonymity means she’s once again free to help Constable Valdemar Hoff solve crimes. Valdemar’s been assigned the case of a missing wealthy 14-year-old. But Mika’s friend Tekla leads her to an even bigger case—a new construction job has revealed a mass grave of suspiciously small skeletons. This Swedish import skillfully interweaves its mystery storylines with revelations about Valdemar’s past and Mika’s own family history. Mika’s keen eye for observation, her ability to make connections, her strong moral center, and her boldness keep things fast-paced and grounded, especially as the investigation turns into the most dangerous one she and Valdemar have faced. The story neither shies away from nor sensationalizes its violence and provides the same matter-of-fact treatment to other social ills Mika encounters in gritty 1880s Stockholm, including poverty, alcoholism, and teen pregnancies. Robust prose paints vivid pictures, enhancing characterization, plot twists, and an action-packed finale. The ending resolves mysteries seeded in the first book of the series, but a final image disrupts the happily-ever-after with a promise of more stories to come. Characters are cued white.

Exceptionally entertaining, always suspenseful, and eminently satisfying. (Historical thriller. 10-14)

Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025

ISBN: 9781662525940

Page Count: 222

Publisher: Amazon Crossing Kids

Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: today

Categories:

CHILDREN'S MYSTERY & THRILLER | CHILDREN'S HISTORICAL FICTION

- BOOK REVIEW
FIRE FROM THE SKY
by Moa Backe Åstot ; translated by Eva Apelqvist

- BOOK REVIEW
YOUR TURN, ADRIAN
by Helena Öberg ; illustrated by Kristin Lidström ; translated by Eva Apelqvist

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THE BLETCHLEY RIDDLE

by Ruta Sepetys & Steve Sheinkin ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 8, 2024

A rich, enthralling historical mystery that engages and educates.

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Siblings decode familial and wartime secrets in 1940 England.

Headstrong 14-year-old Lizzie Novis refuses to believe that her mother, a U.S. embassy clerk who was working in Poland, is dead. After fleeing from her grandmother—who’s attempting to bring her back to America—Lizzie locates her 19-year-old brother, Jakob, a Cambridge mathematician who’s stationed at the clandestine British intelligence site called Bletchley Park. Hiding from her grandmother’s estate steward, Lizzie becomes a messenger at Bletchley Park, ferrying letters across the grounds while Jakob attempts to both break the ciphers generated by the German Enigma machines and help his sister face the reality of their mother’s likely fate. With a suspicious MI5 agent inquiring about Mum and clues and codes piling up, the siblings, whose late father was “Polish Jewish British,” eventually decipher the truth. Shared narrative duties between the siblings effectively juxtapose the measured Jakob with the spirited Lizzie. Lizzie’s directness is repeatedly attributed to her being “half American,” which proves tiresome, but Jakob’s development from reserved to risk-tolerant provides welcome nuance. The authors introduce and carefully explain a variety of decoding methodologies, inspiring readers to attempt their own. A thoughtful and entertaining historical note identifies the key figures who appear in the book, such as Alan Turing, as well as the real-life bases for the fictional characters. Interspersed photos and images of ephemera help situate the narrative’s time period.

A rich, enthralling historical mystery that engages and educates. (Historical mystery. 10-14)