Description
In the small town of Table Cape Bay, Rocko Jarvis is the least cool kid there is, while his 15-year-old sister Pen is the exact opposite. With his best friend Cosmo he has tried everything to turn that around. A movie club, a Chinese Checkers club, a Lego club – even a pink polo shirt club. In a last-ditch effort to attract somebody – anybody – to join them, they decide to launch a Scrabble Club.
At the ‘launch event’—which involves the two boys sitting at a table in the local café next to a handmade sign, hoping someone will show interest—they are shocked to the core when Mingus Reid turns up. What on earth could the second coolest kid in town want with them? Mingus, Rocko and Cosmo soon discover they are all keen fans of the Trio of Sleuths books. It’s a shame there aren’t any mysteries in a quiet little place like Table Cape Bay, otherwise they could become detectives instead of Scrabble players.
A tired looking man takes up residence at their club table and starts madly typing, before introducing himself as PD Watkins. The renowned author is staying at Hindmarsh Hall—referred to by the locals as ‘the haunted house on the hill’—to write his next book, and overhears the boys talking in the café. Watkins is a frightened man. Instead of the quiet writing retreat he anticipated, he has barely been able to work or sleep. There have been weird noises, things rearranged, strange messages carved on the walls … how is he supposed to write another bestseller with all of that going on? The boys vow to help him uncover what is going on—he is one of their favourite authors after all! They soon discover that there is a lot more going on at Hindmarsh Hall than they ever imagined ...
As they unravel the mystery of who is scaring Watkins—and why—The Secret Detectives Club is born. It won’t be long before they have more mysteries than they can handle … The first in a fun new detective series from award-winning author, Kate Gordon, perfect for fans of adventurous detective stories like The Hardy Boys, The Three Investigators, Nancy Drew or Scooby Doo!
Review
Rocko lives in Table Cape Bay, a small town where nothing ever happens. Rocko and his best friend, Cosmo, have tried to start lots of clubs, but they have all failed. Then they decide to start a Scrabble Club and this time the coolest boy in town, Mingus turns up.
As they are talking, they discover they all like detective stories, and that’s when an older man who is listening to their conversation butts in. His name is PD Watkins and he is a famous author who is staying at Hindmarsh Hall - which all the locals think is haunted.
He says he can’t write anything at the Hall as it is not all peaceful and strange things keep happening, messages are written on the walls in the middle of the night, there are strange noises and his things are being rearranged. He is so stressed that he can’t sleep at all. The boys agree to help find out what is going on, and so the Secret Detectives Club is born. Can Rocko, Cosmo and Mingus uncover the clues and solve the mystery?
This is a great story that anyone who enjoys detective stories will love. It has wonderful characters and strong themes of family and friendship, as well as being a fun book to read. The first book in a new series, it is perfectly suited to those in upper primary who love to solve a mystery!
