The Case of the Stolen Sixpence is a fun, illustrated introduction to Sherlock Holmes-style mysteries for young readers. The illustrations are well-done, adding visual interest to the book without distracting from the text or making it seem like a picture book. The characters are interesting and well-rounded, being neither perfectly good nor completely villainous. And while there is a mystery (or two, actually), it's not too scary for the book's target demographic.

The best part of the book, though, is definitely the little dog Eddie. I wish I had an Eddie!

Note: I received a digital galley of this book through NetGalley. ( )

I love Holly Webb, I find her Rose series adorable and when I saw she was the author of this series I couldn't help but squeal a bit and say 'Want!' The Case of the Stolen Sixpence is the first book in the Maisie Hutchins series for Middle Grade readers; it is geared toward ages 9-12 but reads closer to the 9-10 range I think. The story is cute and even a little sad at some points but very fun to follow.

In book 1 we meet Maisie and her companion a dog named Eddie as they embark on their very first mystery, stolen money. Maisie is imaginative, creative, and a lot of fun to follow through this tale and Eddie is delightful and funny. The mystery itself took a good amount of build up, so a lot of the solving part and clues were at the very end. The stolen sixpence was a great way for Maisie to start her detecting and help a friend save his job.

I found this book to be a lot of fun and would definitely recommend to young readers who like mysteries. ( )

This was an enjoyable mystery set in Victorian London. The larger type and line drawings make the book welcoming and less intimidating than others with the same setting. The story is fairly simple yet engaging for older elementary readers, and the rich vocabulary is skillfully woven in so that readers can easily decipher the meaning of such words as scruffy, yelped, sneered, and reckoned. This would be a fine choice as a classroom read-aloud, and students would very likely seek out the next book in the series for independent reading. ( )

This was so cute. I finished it a few weeks back and forgot to update my goodreads. Full review to come.

DEFINITELY WORTH THE PURCHASE. ;)

Twelve-year old Maisie Hitchins lives at 31 Albion Street, London, in a boarding house run by her grandmother. Though Holly Webb doesn't specify that they live during the Victorian era, people rely on horses and carriages to get around and snack on aniseed balls, lavender lace, and sugared violets. Maisie's smart, curious, and dreams of being a detective, like her hero Detective Gilbert Carrington (who is much like Shelock Holmes).

When Maisie comes across a nearly drowned puppy in a sack, she undertakes to find the perpetrator of the deed. Her beloved puppy makes off with George, the butcher's delivery boy's sausages, and Maisie feels responsible when George loses his job. Though George was fired when he was found with a "marked" sixpence and not because of the sausages, Maisie resolves not to rest until the true culprit is found.

Maisie is helped by two lodgers with unusual expertise. Disguises, acting, careful detective work and her new puppy help Maisie solve the puzzles. This first detective adventure with Maisie Hitchins is funny and sure to appeal to young mystery lovers. ( )