Synopsis
(from
the publisher):
Who would want to harm an adorable pet piglet? Could it be the
suspicious next-door neighbor, Mrs. Budge? Or how about the annoying
class joker, Gordy Fletcher? It’s up to Milo and Jazz to find
out
the identity of the mysterious pig poisoner. And there’s no
time
to lose!
— ◊ —
— ◊ —
The
Case of the Poisoned Pig
The
Milo
& Jazz Mysteries
Lewis
B. Montgomery
Kane/Miller
(Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 1-57565-286-2 (1575652862)
ISBN-13: 978-1-57565-286-3 (9781575652863)
Publication Date: April 2009
List Price: $6.95
— ◊ —
Review:
Milo and
Jazz, two school-age amateur sleuths, are introduced in The Case of the Stinky
Socks which
finds the duo searching for a pair of lucky socks lost by the pitcher
of their school baseball team. The second book in the series, The Case of the Poisoned
Pig, is
being published concurrent with the first. The series is written by
Lewis B. Montgomery and illustrated by Amy Wummer.
The
Case of the Stinky Socks
not only introduces Milo and Jazz, but also their mentor, world-famous
private investigator Dash Marlowe, with whom they communicate by mail.
Milo receives his first letter from Dash whose advice is, when looking
for that next (or this case, his first) assignment, keep a sharp eye
out for anything strange or unusual. Milo and Jazz find that when
someone nabs the "lucky" socks of the school's star pitcher.
The
Case of the Poisoned Pig
continues the duo's adventures when Jazz's new pet pig falls ill, and
the vet tells her she's been poisoned. Here Dash's advice is to look
for a pattern; private investigators see things other people don't.
Find the pattern in the clues and the case will be solved.
Both books end with a series of puzzles and brain-teasers only
marginally related to the story.
The Milo & Jazz mysteries have an interesting premise and take
a
thoughtful, procedural approach to solving mysteries at an
age-appropriate level. Though the ages of Milo and Jazz aren't
explicitly stated, it seems as if they're about 10 years old. The
publisher states these early chapter book mysteries are intended for
readers aged 7 to 11, but the level of composition suggests readers at
the younger end of this range may enjoy them more than older.
The end of book puzzles are a real treat and will likely challenge most
readers, regardless of age level. They include finding differences
between "identical" pictures, hidden object puzzles, clever riddles,
logic and deduction exercises, and a final mini-mystery story.
If these first two books are indicative of what's to follow, the Milo
& Jazz mysteries is a series that parents can enjoy reading
with
their children, together finding the clues and deducing "whodunit".
According to the publisher, at least two additional books are planned
for publication later this year.
Special thanks to Kane/Miller for providing a copy of The Case of the Poisoned Pig for this review.
Review Copyright © 2009 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
Have you read The Case of the Poisoned Pig? How would you rate it?
Mysteries in this series …
The
Case of the Stinky Socks
Kane/Miller (Trade Paperback), February 2009
ISBN-10: 1-57565-285-4 (1575652854)
ISBN-13: 978-1-57565-285-6 (9781575652856)
The
Case of the Poisoned Pig
Kane/Miller (Trade Paperback), April 2009
ISBN-10: 1-57565-286-2 (1575652862)
ISBN-13: 978-1-57565-286-3 (9781575652863)
The
Case of the Haunted Haunted House
The Kane Press (Trade Paperback), July 2009
ISBN-10: 1-57565-295-1 (1575652951)
ISBN-13: 978-1-57565-295-5 (9781575652955)
The
Case of the Amazing Zelda
The Kane Press (Trade Paperback), July 2009
ISBN-10: 1-57565-296-X (157565296X)
ISBN-13: 978-1-57565-296-2 (9781575652962)
The
Case of the July 4th Jinx
The Kane Press (Trade Paperback), July 2010
ISBN-10: 1-57565-308-7 (1575653087)
ISBN-13: 978-1-57565-308-2 (9781575653082)
Omnimystery
keywords for The Case of the
Poisoned
Pig ...
Location(s) referenced: None.
