Sunday, May 15, 2016

The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency: The Case of the Missing Moonstone book review

The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency: The Case of the Missing Moonstone by Jordan Stratford and illustrated by Kelly Murphy.







Published in 2015 by Yearling. 203 pages.
Yearling Mystery ages 8-12
US $6.99
ISBN: 978-0-385-75443-9


Jordan Stratford writes a unique historical mystery in that the characters are historical and all else is fiction. Kelly Murphy depicts the year 1826 with beautiful black and white drawings.
Two protagonists join forces to form The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency.
Lady Ada Byron, in real life, a mathematician and daughter of the poet Lord Byron.
Mary Godwin, the author of Frankenstein and the daughter of feminist writer, Mary Wollstonecraft.


It all starts when Mary goes to be tutored with Lady Ada Byron.
Ada is just weird. She doesn't pay attention during lessons and often corrects the teacher when she does stay in the classroom. Mary is amazed and a little fearful. If the tutor gets canned as so many before, will she be able to continue her studies?


Ada notices that Mary has a knack for observation, picking up on peoples feelings, and begins to understand more about the outside world.
When the tutor introduces her to the newspaper, she is enthralled, but also disturbed that clever criminals would not be caught. Would the criminals be smarter than Ada? Ada doesn't think so and sets out to prove it.
So Ada only eleven and Mary, fourteen, decide to be "secret " detectives. they put an advertisement in the paper and get their first case. A young woman's maid confesses to stealing a necklace. The woman doesn't believe her and hires Mary and Ada and to find the real culprit.


I hope you enjoy this book as much as I do. this is the first in a series. I am also offering this book in this months giveaway. Enter by using the rafflecoptor or by leaving a comment. USA residents only.
See you next week when I review the book Chapter after Chapter by Heather Sellers.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Just finished reading this story- loved these girls!

Nancy Kelly Allen said...

Great blog post. I'm looking forward to reading this story.

Unknown said...

This sounds very interesting! Will get and read - love this kind of book and can pass along to my granddaughter!
Many thanks for sharing Sheila - you uncover (for me) books I would possibly not find on my own.