I received an eARC from the publishers through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It has not affected my opinions.
Genre: Thriller/mystery Age Range: MG Star Rating: 4 stars Series: yes - book two
*SPOILER ALERT: contains SPOILERS for LIBBY AND THE PARISIAN PUZZLE*
Blurb:
After a tumultuous term in Paris solving mysteries, Libby and Connie are looking forward to a quiet winter holiday at Connie’s family home in Scotland.
But before too long they find themselves caught up in another fiendishly difficult mystery, this time set against the dramatic, snow-covered backdrop of the Highlands and the city of Edinburgh.
Blurb taken from Goodreads. Add to your shelves here.
Review:
LIBBY AND THE HIGHLAND HEIST is a great wintry mystery. Like with the previous book, there’s no murder to be solved, as this series seems to be exploring other mystery types that often get overlooked in favour of “flashy” murders, which is nice.
The book covers both the winter holiday and the start of the next term. There are all sorts of Christmas activities to be enjoyed, and plenty of snow and roaring fires to warm up afterwards. But there is also Edinburgh to be explored, with a ghost tour and a plethora of sights to visit.
Starting at Connie’s home was a great way of grounding the mystery in the stakes and consequences, giving the victims faces. While the impact on Connie alone might have been enough of a reason to want it solved, seeing how the stress is affecting her family made it even more urgent.
Connie’s parents have a great big old house, and the book uses that to its full advantage with secret passageways and a ball held inside! There are some great uses of “old house” tropes that were so fun to come across.
Sebastian and Noah are back, and have a bigger role than before! (Which was the thing I really wanted after reading LIBBY AND THE PARISIAN PUZZLE.) I’m very happy they were move involved in solving the mystery, and here’s to hoping they get to be involved even more next time!
Read my reviews of other books by Jo Clarke:
The Travelling School Mysteries (this series):
Sifa Elizabeth Reads 