Funny middle grade mystery. Not a lot of depth. But the characters were fun and the mystery was interesting, if not fairly predictable. 2 stars for me. 3.5 for target audience. I probably won't pick up the rest of the series, but I will be looking into the authors other works - particularly if he's written for young adults or adults. ( )

This book terribly needs an editor, but it was fun and a super quick read. ( )

Short & entertaining. For those not yet quite up to father Brown or Lord Peter Death Wimsey. ( )

Move over Sam Spade, there’s a new detective in town! Most reviewers suggest she’s Veronica Mars for grade-schoolers, but since I don’t know Veronica Mars I bow to their superiority and just say Shirley Link rocks!

Some years ago there was a brilliant TV series called Taken, nothing to do with the relatively recent film of the same name. It’s narrated by a girl, and starts with the Roswell Incident, I think. As soon as I started reading Shirley Link I had that same voice in my head – clever, cool and great fun. Lets you know what was happening without being over-cocky. Confidence-inspiring.

In Shirley Link and the Safe Case, Shirley introduces us to her friends, Marie and Wylie, her family (archaelogist dad, cop mom) and a number of people, both kids and staff, at school. Shirley has Sherlock Holmes’ ability to see a situation and deduce what caused it. She just doesn’t push it in your face like Mr Holmes does. I understood the key to what happened to the safe that was stolen from the principal’s office, I just didn’t see the solution. Almost, but not quite. I’d make a lousy detective. Maybe that’s why I love the genre.

Shirley Link and the Safe Case is the first of what I hope is a long series. It’s a quick read – partly because the writing is chirpy and interesting and you don’t want to put it down, but also because it isn’t very long. I think the sequels are slightly longer. I’m looking forward to reading the next one, and I’d go so far as to put this in the top three of my favourite reads this summer. Maybe top two. Definitely five stars! ( )