The Case of the Missing Moonstone

Reviewed by: Sheila Dube - Springvale Public Library, Springvale, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 22, 2015

Review

As stated in the preface, this mystery novel is about two real girls from the early 1800's, Ada Byron Lovelace, the world's first computer programmer, and Mary Shelley, the author. In this alternate London, they are closer in age and become childhood partners in a clandestine "that's secret" detective agency. Eleven-year-old Lady Ada is clever, mathematical and lacking in social niceties that govern behavior. Fourteen-year-old Mary comes to be tutored at her home where they create a secret detective agency and solve their first case.

Stratford spends time explaining the time period where girls can't go out unaccompanied and come out at sixteen to be offered in marriage. This is great for new readers and Stratford fits explanations naturally with what Ada s must learn. The story focuses on the problem solving that fuels Ada's thoughts. The gimmick of all the adults just following what she says without question moves the storyline. Stratford uses Ada's constant mixing up of her servant's names and the banter of the two girls to achieve a verbal slapstick comedy. He also provides readers with a biography of each real individual in back matter.

Murphy's illustrations provide a melodramatic feel to the work and are strategically placed to explain the various items in the time period. A hot air balloon tied to the roof of the house, an omnibus carriage pulled by horses for numerous passengers, and men in red fezzes are all aptly detailed. The various characters, however, are not as detailed. She provides portraits of the real-life characters in the back matter. Unfortunately, the portraits look like children playing dress up. This influences the rating of the whole reading experience.

Good Rating versus Excellent: The content is disproportionately more mature and richer than the book design. This is an accessible mystery for the younger reader, even as low as third grade. The font is large, there is a lot of white space on the page and the vocabulary will be challenging with such words as: Mesmerism, Ottoman Empire, clandestine, accelerate, unchaperoned, and pianoforte. The solid vocabulary and the wordplay between the main characters, as well as the life circumstances for the 14-year-old matches a standard 6-8 grade level reading. Unfortunately, those readers may need to be book talked into picking up this delightful mystery because the book design begs a younger audience.

Overall Book Score: very good