Check out my review today of The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow by Jessica Haight and Stephanie Robinson, and don’t forget to enter the giveaway at the bottom. I pre-ordered this middle grade mystery months ago and it finally arrived on my doorstep just in time for Christmas – as you can see! 🙂
**Congrats to Janice who won the book!**
About The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow
Written by Jessica Haight
& Stephanie Robinson
Illustrated by Roman Muradov
The Begonia House keeps its secrets. Everyone knows that. Everyone, that is, except for clever eleven-year-old Fairday Morrow, whose family has just moved in. Being the Senior Investigator in the Detective Mystery Squad, more commonly known as the DMS, she’s ready to uncover the mysteries hidden within the strange manor. As the investigation gears up and the pieces of the puzzle fall into place, the three young sleuths enter into a world where anything is possible, and the danger is most definitely real. Can they piece together the puzzle before it’s too late? Or will whatever’s causing trouble find Fairday and her friends first?
MY REVIEW:
What a fun mystery adventure with a dash of supernatural for kids and grown-ups alike to enjoy! Spunky Fairday Morrow is a good friend full of pluck and curiosity, who stands up for what she believes in and has no time for bullies. Each chapter’s cliffhanger ending raises questions that draws you deeper into the mystery connecting Fairday to Begonia House, the rambling, spooky home her parents plan to turn xenical into a bed and breakfast.
Fairday soon enlists friends in the kids-only Detective Mystery Squad (DMS) to find out who is haunting Fairday’s new home with evil intent. Enchanted mirrors, ghostly music, gypsy curses, an unsolved disappearance, and a nod to The Wizard of Oz all eerily come into play behind strange happenings that ramp up the suspense.
Fairday and her friends each have their own admirable qualities that should appeal to readers and I’d like to get to know them better as they grow as characters. The parents are nicely served up on the outskirts of the story and the authors do a good job of the young characters taking charge of their own situation and solving it, even when they find themselves having to figure a way out of some dark situations. I especially enjoyed the elderly curmudgeon character, Larry Lovell, who sheds light on the trickery occurring in Fairday’s home and provides important information the DMS uses to solve the puzzle trapped inside the magical walls of Begonia House.
This book is a page turner that you’ll want to keep reading to unravel the mystery! The ending is wrapped up neatly but aptly leaves the door open for more tales about the DMS. I eagerly await more adventures of Fairday, her friends, and their investigative adventures!
Check out the book trailer:
Follow Stephanie and Jessica!
Would you like to win a hardcopy of The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow? Comment on this post and be entered to win! U.S. residents only please.
I found your blog from a twitter post. I haven’t heard of this book before, and I’m excited to consider it for my classroom. Thanks for sharing.
Dianna, I hope you do consider it! It’s a fun read!
Dianna- If you get it for your classroom- I hope your students enjoy it. 🙂
I am a lover of all books and some of my favorites are those written for kids! I am so pleased to have a reliable source (you!) of new books. thanks for your reviews and for your books!
Kate, nice to hear! This is a good one too. Good luck!
Sounds like a great book – I look forward to reading it.
Good luck, Janice! Will announce the winner this week 🙂
Janice- So happy it sounds like a good read to you! 🙂
Hi Donna, Thank you for the amazing review and spotlight on your blog! We’re happy you enjoyed the mystery of the Begonia House. Good luck to all who enter the book giveaway. 🙂 ~ Jess & Stephanie
Jess and Stephanie, It was all my pleasure to read Fairday and friends adventures! So looking forward to their next tale 🙂 .
Hi Donna, Thank you for the amazing review and spotlight on your blog. We’re so happy you enjoyed the mystery of the Begonia House. Good luck to all who enter the book giveaway. 🙂 ~ Jess & Stephanie