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The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow & Liz Lawson

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 24 May 2022

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“A layered mystery, combining thrilling plot lines, fascinating characters and important questions surrounding the politics of justice and victimhood.” The Nerd Daily

A thrilling slice of teen crime set in a sleepy seaside town as two friends obsessed with Agatha Christie investigate the murder of the most popular girl in their school.

When Alice Ogilvie ran away last summer, her disappearance was Castle Cove’s biggest mystery. But then her ex-best friend Brooke Donovan vanishes. Initially dismissed as a copycat case, Alice suspects there is something darker at play. Joined by outsider and unlikely investigative partner Iris Adams, Agatha Christie-obsessed Alice sets out to get to the bottom of what is really happening in Castle Cove. There are clues the police are ignoring and a list of suspects a mile long. But Alice and Iris have no idea just how many secrets their little town is hiding…

Follow Kathleen Glasgow (author of Girl In Pieces) on Instagram:

Voodooville Part 1 by Nova Chimera

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A fine, emotionally engaging YA fantasy adventure featuring romance, gang warfare, humour and a rich cast of characters who engage in exciting set-piece chases and fights. There are touching scenes of young love. A music soundtrack is referenced throughout. The dialogue is pacy and contemporary. Spex, the 17 year-old narrator, frequently interjects face-to-camera type commentary/asides.

The debut author is a young Malawi in his twenties who has lived in the UK since the age of 3. He has always loved writing and drawing, and says that most of his early influences came from cartoons and anime. His main goal is to write an animated TV show, and embarked on writing this novel as a  way of testing his writing ability. 

Inspirations for Voodooville include Murukami’s Kafka On The Shore, the Scott Pilgrim graphic novels, the Japanese animation of Howl’s Moving Castle, City of God, Fooly Cooly (FLCL) and the 2015 film Brick. Readers of the book will find traces of all these in the story.

The Muddlemoor Mysteries: Peril at the Bake Off – Muddlemoor Mysteries by Ruth Quayle ill. Marta Kissi

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It is the summer holiday and Joe Robinson and his cousins are staying with their granny in Muddlemoor village. The problem is . . . Muddlemoor is a hotspot for crime. When Granny’s precious cake recipe goes missing days before the Great Village Bake Off, Joe, Tom and Pip are FLABBERGASTED. They KNOW that one of the neighbours has stolen it but the question is, WHO?

Follow the illustrator on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kissikissi_illustration/

A Double Detectives Medical Mystery: Diagnosis Danger by Roopa Farooki

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See the first book in this series The Cure For Crime.
 
Ali and Tulip know all about being medics. They know something about being detectives too, which is a good job because there’s a new case that needs their skills. A fun fresh take on the detective genre, full of excitement, humour, and medical know-how.
 
Roopa Farooki is an established adult novelist and a doctor. She has been awarded the John C. Christopher prize in recognition of her multicultural writing. 
 
Recommended video from A Book Week Scotland Author Event:

The Burning Girls by C. J. Tudor

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‘Britain’s female Stephen King’ Daily Mail

Welcome to Chapel Croft. For Rev Jack Brooks and teenage daughter Flo it’s supposed to be a fresh start. New job, new home. But, as Jack knows, the past isn’t easily forgotten. And in a close-knit community where the residents seem as proud as they are haunted by Chapel Croft’s history, Jack must tread carefully. Ancient superstitions as well as a mistrust of outsiders will be hard to overcome.

Yet right away Jack has more frightening concerns.

Why is Flo plagued by visions of burning girls?
Who’s sending them sinister, threatening messages?
And why did no one mention that the last vicar killed himself?

Chapel Croft’s secrets lie deep and dark as the tomb. Jack wouldn’t touch them if not for Flo – anything to protect Flo. But the past is catching up with Chapel Croft – and with Jack. For old ghosts with scores to settle will never rest . . .

Last One To Die by Cynthia Murphy

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 6 Jan 2021

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Are you a teen who thrills to be terrified? This book is for you.
Promoted as “Point Horror for the social media generation” [The book is published by Scholastic]
We love the striking jacket design.

Young, brunette women are being attacked in London. 16-year-old, Irish-born Niamh has just arrived for a summer of freedom, and quickly discovers that the girls being attacked look frighteningly similar to her. Niamh is determined not to let her fear destroy her summer. But can her new friends be trusted? Will she be able to stay ahead of the attacker? Or will she be next? Packed with voice-driven whodunit storytelling, and a retro slasher-movie feel reminiscent of cult classics, this dark, pacy, and irresistibly-creepy debut really has something for everybody!

Last One to Die is a YA horror novel and you’ve mentioned that Point Horror has been a big influence for you. Can you tell us a bit more about your debut, and the inspiration behind it?

Last One to Die came about after a huge writing slump. I was actually trying to write something else when I started listening to a podcast called Lore and an episode about a creepy Victorian villain, Spring Heeled Jack. I had never heard of him, but it planted a little seed which I kept coming back to. I shelved what I was writing and started to brainstorm a teen horror. I have always been a huge fan of anything remotely scary so went and re-watched all of the classics from my teens – Scream, Final Destination, The Craft – and I knew that I wanted to write something scary but also fun. I wanted to recapture that feeling I had as a teen where I was thrilled to be terrified!

from Curtis Brown’s website

 

Lori and Max and the Book Thieves – Lori and Max by Catherine O’Flynn

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 13 Nov 2020

“Lori is a highly original narrator and Flynn is unafraid of dealing with knife crime and neglect in a book that still manages to be light on its feet and suitable for 8 to 12-year-olds. No small feat. ”
The Times

“Original, exciting, full of insight and with its wonderful protagonists, this is one of the best books for young readers of the year.” BfK

A new Lori and Mx adventure. Check out the first Lori And Max.

A stolen phone and an unruly dog; a buried lunchbox and an antique children’s book. Unlikely young detectives Lori and Max must dig through layers of lies to solve two mysteries.

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Death Sets Sail by Robin Stevens

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 3 Aug 2020

The ninth and final novel in the popular Murder Most Unladylike series.

Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are in Egypt, taking a cruise along the Nile. They are hoping to see some ancient temples and a mummy or two; what they get, instead, is murder. Also travelling on the SS Hatshepsut is a mysterious society called the Breath of Life: a group of genteel English ladies and gentlemen, who believe themselves to be reincarnations of the ancient pharaohs. Three days into the cruise their leader is found dead in her cabin, stabbed during the night. It soon becomes clear to Daisy and Hazel that the victim’s timid daughter is being framed – and they begin to investigate their most difficult case yet. But there is danger all around, and only one of the Detective Society will make it home alive…

Stevens is already working on a new series called The Ministry of Unladylike Activity set during WWII.

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Lori And Max by Catherine O’Flynn

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Times Children’s Book of the Week, 31 Aug 2019

“Crime for kids is a bloated genre with mixed offerings, but this writer has cracked the code and this thrilling, funny, perceptive detective story is in a class of its own.” Alex O’Connell, THE TIMES

Lori wants to be a detective, but so far the most exciting mystery she has solved is the disappearance of her nan’s specs down the side of the sofa. Max is the new girl at school and Lori is asked to look after her. Max is odd. She doesn’t fit in – but then, Lori realises, she doesn’t really fit in either. When some charity money goes missing and Max disappears, Lori seems to be the only person who doesn’t think Max has stolen it and run away. Even the police don’t want to investigate and suddenly Lori finds she has a real crime on her hands.

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