Author & Illustrators
This book was the winner of the prestigious Kelpies Prize for new Scottish writing and, set on the Isle of Cumbrae in southern Scotland, it deserves much wider attention. Lily’s family is less than perfect, but when she hears a ghostly voice warning her not to go to the island, things get messier. A beautifully written and funny adventure, but with depth and heart.
All the characters in my novel were real-life passengers and crew on the ship. The setting up of the detective agency by Bertha Watt and Madge Collyer, and The Mystery of the Strange Boy and the Treasure Map, are the only parts of the story which are pure fiction. The other mystery which the detective agency attempts to solve, The Case of the Mysterious Mr Hoffman, is completely factual, and proves that the truth is often stranger than fiction!
review
Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Would you recommend the book for use in primary schools?
yes
Curriculum links (if relevant)
Curriculum links (if relevant)
Any other comments
Any other comments