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The Key to Finding Jack

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Book Synopsis

Flick’s big brother, Jack, goes missing in Peru and she is desperate to find him. But can she solve the greatest mystery of all: who Jack really is? A heartwarming, third novel from Waterstones Prize shortlisted author, Ewa Jozefkowicz, about the unbreakable bond between siblings.

Twelve-year-old Flick adores Jack and loves solving puzzles with him. But Jack is soon to flee the family nest and Flick worries she’ll lose her partner in crime. During his gap year in Peru, tragedy strikes when an earthquake devastates the region and no one knows what has happened to Jack. Flick and her family are thrown into the horrible unknown.

She finds a key on a fine gold chain and a note with the initials SF in his room, and clings to the hope that SF (whoever that is) might hold the clue to finding her brother. When she sets out to uncover the identity of its owner, she meets new friends, rekindles a special relationship and discovers a whole new side to Jack. Intriguing clues from a legend about Inca gold, to a key with magical powers help her along the way.

Featuring a story within a story and a mystery to solve, The Key to Finding Jack , is about sacrifice and courage, the riches of family, friendship and the power of living life to the full.

Our Review Panel says...

Flick adores her older brother Jack. She loves his sense of fun, his passion for puzzles and riddles and the feeling that she gets from the special sibling bond they share. There’s been an empty space in Flick’s heart ever since Jack headed off to Peru on a gap year trip, but at least Flick knows that Jack is immersed in exciting adventures. When the shock news arrives of an earthquake in Peru, nobody is able to contact Jack and Flick’s world falls apart. Through a blur of panic and confusion, Flick pieces together fragments of a puzzle to try to find Jack – centred around a special key that Jack left behind with the initials S.F. written on it.

As the family anxiously waits for news of Jack, Flick sets the wheels in motion for her own investigation, desperately trying to track down the mysterious S.F.. Along the way, she discovers a host of other friends and family members who are meaningful in Jack’s world, each with their own tale to tell of how kind and special her brother is to them.

True to style, Ewa Jozefkowicz weaves a multi-layered narrative of self-discovery that explores the riches of family bonds and the value of listening to the stories of other people. There’s a mystery to solve, a story-within-a-story and plenty of intrigue, and I particularly enjoyed how beautifully the sibling relationship was portrayed. This is a heartwarming third novel from Ewa Jozefkowicz that will resonate with middle-grade readers who enjoy delving into stories with a real-life feel or are looking for a bit of a mystery to get stuck into.