I just finished reading The Shrew Detective: The Case of the Pilfered Pearls by Margi Preus, illustrated by Junyi Wu. This book is the first in The Shrew Detective Mystery series and will be released May 19.
Minerva, the Shrew Detective, loves her cozy home in the forest. Admiring her walls decorated with wonderful words from a dictionary she found, she ponders the big mysteries of life and the universe while enjoying lots of snacks. One day her cousin, Tenacity, rushes in desperately needing a detective or surely murder and mayhem will follow. Minerva goes with her, but balks when Tenacity starts to leave the forest. Even worse - she is going into the house...with humans! A pearl necklace belonging to the human woman has gone missing and the woman's already called in an exterminator to place traps around the house. If the necklace isn't found in twenty-four hours she will have the house fumigated! Thus the possible murder of all of the animals who also call the house home. From the chipmunk in the drainpipe and the mice in the walls to the flying squirrels in the attic and Tenacity herself, all are in danger! Will Minerva be able to find the necklace in time?