Review
By Margi Preis Illustrated by Junyi Wu
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?
The first book in The Shrew Detective Mystery series is an absolute delight. Not only are the characters fleshed out, but the mystery is solid with enough clues to allow the reader to solve the mystery along with Minerva. The book is also full of humor and had me smiling at the many play on words including nods to classic mystery sleuths such as Sherlock Holmes, Nancy Drew, and even Inspector Dalgliesh. I also love how, not wanting to be referred to as "it", Minerva says her pronouns are "she/her".
The publisher states that this is a middle grade book for children ages 8-12. I beg to disagree. This is a book for readers of all ages - I'm 57 and I loved it! The author doesn't shy away from using advanced words, but she explains the meaning and sometimes includes a pronunciation guide. This is a great way to build vocabulary as well as not talk down to the reader. I also love how facts about shrews and the other small animals are included, both within the story and afterward in an author's note. Who knew shrews had to eat so often?!?
A clever mystery with engaging animals THE SHREW DETECTIVE: THE CASE OF THE PILFERED PEARLS is a wonderful start to a charming new series.
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