Young adult or children’s book where the child solves the mystery. Set in 1905 in Loch Harbor, New Brunswick CA we see how young girls were prepared for adulthood, generally without knowing what the young girl wanted for her life. Reminiscent of Nancy Drew this is an easy read. ( )

Mysteries are my favorite genre to "get lost in". I've never been to New Brunswick Canada, but this book makes me want to go. I like to visit places that are book settings. Even with all the mysteries I read, I still didn't have this one figured out, until the end. Suzanna is a great child detective and I look forward to more books in the series. ( )

Grades 3-6

Eleven-year-old Suzanna Snow's parents manage an exclusive resort in New Brunswick, and they are trying their best to groom her to continue the family tradition. Nothing ignites her passion, though, like a challenging investigation-- she believes she takes after her Uncle Bruce, a famous Bostonian detective. The summer of 1904 is shaping up to be all too predictable, when the young child of a wealthy couple staying at the hotel disappears. Search parties fail to locate Maddie, and Uncle Bruce is called in. Looking forward to sharing her observations and theories with her uncle, whom she has not seen in years, Suzanna is crushed to find that he has no use for the opinions of a "child," and that his investigative approach is more show than substance. With the help of Uncle Bruce's apprentice, Will, Suzanna is determined to track down young Maddie. Clues slowly emerge, but there are enough twists and turns along the way that readers will stay engaged. Zanna is a likeable protagonist, and her tenacious spirit rings true. This is a solid start to a new mystery series that Nancy Drew fans will enjoy.
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The last of my current reading from the children's department was this fun mystery featuring an 11-yr-old girl who wants to be a detective like her uncle. When a young child is missing from the inn her parents manage, and her uncle is called in to investigate, it is Suzanna that solves the mystery.

I hope that this turns out to be a series. Suzanna isn't a clone of Flavia de Luce, nor does she try to be, but she is a very enjoyable, smart, determined kid (like Flavia she's very much a kid) and I would enjoy reading more of her.

The book is in our library's junior fiction department, unlike Flavia who is found roaming the adult department. ( )

Suzanna "Zanna" Snow lives in Loch Harbor, New Brunswick where her parents manage a hotel where wealthy New Englanders come to vacation annually for the entire summer. Her uncle is a famous detective in Boston, and Suzanna desires to be like him. She reads detective novels and keeps a notebook to record her observations. It's about the best she can hope for since nothing exciting ever happens where she lives. Then, one of the hotel guests goes missing. Suzanna begins her investigation even before her famous uncle arrives to conduct the official investigation. He arrives with an apprentice, about her age. Suzanna continues her investigation, partnering with the young apprentice. This is a novel that fourth and fifth graders will probably enjoy. I disliked the use of Tarot in the story line and wished that the author had not used this, because it is not a book that I, as a Christian, can recommend. Otherwise, it is a great read for those who enjoy Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew type books. ( )