Deb Mercier

Become a detective and figure out clues in this fun adventure, which holds more than a couple unexpected twists.

You are working on your parent's resort for the summer, delivering towels and keeping things in shape. Every two weeks brings in new guests, but for now, you do know one of them. She's been a regular for years and almost a friend. When she mentions something about a secret, you try to figure out what she means, but before you do, she disappears. No one believes that something's wrong, but you know better and are determined to find her. First, you need to find and decipher the clues, but it isn't an easy task...and much more dangerous than you could have imagined.

This book starts out with a few pages describing how to use the book, a guide to deductive thinking, and some tips on taking notes and such. After all, the reader is now like Sherlock Holmes and needs to figure out the case. This is an easy-to-use book, which lets the reader make their own decisions for two (or sometimes more) possibilities, which then, leads them to a corresponding page, where the tale continues based on their decision. Then, this book goes further and feeds in riddles and such for the reader to decipher. Plus, it is important for the reader to take notes along the way, so they can make educated decisions. In other words, this is more than just a fun story.

The tale does flow well. The first pages, which settle the reader into their role and setting, are a little longer but does get the reader through the situations and people involved smoothly and as quickly as possible. Plus, it's fun to sink into the resort in the morning with the details. It does come to life. From there, there's never a boring moment as the clues start rolling in right along with the danger and activities. I did find it helpful that some 'clues' are highlighted to make sure readers catch them in the text.

This is an exciting read with quite a few surprises and a wonderful way to drive those deductive thoughts. Plus, the mystery is well done.
I received a DRC and found this to be a grabbing read.… (lisätietoja)

Dangerous predicaments, dark hallways, secrets, and evil intentions lurk in the most exciting corners, making this a fun, detective read.

When the 8th grade daughter of Central School's superintendent shows up, begging you to figure out the secret behind the school's haunting before the school's shutdown the next day, you're not sure this is the case for you. There are five suspects, tons of clues, and a large, dark school building, you know little about. You have less than 24-hours to investigate, and the entire time, you need to remain hidden. But that's only where the problems begin. Every step brings a choice, and there is more than a riddle or two along the way. Only you can solve the mystery....that is, if you don't get caught by the ghost along the way.

I've always been a huge fan of make-your-own-choices reads, and this one even added a little bit more to the fun. The tale starts out with a nostalgic vibe of a detective, sitting in the office (that old movie atmosphere of dark hats, lady in long, red dress), but instead swirls into a kid in a t-shirt, sitting in a garage. It's fun and holds a nice bite of personality. From there, it's written with a relaxed, smooth flow while still holding tension the entire way through. Each character met holds originality and the scenes come to life...without bogging down in descriptions. It's quick-paced, easy to read, and enjoyable.

The book starts out with a few notes for the reader. First, it explains what deductive reasoning is and how it works, while mentioning Sherlock Holmes. It explains how to use the book, and how to cross out suspects (which most readers will already know). What gave this a little extra pizzazz, were the puzzles/riddles mixed in with the clues. The reader does get the chance to solve these. Also, the reader chooses which items to take with them before they head out to investigate the case. So, this does engage the reader more than the traditional choose-your-own-choice books do.

This is the type of book to cuddle up with under a blanket and read with a flashlight. I had a digital copy and did notice that it's not quite as much fun to read as a paperback copy would be, since sliding between the pages is a pain (and my reader has a slightly different numbering than the printed page numbers). So, I do suggest picking this one up in paper form. There were also a few inconsistencies in the details during the story, but these don't hurt the fun or story. I still highly recommend this read and believe even reluctant readers will enjoy hunting down the ghost...or failing in the process. I received a DRC and enjoyed the adventure quite a bit.… (lisätietoja)

This is a choose your own path novel following the story as told by Jules Verne in 20 000 Leagues Under the Seas. This novel faithfully follows Verne's story but provides choices for the reader at various intersections. This novel differes from the other Choose Your Own Adventure stories in that there is only one correct path that results in success. All other side paths end in disaster. The novel was entertaining and would make a good book for novice readers, who aren't quite up to the unabridged Jules Verne novel.… (lisätietoja)