The Clubhouse Mystery
‘Do you want to know a secret? Well, I can’t tell you.’ So begins The Clubhouse Mystery, a lively and funny book centred around Cass and her friends Lex and Nicholas. Together they comprise the Bubble Street Gang, a secret society named after the road on which they live (which is actually called Berbel Street, but who wants to be a member of the Berbel Street Gang?).
When mini-muffins begin to disappear from their secret clubhouse and incriminating crumbs are left behind, the gang set about discovering who, exactly, has been invading their private hideaway. From this simple premise Erika McGann has created a witty and appealing story, peopled by characters who jump off the page. Cass is a likeable narrator, her vivacity nicely balanced by Lex’s shyness and Nicholas’s no-nonsense approach to life. Erika McGann’s strong ear for dialogue makes for utterly believable children, and Vince Reid’s expressive and witty illustrations do justice to the sharp and humorous text. The action moves along at a sprightly pace and the conclusion, with its subtle message about solidarity and inclusivity, is both unexpected and very sweet. This is the first in a new series of Cass and the Bubble Street Gang books. It is a lovely introduction which will have its young readers eagerly awaiting the next adventure, due for publication in Autumn 2017.
