Castle Rock Mystery Crew (The Jase Files: Book 1) by Kim Curran (author), Vicky McClure (author), and Alan Brown (illustrator)

Our May 2023 Ages 9-10 Book of the Month

Our Book of the Month for age 9+ is Castle Rock Mystery Crew, the first laugh-out-loud mystery from actress and dementia campaigner Vicky McClure! 10-year-old Jase is spending the summer holidays at the Castle Rock caravan park with his auntie and grandma, who has dementia. Here he meets three other curious, brave, funny kids and together they solve the mystery of a series of thefts happening across the site. However, the finger of blame has started pointing at the children – they must find the true culprit to clear their names and see justice done!

This is a warm-hearted, page-turning mystery for young readers with an authentic and kind depiction of living with a relative with dementia at its centre. The Castle Rock Mystery Crew are a modern-day Secret Seven and this story is perfect for fans of Tom Fletcher’s The Danger Gang or Marcus Rashford’s The Breakfast Club Adventures. Written in collaboration with Kim Curran the book combines themes of friendship and teamwork with witty and cleverly plotted storytelling. Kids will love following the clues to help the crew catch the culprit!

Emma – Book Club Editor, Ages 7-11+