The Five Clues by Anthony Kessel

The Five Clues by Anthony Kessel

By Anthony Kessel (author) Part of the Don't Doubt the Rainbow series

"A taut, compulsively readable thriller"

Paperback In Stock £6.99 £6.29

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August 2021 Book of the Month

Edie is still grieving for her mother, killed a year earlier in a horrible accident, when she discovers a secret note her mother left for her. It states that the ‘accident’ was anything but, and that this is the first in a trail of clues she has left for her daughter, explaining what it was she was investigating, and why it got her killed.

The tension heightens as Edie solves the clues, putting herself in more and more danger. The people who arranged her mother’s murder are utterly ruthless while Edie has very few she can turn to for help. Anthony Kessel handles plot and character well and this DIY detective story will appeal to fans of Holly Jackson and Sophie McKenzie .

NB, there’s one particularly violent scene that some readers might find upsetting.

The first book in the series, The Five Clues, is a real-time murder-mystery thriller and family drama, combining an exciting race against time with a heart-rending story about a teenager learning to live with the loss of a beloved parent.

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The first book in the series, The Five Clues , is a real-time murder-mystery thriller and family drama, combining an exciting race against time with a heart-rending story about a teenager learning to live with the loss of a beloved parent.

Walking back from her mother's grave, 13-year-old schoolgirl Edie Marble finds a note in a pocket of the sheepskin coat that she hasn't worn since the day, a year earlier, when she received the awful news of her mother's death. The note is from her mother, who had been looking into a corporate human rights violation and had become fearful for her life after receiving death threats.

She trusts only Edie - because of their special bond and Edie's intelligence - and has laid a trail of clues for Edie to find that will help her to shed light on the violation and uncover the mystery around her death. Through her wit and determination, Edie steadily gathers evidence and negotiates the dramatic twists and turns of the story by collaborating with her friends and family to gradually unearth a sinister attempt by a pharmaceutical company to conceal their illegal development of a lethal virus.

As Edie's investigations progress she is introduced, in parallel, to the Three Principles, which help her conquer various psychological stresses and support her in coming to terms with her grief.

Also now available: Outside Chance Book 2 American Mystery Book 3

'A tense murder mystery. The story is a thrilling ‘David versus Goliath’ battle, threatening to engulf Edie and her family.' - Simon Barrett, Armadillo Magazine

' The Five Clues is a timely and welcome addition to school and public library YA Mystery/Suspense collections, highly recommended.' - Midwest Book Review

'Dotted with North London landmarks, this page-turning thriller incorporates puzzles that enlist the reader as co-detective. To stretch the brain further, Kessel offers an extra psychological/spiritual dimension.' - Angela Kiverstein, The Jewish Chronicle

'The story is fast-paced and dramatic, with constant twists and turns as Edie attempts to solve each clue and complete the investigation her mother started, drawing the reader in and capturing their attention for all seventeen chapters.' - Eve Foley, Children’s Books Ireland

'It’s not often that a book well and truly stops me in my tracks – in a good way – and then I end up thinking about it at night, in the morning and when I’m supposed to be cooking dinner. Mesmerising from start to finish and a pacey page-turner.' - Helen Heaton, reviewer for Mendip Children’s Book Group

Professor Anthony Kessel is a public health physician, academic and author. Since 2019 Anthony has been working in a national role as Clinical Director (National Clinical Policy) at NHS England and NHS Improvement. Anthony is an international authority on public health, a Trustee director of BookTrust, and also advises other charities on global health and mental health.

Anthony has trained as an executive coach and writes a personal column - 'Global Health Experience' - exploring his leadership work through a lens of psychological wellbeing.

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A very different detective mystery book.

Don’t Doubt the Rainbow is about 13year old Edie Marble. A year before the book starts, her mother dies. Edie finds a letter from her mother, full of clues and mystery to help her work out what really happened to her. It is quite a dark and sad book at times, especially with Edie still coming to terms with the loss of her mother. But it is also exciting and different from what I usually read.... Read Full Review

This is a great book full of adventure and and friendship and puzzles to solve. I loved it!

The first thing I noticed about this book was the cover. It just looks so intriguing. It made me want to read all the little words all over it and made me very interested to find out what was going on inside. This story is about a girl my age who has very sadly lost her mum to an apparent accident or suicide and it deals briefly with the thoughts and feelings around this. Her dad is a GP who is also struggling terribly with depression and loneliness. A year after her mum's death Edie and the family go to a Stone Ceremony as they are Jewish, and she wears a coat she has not worn since her mother’s death. I’m her pocket she finds a note written to her, from her mother.... Read Full Review

a compelling and captivating story about sadness, loss, acceptance, endurance, thriller, and empathy.

By solving cleverly devised puzzles left by her late beloved mother, Edie together with the help from her best friend, sibling, and father, unearths the shocking truth of her mum's untimely demise. Despite getting into many dangerous and horrendous situations on her mission to bring justice to the murderers, Edie remains undeterred by their actions and continues to investigate. Along the way she learns a lot about the dark evil secrets of those involved; the greed and the lengths people go, to become wealthy.

Edie adored her mother's perceptions on life and enjoyed spending every available opportunity with her, listening to her and cherishing every moment. So losing her a year ago turned her whole world upside down in the blink of an eyelid. The after-effects left Edie distanced from her surroundings and it affected every aspect of her life.... Read Full Review

The first book in the series, The Five Clues, is a real-time murder-mystery thriller and family drama, combining an exciting race against time with a heart-rending story about a teenager learning to live with the loss of a beloved parent. Walking back from her mother's grave, 13-year-old schoolgirl Edie Marble finds a note in a pocket of the sheepskin coat that she hasn't worn since the day, a year earlier, when she received the awful news of her mother's death.

The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed The Five Clues and determined it is suitable for children aged 11-14 years old

The Five Clues features in the following genres: Featured Books for 11+ readers, Featured Books for 13+ readers, Books of the Month, Books Reviewed by our Reader Review Panels, Recommendations, Adventure Stories, Crime & Mystery, Activity and Puzzle Books, PSHE: Bereavement and Grief, Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE), Children’s / Teenage general interest: Hobbies, quizzes, toys and games, Children’s / Teenage: General interest, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Children's and Young Adult Fiction

Paperback. £6.29, down from the £6.99 cover price. In Stock.

The Five Clues was written by Anthony Kessel and published by Crown House Publishing

The Five Clues has 220 pages

Yes it is part of Don't Doubt the Rainbow series

£6.29, reduced from £6.99. In Stock.

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