The Midnight Tunnel: A Suzanna Snow Mystery (Suzanna Snow Mysteries)

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 show more 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. show less

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 show more 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. show less

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.

The lead character in this book is Zanna, whose greatest desire is to become a famous detective like her uncle in Boston. She works in a fancy hotel that her parents manage in Canada in the early 1900s. When a young hotel guest disappears one stormy night, her uncle comes to help solve the case. She finds he's not such a great detective after all, though, and she has to persevere to solve it on her own since he treats her like a silly child even though she has important information about the case. A good selection for girls who like mysteries.

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.

Reviewed by Jennifer Rummel for TeensReadToo.com

Suzanna's parents run the Loch Harbor Inn in New Brunswick, where many wealthy families spend the summer. Zanna's learning the ins and outs of running the place in anticipation of her future, even though she doesn't really want to. She'd rather become a famous detective like her Uncle. She even keeps a notebook filled with observations.

When the daughter of an important guest goes missing one night during a storm, Zanna thinks she saw the girl in the servant's tunnel. When she attempts to tell her parents, no one believes her. They don't want to hear her nonsense.

Instead, they ask her Uncle to come. Zanna can't wait to see him again, but she's dumbfounded when he exits the train with his show more apprentice, a boy her own age. She's furious when he calls her by the wrong name and dismisses her ideas.

Zanna's determined to continue her own investigation.

THE MIDNIGHT TUNNEL is an adorable start to a new series that provides tween readers with a great main character. Zanna is feisty, and she's unwilling to back down from her knowledge. I enjoyed the lush setting of the Inn and the tourists spending their summer there. I loved the character of Isaac for his secrets, his thoughtfulness, and his views on the world. The mystery twists and turns, presenting a page-turning read for all ages. show less