Tag Archives: mystery

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie Book Review

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Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None is a masterful work of suspense and mystery, often hailed as one of her finest achievements. First published in 1939, the novel introduces readers to a group of ten strangers who are invited to an isolated island under various pretexts. Each guest has a hidden past, with secrets they hope to keep buried, but soon, a series of eerie events unfold. As the guests begin to die one by one, the novel becomes an intense psychological game of survival, with no one knowing who can be trusted.

Christie’s skillful plotting and brilliant misdirection keep the reader guessing until the very end. The novel is a prime example of the “locked-room mystery” genre, as the isolated island setting creates an atmosphere of confinement and paranoia. Each chapter ratchets up the tension as the characters’ anxieties grow, and the clever use of nursery rhymes as a thematic device ties together the chilling sequence of murders.

I personally loved the constant suspense Christie gave us throughout the book. I loved how I could predict what would happen based on the poem “Ten Little Solider Boys” from the 1600’s, but was still left with unknown elements of the story. I also enjoyed reading about each character’s past and true natures. Not only were they all unique, but I loved how Christie highlighted human fear and suspicion and demonstrated the destruction death and fear can bring. Additionally, I loved the unexpected and haunting ending of the novel as it left me completely stunned and unsettled.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good thriller murder mystery. If you like to read about a variety of unique characters and how they all become intertwined, I recommend giving this book a read!

Kaiya T.

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie is available to checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

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To be completely honest, this book gave me nightmares when I was 10. I tried reading it, I really did, but the incredibly detailed explanations of the monsters freaked me out. I then proceeded to hide the book under my bookshelf, because if I put it under my bed: the book would come alive and eat me. So yeah, don’t read if you get spooked. However, now as a high schooler, this book is THE BEST. I still think that the monsters are a bit creepy, but this novel is absolutely spectacular.

To start, let me give you a short-ish summary.

16 year old Jacob Portman has always loved his grandfather’s stories about his childhood and his childhood orphanage. He talked about monsters and magical, or he would say peculiar, children. Later, when his grandfather mysteriously dies, Jacob swears he saw the monsters of those stories. However, everyone knows that monsters are not real so his parents put him in therapy. While the thought-to-be-crazy Jacob goes through his grandfather’s old belongings, he finds letters to Miss Peregrine, one of the main characters in those old stories. He convinces his father to take him to the address on the letter (an island off the coast of Wales), but he doesn’t find any trace of her. 

Somehow, he ends up finding his grandfather’s old friends, but they aren’t old like his grandfather was. He then learns that he traveled into a loop, which is one day on constant repeat forever. This loop is kept by Miss Peregrine, the headmistress of the orphanage (also the book title). There, Jacob learns that he is peculiar too! Except, his peculiarity is to see the monsters. Those horrid, children-killing, eyeball eating, soul sucking, purly wretched monsters. Only he can see the monsters, they are invisible to everyone else. All the while, Jacob sparks up a little romance with a girl named Emma, a fire wielder who also happened to be in love with his grandfather (that’s a whole nother level of ew, but that might just be me). Anyways, Jacobs life finally seems normal and right. Until the loop gets raided. The monsters, which are called Hollows, find the loop and steal Miss Peregrine. The children and Jacob then rescue her. In the end, they learn that other loops are being raided and go on an adventure to help cure Miss Peregrine, who was hurt by the wights. 

I really liked this book. I thought it was super cool how throughout the book the author included vintage black and white photos. The photos directly show what’s happening in the book. I read more about it, and it turns out that the author based some of his characters off of pictures, which I thought was interesting. The book was originally supposed to be a picture book, but Ransom Riggs changed his mind.

There is also a movie, directed by Tim Burton, that came out in the early 2010s. Although the movie definitely strays away from the book, I still like it. I would rate the book a 9/10, just because I’m still creeped out by it a bit. I definitely recommend that if you like Coraline or The Mysterious Benedict Society, you should read this book.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs is available for checkout at the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded for free from Libby.

The Loop by Shandy Lawson

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What if you were stuck in a world where time never moved forward, forcing you to relive the same terrifying events again and again? That’s exactly what happens to Ben, a teenager who finds himself stuck in a time loop, reliving the same deadly events over and over. With danger closing in and no clear way out, The Loop by Shandy Lawson is a thrilling ride that keeps you guessing until the very end.

One part of the story I really liked was Ben’s growing friendship with Maggie. At first, Ben is confused and scared, but Maggie already knows what’s happening—she’s been stuck in the loop longer than him. She’s not just a companion; she’s his guide to surviving the nightmare they’re trapped in. Maggie’s determination and quick thinking make her a strong character, and I liked how she never gave up, no matter how many times they had to start over.

Then there are the loopers, the men chasing Ben and Maggie. They’re mysterious, dangerous, and always seem to know what’s coming next. Unlike Ben and Maggie, the loopers don’t seem surprised by the time resets, which made me wonder—are they part of something bigger? Do they control the loop, or are they just as trapped? Every time Ben and Maggie try to escape, the loopers are there, making the story feel like a mix of mystery and action.

One of the most intense parts of the book was Jerry, the ruthless hitman working for the loopers. He’s a serious threat to Ben and Maggie, and his presence makes the stakes even higher. Unlike the loopers, who are mysterious, Jerry is direct—he has a job to do, and he won’t stop until it’s done.

I also liked Ben’s friend, Todd, because he represents the normal life Ben wants to return to. Todd has no idea what’s happening to Ben, which adds to the frustration and loneliness of being stuck in the loop. Ben’s mom also plays a small but important role, reminding us of the life he’s desperately trying to hold onto.

What I loved most about The Loop was its fast-paced suspense and unpredictable twists. Just when I thought Ben and Maggie had figured things out, something would change, throwing them back into chaos. This book kept me on the edge of my seat, making me wonder—will they ever escape, or is the loop unbreakable? If you like thrilling stories with mystery, action, and high stakes, I highly recommend The Loop!

-Adarsh V.

Book Recommendation: 1984

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1984 is a dystopian novel by George Orwell. Published in the year 1949, the book was intended to be a cautionary tale of the consequences of life during totalitarian or oppressive governments.  The world Orwell describes in the story (Oceania), is based on Stalinism in the Soviet Union. 

The main character, Winston, is a worker at the Ministry of Truth. His job is to ensure the newspapers, films, and education systems in Oceania fit the political agenda of Big Brother (the dictator) and end free thought. Winston secretly resents the way of life and is in constant worry of being caught by the Thought Police, whose job is to ensure the indoctrination of all the citizens. Winston starts an illegal relationship with his co-worker Julia, who also wishes for a rebellion. 

Throughout the novel, Winston narrates and makes the reader question does he loves Julia or does he just loves getting back at the system that took so much from him? Orwell made a phenomenal allegory and I would personally be worried for my future if I saw this in 1949. Even though we know now that nothing like this happened in 1984, the themes of trusting in a corrupt government and totalitarianism will forever be prevalent. I recommend this book for 7th grade to high schoolers for anyone who likes science fiction or thrillers. This is a personal favorite of mine because I have not experienced or read anything like this. Overall I would give the book a 9/10.

1984 by George Orwell is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

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If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio is a murder mystery novel centered around a group of theatre students at a university in Illinois. The story is told from the perspective of Oliver, one of the members of the group. The novel starts off with him being released from prison and retelling an incident that put his entire group in jeopardy, and ultimately changed the trajectory of their lives.

While reading this book at first, I wasn’t entirely sure if I enjoyed it, mainly because the style of writing wasn’t my taste and the plot seemed rather slow. However, the story began to build up during the second half, and the plot twist left me shocked. Given that the events were told from the perspective of a student who wasn’t entirely involved with every member of the group, there were several loose ends in the plot that ultimately came together to create an ending that readers would never expect. Therefore, although the narrator could be seen as unreliable, he added a sense of suspense and mystery that the story would otherwise be bland without.

Overall, I would recommend this novel to anyone interested in mystery or dark academia genres. Although it didn’t fully live up to my expectations, I still enjoyed the plot in the end and could see it as something that many readers would be intrigued by.

-Aysha H.

If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library.

Spoiler Free Book Review: A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder

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A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, by Holly Jackson, is an enticing young adult novel that all mystery loving teens should consider reading.

Earlier this month, while wandering the seemingly endless aisles of my local bookstore, I came across the section which holds my favorite genre of books: murder mystery. Gazing across the shelves, I noticed the novel, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, and decided to take it home since it was previously recommended to me by a friend.  

The book follows an ambitious teen, Pippa Fitz-Amobi, as she attempts to solve a cold case that has impacted her town immensely. Throughout the book, Jackson writes in a captivating and suspenseful tone that makes the book hard to put down.

While I personally loved the story of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, I would not recommend the novel to anyone under the age of 13 as it has some mature themes that are better understood by those who are at least in their teen years. My original desire to read this book stemmed from my interest in criminal justice and a want to see how this theme played out in the characters’ lives; I would recommend the book to anyone feeling the same way. 

The story of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder has also been confirmed to be a made for TV adaptation, so I recommend that anyone interested reads the book first!

–  Taylor O.

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Over the Garden Wall – Cartoon Review

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Over the Garden Wall is such a special cartoon for me, and it is unlike anything I have ever watched. Every single element of this short series plays a part in conveying a detail important to the story, whether it be the lighting in a given scene, the animation style of a setting, or the tone of the background music. Having only 10 episodes that are each about 10 minutes long, its an extremely concise yet sweet story that for me, personally, evokes a lot of nostalgia.

I would assume this series is set in a small town in the 1970s judging by the overall feel of it, specifically in the fall (which is why I always binge the episodes with my brother on Halloween). Wirt, a self-conscious, anxious high schooler and his little brother Greg, a hyper ball of energy, find themselves lost in a part of the woods called ‘The Unknown’. In an attempt to try to get back home, they embark on a journey with the help of a pure-hearted yet deceiving bluebird named Beatrice. They meet many people with diverse origins and mindsets along the way, but trust becomes a dangerous game as the band struggles to avoid an evil spirit known as ‘The Beast’.

This cartoon grapples with topics such as moving on, feeling like you don’t fit in, self acceptance and feeling confident/comfortable about who you are, etc. It indirectly gave me a lot of insight on the existence of different personalities in the real world, and how you should be selective of the people you choose to surround yourself with and avoid. I was also reminded that just because individuals may find it hard to open up or express their feelings, it doesn’t mean that they don’t have good intentions; they’ll always support you. The story makes me appreciate how lucky I am to have true friends and family who love me, and reassures me that I’m not alone in trying to figure out exactly who I am.

Despite all of these heavy topics that can be interpreted from this series, it is a roller coaster of emotions suitable for all ages that never ceases to pull on my heartstrings and sense of attachment.

So, given that the plot is so amazingly thought out and the animation as a whole is absolutely beautiful, I would never not recommend this journey of a cartoon to anyone.

Over the Garden Wall available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. 

The Tower Treasure by Franklin W. Dixon

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The Tower Treasure, by Franklin W. Dixon, is the first book in his popular Hardy Boys series. The main characters are Frank and Joe Hardy, the teenage sons of a detective named Fenton Hardy.  Frank and Joe are amateur detectives, following in the footsteps of their father. Throughout the series, the Hardy boys solve mysteries and help bring criminals to justice.

In this book, Frank and Joe are riding their motorcycles when a speeding car suddenly approaches them from behind and narrowly misses them. The car is traveling too fast for them to read the license plate number. However, they are able to notice that the driver had a “shock of red hair.” A little while later, the Hardy boys find out that their friend’s car has been stolen, and they suspect that the thief is the same person who nearly hit them on their motorcycles. Soon afterward, they learn that forty thousand dollars has been stolen from a place called the Tower Mansion. The Tower’s owner strongly believes that its caretaker, Henry Robinson, committed the crime. Henry Robinson’s son is a friend of the Hardy boys, and they believe that Henry Robinson is innocent. The Hardy boys believe that the man who stole their friend’s car must have also stolen the forty thousand dollars. They need to prove their theory to clear Henry Robinson’s good name.

I have not read all of the books in the Hardy Boys series, but so far this is one of my favorites. Like the other books in the series, The Tower Treasure is relatively short, especially for a mystery novel. Despite this, it is full of suspense and action. It has cliffhangers at the end of almost every chapter, which makes the whole book very exciting. I have read more than ten of the books in this series so far, and I have enjoyed them for the most part. My only complaint is that the books tend to follow a certain formula that seems repetitive after a while. As a result, I found the books to be less suspenseful as I went along. These books are not as complex and well-written as some other mystery novels, such as Agatha Christie’s books. However, I would recommend the Hardy Boys to anyone who enjoys a good mystery, and especially to young readers.

The Tower Treasure by Franklin W. Dixon is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library.

Murder Your Employer – Book Review

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Murder Your Employer is a great read that I would definitely recommend. Rupert Holmes uses brilliant twists and clever wordplay to keep you turning pages as you follow the suspenseful tales of three aspiring deletists (the McMasters preferred term for murderers).

Cliff, Gemma, and Doria (also known as Dulcie) receive a very unique education at the McMasters Conservatory for the Applied Arts, which is kept a secret from the rest of the world. At McMasters, the three soon-to-be deletists study the art of murder and how to properly execute (pun intended) their plans to delete a special person in their lives.

For Cliff Iverson, that person is his despicable employer, Merrill Fielder. Fielder, the senior executive of Woltan Industries, an aircraft manufacturer, changed Cliff’s plans for the W-10, a change that could result in the plane crashing and ending hundreds of lives, should it ever fly. For this reason and many others, Cliff needs to end him. After botching his first attempt to end Fielder, Cliff is taken to McMasters with the support of an unknown sponsor to learn how to properly take lives.

Gemma Lindley enlists at McMasters to end her blackmailer, Adele Underton, who is also her superior at work. However, Gemma doesn’t seem to have it in her to kill, although perhaps McMasters will be able to change that.

Hollywood star Doria Maye, under the false name of Dulcie Mown, enlists at McMasters to delete her employer, Leonid Kosta. Kosta is trying to force Doria to voice a cartoon pig on television, which would turn her from a serious actress into a joke. But Doria is a professional; she knows it’s not curtains for her yet, and she’ll make sure of it.

Murder Your Employer is an excellent book with a fantastic ending that left me completely shocked. However, before you pick up this book, I would recommend checking the lock on your door.

Murder Your Employer by Rupert Holmes is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

The Outsider by Stephen King Review

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Genre: Horror, Thriller, Mystery

  In the town of Flint City, Oklahoma tragedy strikes when Frankie Peterson, a young child, is found dead. The culprit- Terry Maitland: little league coach and a friendly neighbor. But the question is, did Terry Maitland really commit this brutal act, and if not, then why did several witnesses describe seeing Maitland committing the crime and why was his DNA found on the Peterson boy’s body. 

Terry Maitland constantly shows his innocence and that he did not commit this crime, with his attitude and a strong alibi, however, then how did his DNA get traced onto the victim. Despite everything, the detective Ralph Anderson, refuses to let the case die after this and tries to continue the investigation, moving the question from who to how this case happened.

The Outsider by Stephen King is a suspenseful thrilling novel full of twists and turns: ensuring the reader will want to stay in their seat and not put the book down until they finish.

Review:

I would easily give this book an 8/10, and there are many things to note: 

  1. This book was very dark at points, so to read and understand the book you probably should be a little older.
  1. This novel was very captivating, with many twists and turns, sure to keep anyone who reads it from putting the book down.
  1. This book was very good, while starting out as an investigative whodunnit, but as the story moves on, it becomes more of a supernatural thriller.
  1. One notable thing I liked was how Stephen King creatively lightens the mood of this book with creatively and concise moments of happiness and humor to prevent this book from getting too dark

I liked this book very much and I would easily recommend it to anyone who likes books that are suspenseful and scary. I would consider this an example of Stephen King’s finest work.

The Outsider by Stephen King is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.