The world's greatest detective, Detective Christie has received a mysterious invitation from Captain Marigold to attend a ball at Marigold Manor to honour his daughter, Marigold. But Detective Christie doesn't know either the captain or his daughter so why has he been singled out? Clearly there is a mystery to be solved, which is confirmed by a curious note pushed under the door, but before an investigation can begin, the detective must find a way out of the locked room, because, like all the other guests, they are imprisoned inside he iron gates of this opulent mansion.
And here comes the twist...
The reader must take on the persona of Detective Christie and solve the puzzle. To begin there are five keys found in a drawer but which one do you choose - and depending on the choice, you are led to a different scenario as the start of this classic choose-your-own -adventure begins to unfold. Every decision you make will lead you through the twisty corridors of Marigold Manor to your mystery. You might be called upon to crack the case of the stolen tiara, or enlisted to find Captain Marigold who has disappeared.
Then there are thieves afoot – but they don’t stand a chance with a detective like you on the case! There will be a scream – the butler has met with an unfortunate demise! Could one of your companions really be to blame? Along another path, a message written in invisible ink warns you that Miss Marigold is an imposter… And in a dusty room, down a forgotten hallway, a lost journal holds a secret about the bewitching truth of Marigold Manor. If you can solve it, you’ll be free of Marigold Manor once and for all. But beware the cats that roam the grounds … They have their own agenda and if you don’t take care, you might find yourself turned into a cat or—even worse—a mouse! But even when you’re deep undercover there are mysteries to be found, and solved. It turns out there is more than one way to leave Marigold Manor…
There are thirty-two unique endings in Escape from Marigold Manor. Each mystery requires you to complete a series of interviews and brainteasers in order to identify the culprit. The challenges include puzzles that you must crack in order to unlock safes, read secret messages and locate hidden clues. The casefiles at the back of the book will help you keep track of which cases you’ve sold, and which cases still await you in the mansion. Can you solve them all? Your reputation (and maybe your life) as the greatest detective in the land depends on it!
Over the years, the popularity of choose-your-own-adventure books has remained steady as generations of readers have discovered them, and this, along with its predecessor Escape from Cuttlefish Cove, are outstanding examples of the genre, probably because the author herself is a senior intelligence analyst and looks for clues, solves puzzles and explores options to help the good guys win the day in her daytime job. More suited to independent readers able to follow twisty-turny plots, this is one to offer those who see themselves as amateur sleuths.
Fellow teacher librarian Sue Warren has a fascinating Q & A with Rachel Jackson for those who want to know more about her, her job and her writing.
This review can also be found here.
240 pages 9781763526068 Ages 8-12
Keywords: mystery and detective, choose your own adventure, puzzles, cats, interactive book, part of a series, 8 year old, 9 year old, 10 year old, 11 year old, 12 year old
Recommended by: Barbara Braxton, Teacher Librarian, New South Wales AUSTRALIA
See more of her recommendations:
500 Hats http://500hats.edublogs.org/
The Bottom Shelf http://thebottomshelf.edublogs.org/
Editor's note: Currently available in Australia and Canada
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You are the greatest detective in the land and you’re facing your biggest mystery yet. After receiving an anonymous invitation, you discover that—along with all the other guests—you are locked inside the iron gates of an opulent mansion. Who has trapped you there, and why? You’ll need to solve the mystery in order to receive the key to the gates and escape from Marigold Manor. There are whispers from the dining hall, and you overhear a furtive conversation between Miss Marigold and one of the other guests. Just at that moment, there’s a crash and a bang as the maid drops a stack of plates. She stares at you and gasps, then flees the room. Will you follow, or will you stay and interview Miss Marigold? Every decision you make will lead you through the twisty corridors of Marigold Manor to your mystery. You might be called upon to crack the case of the stolen tiara, or enlisted to find Captain Marigold who has disappeared. Then there are thieves afoot – but they don’t stand a chance with a detective like you on the case!
There will be a scream – the butler has met with an unfortunate demise! Could one of your companions really be to blame? Along another path, a message written in invisible ink warns you that Miss Marigold is an imposter… And in a dusty room, down a forgotten hallway, a lost journal holds a secret about the bewitching truth of Marigold Manor. If you can solve it, you’ll be free of Marigold Manor once and for all. But beware the cats that roam the grounds … They have their own agenda and if you don’t take care, you might find yourself turned into a cat or—even worse—a mouse! But even when you’re deep undercover there are mysteries to be found, and solved.
It turns out there is more than one way to leave Marigold Manor… You’ll find thirty-two unique endings in Escape from Marigold Manor. Each mystery requires you to complete a series of interviews and brainteasers in order to identify the culprit. The challenges include puzzles that you must crack in order to unlock safes, read secret messages and locate hidden clues. The casefiles at the back of the book will help you keep track of which cases you’ve sold, and which cases still await you in the mansion. Can you solve them all? Your reputation as the greatest detective in the land depends on it!---from the publisher
Also in this series: Escape From Cuttlefish Cove
