Review by Dan, Year 6, Sheen Mount Primary School
I really liked A Box Full of Murders because I generally like mysterious murder novels and I loved the suspense. A Box Full of Murders is based on a murder mystery from the 1980s and falls in the mystery genre. It may be a murder from 40 years ago, but the killer is closer than the characters think. One of the reasons why this book was so good is because while Ava and Luke solve the mystery, you can also solve it with them. This was one of the few books I just couldn’t put down as it captivated me all the way through. I also really liked how you could read the story from many perspectives with the writer still making it clear who’s talking and the different viewpoints were great. When I read it, I felt like I was in the book and like I was one of the characters which was really cool. I generally thought it was amazing how all the perspectives linked into one big picture and how it was written really well which is a rare talent. Also, I really enjoyed how the author spoke about kids' lives. What was different compared to other books is that it was quick to start which was brilliant. On the other hand, the book developed itself a bit too fast but overall, it was gripping, astonishing and just genius. I would give this book 4.5 stars out of 5.

Review by Maya, Beaconsfield High School
This is a carefully crafted murder story with lots of red herrings and unexpected suspects. The entire book is in the form of gripping diary entries and texts between the characters, so it feels like you’re solving the mystery at the same time as Ava and Luke (the child detectives) which is really immersive. An unsolved murder from the 1980s is lurking in their dad’s loft and Ava and Luke commit to finding who was behind it through late-night texting and slowly piecing together evidence. However, they only have diary entries and reports from members of the Guides and Scouts from different tents, so they must compile together the information and work out which entries fit together. The 1980s setting brings the story together because it’s not too far away from today so it teaches us about pieces of older technology, bands, songs, objects and names so that we can dive headfirst into the story and backtrack through the years to the week of the murder. Since the Guides and Scouts are secondary-school age, it is easy to relate to them and understand them because we learn that they had similar friendships and hobbies. The book is not a difficult read but nevertheless a riveting series of murders, scandals and betrayals and worth reading for any age.