Lori and Max and the Book Thieves

Catherine O’Flynn’s debut novel for young readers, Lori and Max, really impressed with its wit, intelligence and the sensitive portrayal of the growing relationship between its two central characters. The good news is that her unorthodox young detectives are back in a new adventure with more mysteries to solve.  Max and her mum have had to move into a new flat, and the landlord doesn’t allow dogs, meaning Max’s beloved Fang has to stay with Lori and her grandma. These added pressures mean that when the mobile phone Max’s mum gave her is stolen at school, it’s even more important that the girls get it back. Running parallel is a second plotline about the possible theft of a valuable book that belonged to Lori’s parents, who died when she was just a baby. The hunt for that means an encounter with Lori’s grandma’s favourite TV star, Hugo Smythe, host of antique show Treasure Hunters. He’s nowhere near as charming in real life as he is on the telly, and definitely dodgy. The story is often very funny and yet readers will absolutely understand the very real issues that Max faces at home and the weight of the loss of her parents on Lori and her grandma. Original, exciting, full of insight and with its wonderful protagonists, this is one of the best books for young readers of the year. We can only hope there’ll be more adventures for Lori and Max to come.