Secrets at the Chocolate Mansion

Gr 4–6—Maggie Brooklyn, dog walker and sleuth extraordinaire, adds babysitter to her résumé in this action-packed story that involves two mysteries. On the day of the grand opening of her friend's mother's old-fashioned soda shop, everything goes wrong. At first, it seems coincidental, but when Maggie finds a note stating, "Take your cookies elsewhere," she realizes that someone is out to sabotage the business, and she is determined to find out who. Meanwhile, Maggie stumbles upon another mystery during her first babysitting job. Is Beckett, her young charge, really seeing a ghost? After some sleuthing, Maggie figures out what is frightening him. The mysteries are cleverly interwoven throughout the narrative as the protagonist deals with both friend and boyfriend drama. Maggie is smart and witty, with an inquisitive mind. Secondary characters are well developed, and there are a lot of surprises and twists throughout the story. A solid choice for mystery fans.—Megan McGinnis, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY