Libby and the Highland Heist
By Jo Clarke
Published by Firefly Press

Another great crime adventure for Libby and Connie from author Jo Clarke to suit any 8+ reader.
As Libby travels north to Scotland for her next quest, she learns that all is not as it seems for her friends family. Seemingly happy and always busy, a family can hide a multitude of secrets (if they want to). But curiosity gets the better of these strong willed and determined young girls to enable them to untangle a wealth of mistold and misunderstood messages.
This fabulous, page turner will capture the imagination of any young reader, who like Libby love to seek and solve things that feel “just not quite right.”

Joanne Bardgett - teacher of littlies, lover of children’s literature.

#Netgallery
#fireflypress
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I adored Libby’s first sleuthing adventure in Libby and the Parisian Puzzle, so was very excited to read her next adventure, Libby and the Highland Heist which I very aptly devoured on a visit to Edinburgh. And it was an absolute delight: an exciting, action-packed and intriguing mystery in a wonderfully vivid setting that kept me utterly captivated.

Libby and her aunt, Miss Mousedale, have been invited to spend the Christmas holidays with Libby’s best friend Connie’s family on their estate in the Highlands. Expecting a warm welcome, Connie is somewhat dismayed to find her dad working in his study rather than greeting her, and her mum not quite herself. Libby notices the crumbling brickwork and the patched-up windows. Could the family’s less-than-warm-welcome be caused by worries over financial troubles?

Whilst exploring the grounds, Libby discovers a derelict bothy in the woods with boarded-up windows. When she wakes early the next morning and sees a light moving towards the abandoned house, her natural curiosity is aroused. And when she hears a strange wailing sound and discovers a secret panel in the house, Libby knows that there is a mystery to solve …

And what a brilliantly clever mystery it is! I was thoroughly engaged and entertained as I followed Libby and Connie as they unravelled clues to discover who has been stealing from the family. I don’t want to give away any plot spoilers but suffice to say that this is a heist with a tantalising twist or two! Family secrets, hidden passages, missing paintings, and one determined young sleuth intent on discovering the culprit with the help of some wonderful friends. An utterly delightful, action-packed, page-turning mystery, and one which I have no doubt younger readers will adore.

Reading this whilst I was in Edinburgh was just perfect and such a treat! I was exploring New Town, visiting Greyfriars Kirkyard and going on a ghost tour in the vaults, and then joining Libby and her Travelling School companions when I got back to my hotel room. I loved the spooky, wintery atmosphere and the real sense of danger faced by Libby and was just as desperate as she was to find out the identity of the culprit and their motive.

Libby and Connie are incredibly likeable young girls who are firm friends. Libby is naturally inquisitive, empathetic and clever. Even when she faces danger, she is determined to continue to follow the clues, but can she outwit a villain who is just as determined to get way with a seemingly perfect crime?

The illustrations are simply stunning and are a perfect complement to this wonderful mystery.

This is a cracker of a mystery: action-packed, exciting and intriguing and just perfect to read cuddled up with a hot chocolate and shortbread. I’m so looking forward to joining Libby on her next sleuthing adventure in fantastic Travelling School Mysteries series.

Despite not having read the first of this series it was easy to enjoy this story and become involved with the delightful characters of Libby and Connie. It is the Christmas holidays and the girls are on their way from their school in Paris to celebrate the season with Connie's family. Libby 's mum is away and out of touch and initially Libby finds Connie's huge family home, with its quirks all a little overwhelming, especially when strange things begin to happen! Soon the girls get caught up in another adventure which is cleverly resolved by the end with the promise of future travels. I foresee that this will be a very popular series.

My thanks to Net galley and Firefly Press for this review which is my own

Jo Clarke has done it again! This is a rip roarer of a story, once again set in Libby’s aunt’s travelling school. We are in Edinburgh, and find out more about Libby’s friend Connie and her family home. Over Christmas Libby suspects that things aren’t quite as they seem, and when she’s thrown down some stairs, she knows for sure that something is up.
In Highland Heist, there are many confusions over paintings and over Connie’s parents and their finances. In their quest to discover the truth behind what is happening, Libby and Connie involve school friends Noah and Sebastian to help with their subterfuge. Along the way they use some tricky tactics to flush out the criminals.
This is a great story, full of adventure and twisty plots. Fans of book 1 will be thrilled to read this, and to find out that the third adventure is to New York. I can’t wait!

Jo has done it again with a superb mystery set in Edinburgh and the Scottish highlands. The travelling school is on Christmas break and Connie’s family have kindly invited Libby and her aunt to stay in their large country estate.
Libby and Connie had an eventful and mysterious Christmas, with secret passages being discovered and strange noises heard. Libby seems to have an expert nose for finding mysteries and a knack of discovering clues. There are also missing paintings and a bothy in the woods- they all seem linked and it takes a shove down the stairs for Libby to truly believe something is wrong in the house.
When they learned that the school would be staying on in Edinburgh for the first term instead of NYC, the girls were both disappointed at first. However, being in Edinburgh means they are able to learn a bit more about the happenings over Christmas.
Jo’s writing is clever, circling back to events from all parts of the story and wrapping most things up with a tight bow, though one piece of the puzzle may still be missing. I will leave that for the reader to discover themselves.
I can’t wait for the next adventure and super sleuthing by Libby and Connie- not to mention Noah and Sebastian who played a larger role in the case! How long until book 3?

I read through this in one sitting and can immediately think of some of my Year 3/4 girls who would enjoy this. Despite having not read the previous book, the main characters quickly become established and it is clear that there is a mystery just waiting to be solved. I'll be eagerly looking out for the next in this series which is sure to be a favourite for those who enjoy a good mystery.

Read both of The Travelling School Mysteries over the weekend. Love the character development in the Highland Heist. The stories feel like they are Enid Blyton for the modern age. Looking forward to getting them in the gabds of our pupils.

It is wonderful to be back with Libby in one of my favourite places in the world – Scotland! It’s Christmas and Libby is visiting her best friend, Connie, in her family’s large estate in the Scottish countryside. Sadly, the family has fallen on hard times and must make some tough financial decisions. Connie’s mum and dad are on edge but everyone is still determined to have a wonderful Christmas with plenty of hot chocolate and shortbread.

Libby’s incredible observation skills tell her that something isn’t right in the house. A secret passageway, hints of an intruder and missing art work lead to an even bigger mystery. Do the girls have what it takes to solve this mystery on their own or will they put themselves and others in danger?

The Libby series is perfect for readers who love searching for clues and working out what’s happening right along with the characters. There are enough hints that children can start to formulate a solution but enough twists that they are always left surprised in the end. In this second book, the stakes are raised with villains who aren’t afraid to get rid of anyone who stands in their way. This creates an urgency to the story and glues readers to the pages.

Libby and the Highland Heist has all the charm of the first book in the series, Libby and the Parisian Puzzle. A celebration of the story setting weaves through each chapter with the delicious food, fun traditions and beautiful landscape that makes each place unique. The Scottish countryside and the city of Edinburgh are painted with such vivid description that the reader almost feels as if they are there and would certainly recognise locations if they ever visited. The travelling school is such a wonderful concept and I can’t wait to see where they go next!

Children have always loved mysteries. With a Nancy Drew feel, Libby is sure to become a well-loved detective for many young readers.

I adore this series. Cosy crime for kids - pacy middle grade mystery adventures with JUST the right amount of peril and A TRAVELLING SCHOOL. What's not to love?

I adored Libby and the Parisian Puzzle so I was very happy to get a sneak peek into the next steps of Libby and Connie's story. I loved this one just as much! So well written, charmingly crafted, and packed with intrigue. Can't wait for the next one!

High concept and full of charm, the second book in Jo Clarke's fun detective series is lying in wait to greet us in January 2023. After thoroughly enjoying Libby and the Parisian Puzzle in March, I pounced on the opportunity for a sneak peek faster than if it was a piece of Scottish shortbread and I loved it in equal measure. After all, who could resist the chicness of a travelling school, mixed with a well-plotted mystery?

Following their adventure in Paris, Libby and her best friend Connie are looking forward to a quiet Christmas at Connie's Scottish home. But when they arrive, the subdued and rather tense atmosphere soon has the girls alarmed. Just what secrets lie within Connie's historical home and what are her parents hiding? One thing's for sure, Libby is determined to get to the bottom of it and, with her aunt's travelling school setting up home in Edinburgh, it's not long before help in on hand to solve the mystery...

What I particularly love about this series is that it cleverly mixes the contemporary with the traditional. Although, the concept of a travelling school feels fresh and unique, there is a definite nod to the mysteries I read as a child: old buildings, secret passages, austere relations and elusive but dangerous villains. Don't be fooled by the light-hearted, fun feel created by Becka Moor's delightful illustrations and Jo Clarke's effortless writing - there is a real edge of danger to this novel as Libby finds out when she takes a tumble. This, for me, really raised the stakes and made me turn the pages even faster.

The theme of food in the novel also harks back to books of my childhood. If you're keen to read descriptions of the food Libby and her friends enjoy in each city they visit, then this could be the series for you. Equally, it's clear that Jo Clarke has chosen to take her travelling school to places she knows well, with each story detailing the geography and popular locations in the area. This all adds to the depth and sensory descriptions in the novel, making it an extra satisfying read.

The novel is incredibly well-plotted. I liked the return of a familiar face and I was kept guessing to the end. I particularly like that Libby doesn't solve every part of the mystery, making her character feel more real and relatable, and the dynamic between Libby and Connie works incredibly well. The series is the perfect side step for fans of the Agent Zaiba Investigates series and a stepping stone for mystery lovers who are just developing in confidence as readers. It has firm foundations in family, friendships and school, making it adventurous yet cosy and comforting.

A big thanks to NetGalley and Firefly Press for allowing me to read a review copy. Libby and the Highland Heist is available to pre-order.

Libby and the Highland Heist is a charming middle grade mystery adventure, which I think would be particularly fun to use in a Scottish classroom!
Although it’s the second book in a series, I haven’t read the first one and felt it worked fine as a standalone, however I will now go back and read the first.
Definitely one I’ll be recommending for my pupils to read!

This is one a lot of people have been waiting for...
LOVED it as much if not even more than the first one, instead of Paris we are setting the brilliant story in the Highlands of Scotland

I love that it's a series but you don't need to read the first to enjoy this one. The characters stumble on details that might seem like small things but they soon develop into very interesting mystery adventures.

We love the writing style. It just keeps you keen to know more & you want to keep reading on to see what the brilliant characters are going to do next.

I've also recommended this to our reading MiniClub so I am sure the parents' group will create a book treasure hunt for the club!
Loved it!

Simply elegant, adventuresome, mysterious, and a delightfully addictive read.
Jo has let the magic flow through this, the second adventure, which sees the school arrive unexpectedly in Edinburgh. But it's Connie's family home in the Highlands that holds the secret to loads of adventure. In its MG way, this is as rambunctious as a ceilidh reel!

This fine series is an able step up from the Enid Blyton of yore and those fabulous – or so Mrs H says – kids' TV adventures of the seventies. I have no doubt that this adventure rooted in current times will be an immense delight and a 'gateway tale' to grander adventures as the readers grow.

Everything to love and recommend!

The simple pleasures in life are very often the greatest. A comfy pair of slippers, a few hot cups of tea and Book 2 of Jo Clarke’s Travelling School Mysteries changed a very ordinary afternoon on the sofa into the most delightful one, spent in the company of young detective Libby as she investigated the latest baffling conundrums to be placed in her path.

For anyone who has not read Book 1 – The Parisian Puzzle – this picks up shortly after that adventure and is crammed full of the same heart-warming charm that made it such a hit on its release earlier this year. While you do not need to have read that to enjoy this, I can assure you that you will want to read it so would suggest you treat yourself to that book to whet your appetite for this one. And once whetted, that appetite will only be sated by devouring this in one sitting, as I did, because this is so uplifting you will not want to put it down.

We meet Libby – together with her aunt, school head Miss Mousedale, and best friend Connie – heading north on a sleeper train to visit Connie’s family for the Christmas holiday. Alighting the train, the small party is met by Connie’s older brother Fergus, much to her disappointment as she had been expecting her father to collect them. Heading to Connie’s home within the depths of the Scottish countryside, Libby reflects on how dull it is likely to be but how grateful she is to have somewhere to go, with her mother still away working.

Arriving at Connie’s enormous family home, keen-eyed Libby is quick to notice how tired her friend’s mother looks and makes note of Connie’s disappointment at her father not welcoming back his daughter as he is locked away in his study working. As Connie’s mother and Miss Mousedale make polite conversation, Libby pays close attention and cannot help but notice a comment about Connie possibly not returning to school after the holiday which her aunt attributes to circumstances. Now on high alert, Libby takes mental note of all that she sees and hears within the house and after reading a letter regarding some of the family’s works of art being forgeries quickly realises that something very odd is going on .

When the new term arrives, Libby is pleased to have Connie by her side as the Travelling School stops at Edinburgh and the two girls head out to investigate their new surroundings, stopping at a café to share lunch. When a noise from outside draws her attention, Libby cannot help but notice a man who looks suspiciously like Connie’s father walking down the street – something that Connie dismisses as she is certain he is at home. Later that day, the school go on a walking tour of the city and Connie spots what she believes to be one of her family’s paintings in the window of an art gallery. What is Connie’s father up to? Is he involved in selling forged works of art? And can Libby work out just what is going on before the Travelling School departs for its next destination?

I defy anyone reading these books to dislike Libby. With a mind that works at 100 miles-an-hour, enormous enthusiasm for problem solving and a strong sense of empathy towards Connie, when she fears not all is well within her friend’s family, she is the most charming and delightful of heroines. Far from being a paragon of virtue, she is so very human – such as when she spills gravy all over Connie’s family’s tablecloth – and it is this perfect balance between being wise beyond her years and a typical child that makes her so endearing.

As in the first title, many of the details of the plot revolve around home comforts – this time with a distinctly Scottish twist. In addition to the almost obligatory hot chocolate and cake, Libby is introduced to the delights of Lorne sausage and tattie (potato) scones. If you are as yet unfamiliar with these, then this is something you need to rectify as soon as you are able to as both are delicious.

Perfect for increasingly confident readers in lower KS2, the novel’s relatively short length of about 250 pages makes this a great choice for those who are heading towards longer middle grade titles and this coupled again with Becka Moor’s gorgeous illustrations will tempt many children and their adults to pick this up when it is released. I absolutely adored this, as I did Book 1. Sweet, without being overly so, crammed with puzzles and clues for the reader to try to solve, this is another triumph from Jo Clarke – a delightful mystery story, that wraps you up in the very warmest of hugs and leaves you wanting more. With a visit to New York on the cards in Book 3, I for one cannot wait to re-join Libby and Connie on their next adventure.

As always, my enormous thanks go to publisher Firefly Press and Net Galley for my advance virtual read ahead of publication on January 19th. Definitely a book to pre-order .

Libby and the Highland Heist is such a fun crime story.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, where Libby settled into her new travelling school in Paris, but I've always loved the Highlands and have been anticipating this second book since it was announced. It didn't disappoint!

Connie takes a much more significant role in this one, as they initially head to her Scottish home, a very impressive near-castle like residence. However it soon becomes clear that things are not quite as they should be there. One of the major storylines in this book is Connie's family's financial troubles and they're readily apparent from the number of staff they've let go and the spaces on the walls where pictures used to hang. I liked this real world problems grounding the story, but this is a mystery so clearly it's going to be about more than their bank balance!

In Libby and the Highland Heist, Jo Clarke has really captured the spirit of the old Enid Blyton Adventure novels I used to love as a child. The old house and its grounds are full of ghost stories, secret passages, mysterious sightings of people where they shouldn't be. It's intriguing and exciting as we follow the girls on their exploration of this old building, and the Christmas setting around it is very charming.

Then it's off to Edinburgh and the Travelling School. Here the mystery element is cranked up several notches as we get more mysterious sightings and tales of forgers and fraudsters. The Scottish setting is really brought into the book with the preparations for a Highland dance and explorations around the streets and gardens of Edinburgh, and I love how the changes in setting are used to really help make each book in this series feel distinctive. There are plenty of connections back to the first book though, and it's nice to see some returning characters and a sense of an overall story running through the series.

The actual heist is the climax of the book, and I felt like it really pulled all of the different elements of the story together into a satisfying conclusion, albeit one with a few loose ends still to tie up.

Becka Moor does gorgeous illustrations throughout too. I love how her style fits the story so well.

A fun, thrilling Scottish mystery story.

After a term in Paris that wasn't quite what anyone expected, Libby and her new best friend Connie, along with Libby's aunt, Miss Mousedale, are heading to spend the Christmas holidays at Connie's ancestral home in Scotland, which just happens to come with towers and its own forest! Hoping for a quiet break, the girls quickly realise that something isn't quite right, with both of Connie's parents behaving strangely. But what exactly is going on? Why Might Connie not be able to return to school next term? And why is Libby convinced that all may not be as it seems? It's up to Libby and Connie to get to the bottom of things in their own, unique style.

Libby and the Parisian Puzzle was a wonderful debut novel for Jo and was the perfect introduction to Libby and Connie who make a wonderful partnership, and I've been very excited to discover exactly what they were going to get up to in Scotland. The book opens with the pair aboard a night train to Scotland and you are immediately brought up to date with a reminder of what happened in book 1 deftly woven into the first few pages (I love it when authors do this as it helps to jog my aging memory!). They very quickly arrive in Scotland and the mystery begins to make itself known almost from the second they walk through the door. I won't spoil anything, but it's safe to say there there's mention of secret passage ways, unusual occurrences and twists that I didn't expect!

I'm also very pleased to say that, as with Libby and the Parisian Puzzle, food makes regular appearances; however, croissants and macarons have been replaced with tattie scones and Lorne sausage (try them: they're delicious!). Having spent much of my childhood in Edinburgh visiting my grandparents, I was thrilled that the pair end up there and even more pleased to see Greyfriars Bobby & the kirkyard make an appearance (it's one of my favourite spots in the city!).

I know that Jo has had second book nerves, but I can honestly say that she has absolutely no need to be nervous: Libby and the Highland Heist is a triumph of a book. I adored being back with Libby and Connie; was gripped by the plot (I read the book in one sitting, much to the annoyance of my family whom I completely ignored until I was done) and am now desperate to see what the pair get up to next.

With wonderfully illustrations by Becka Moor, Libby and the Highland Heist is published on the 19th January and will make the perfect start to everybody's New Year so I highly recommend you pre-order it now.