A Skeleton in the Closet

by Claire Hatcher-Smith

Overview

Twelve-year-old Mizzy wants to prove to the world that she can solve mysteries just like Sherlock Holmes, despite a reputation for tall tales. A charming new mystery series for middle-grade readers, starring a girl with Down syndrome.

Twelve-year-old Mizzy dreams of being a detective and she won't let anything stand in her way — not her reputation for tall tales, or her embarrassing fear of escalators, and definitely not her Down syndrome. Dumped for the summer with cousins who've outgrown her, Mizzy feels even more sidelined than usual. But when she discovers Great Aunt Jane's diaries in a locked wardrobe in their spare room, and realizes her aunt didn't just die in her sleep but under suspicious circumstances, everything changes. What's more . . . someone in the family appears to have been involved.

Under the guise of a family tree project for school, and armed with a brand-new set of Pip-Squeaks markers, Mizzy grabs the chance to prove herself to her cousins — and the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781774885123
Publisher:	Tundra Book Group
Publication date:	08/26/2025
Series:	The Mizzy Mysteries , #1
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	272
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	10 Years

About the Author

CLAIRE HATCHER-SMITH is a speech and language pathologist who has worked with children with Down Syndrome for thirty-five years. Originally from the UK, she now lives surrounded by sea on Vancouver Island, with her husband, their teenage son and a Korean rescue dog. As well as writing, Claire runs groups for neurodivergent tweens and teens, focusing on self/other awareness, self-esteem and self-advocacy skills.

Editorial Reviews

"[R]eaders will root for Mizzy as she uncovers family secrets and pieces together a surprisingly complex case. Mizzy—whom debut author Hatcher-Smith, a speech-language pathologist, modeled on kids she’s worked with—is appealingly multifaceted. Her desire to be taken seriously will resonate, and her growth is poignant and satisfying. . . . This auspicious series opener will leave readers eager for the next case." —Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2025-05-16
An aspiring sleuth from London endeavors to uncover the truth behind her ancestor’s death.

Twelve-and-three-quarters-year-old Mizzy sees herself as “Mizzy the Marvellous, world-famous detective.” Unfortunately, it feels like everyone else sees her as a baby. Her parents are so protective that “you’d think people with Down syndrome aren’t capable of anything,” and they dismiss Mizzy’s sleuthing by comparing her to her Great Aunt Jane, who was dubbed by some an “interfering sticky-beak” for observing and writing stories about the neighbors (to others, she was “abrilliantly perceptive surveiller”). When Mizzy discovers Great Aunt Jane’s diaries while staying with her cousins for the summer holidays, everything changes. Apparently Great Aunt Jane was murdered—and revealing her killer at Grandma Mabel’s 80th birthday party would show everyone that Mizzy definitely isn’t a baby. But as Mizzy interviews the quirky members of her extended family and pores over her phonetically spelled notes (with suspects humorously caricatured in Magoogan’s cartoonlike illustrations), she realizes that deducing whodunit could be more difficult—and more dangerous—than she thought. Though some relatives feel underdeveloped, readers will root for Mizzy as she uncovers family secrets and pieces together a surprisingly complex case. Mizzy—whom debut author Hatcher-Smith, a speech-language pathologist, modeled on kids she’s worked with—is appealingly multifaceted. Her desire to be taken seriously will resonate, and her growth is poignant and satisfying. Most characters read white.

This auspicious series opener will leave readers eager for the next case. (family tree, author’s note)(Mystery. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews