Murder on a Midsummer Night

As guests gather for Sir Percy’s summer party, a murderer stalks the grounds of Mulberry Hall in this cosy midsummer mystery from bestselling author Lucy Strange.

It’s the night of Sir Percy’s midsummer costume party, and Mulberry Hall has been turned into an enchanting wonderland. But the evening takes a dark turn when grumpy guest Magnus Cooper is mysteriously poisoned.

The bumbling village policeman is baffled, so it’s down to Eliza, Bram and Krish to solve the mystery. Can they find out who had access to the bottle of poison? Did a demon really appear in the maze? And what on earth is going on down in Sir Percy’s cellar?

Particularly suitable for readers aged 9+ with a reading age of 8.

Reviews

"Lucy is such a whizz bang story teller … Murderously Good Fun." — Hilary McKay

"A wonderful introduction to detective fiction in Barrington Stoke’s super-readable, dyslexia-friendly format … This is a hugely engaging, fun and pacy murder mystery, in which readers can race to solve the crime before the baffled Inspector Plum manages to get his head around the idea of motive, means and opportunity" — Helen Peters

"With unique characters that jump off the page, Murder on a Midsummer Night is a thrilling and unguessable whodunnit. It puts a lively spin on classic mystery tropes." — Niyla Farook

"Published by Barrington Stoke, whose books are designed to entice less confident readers, the novel runs to little more than 100 pages, and much of the plot unravels in brisk, economical dialogue … What Strange sacrifices in psychological depth, however, she makes up for in pace and plotting. And the result is a swift, highly readable mystery, which treats murder less as a moral catastrophe than as the catalyst for some innocent detective work." – The Telegraph

"Lucy Strange is so accomplished at worldbuilding that this tiny but perfectly formed story fits into the reader’s palm like a shiny apple – beautiful, perfect and deeply satisfying." – INIS Magazine

"In little more than 100 pages, Strange impressively introduces a whole cast of quirky characters who are caught up in the ensuing murder investigation, boldly led by amateur detective, Eliza. This has a classic feel while also being lively and engaging." — The Bookseller

"Set against the theatrical backdrop of a fancy-dress party, Murder on a Midsummer Night is an enchanting adventure with a rich cast of quirky characters, lead by the enterprising Eliza as she races to solve the mystery in this entertaining whodunit." – Rhian Tracey

"Lucy Strange’s Murder on a Midsummer Night, is a slim, pacey and knowing romp through a country house murder mystery." – The Observer

About the author

Lucy Strange is the award-winning author of critically acclaimed children’s novels such as Our Castle by the Sea, Sisters of the Lost Marsh and The Island at the Edge of Night. Her work for Barrington Stoke includes The Storm and the Minotaur, recently adapted for the stage, and the spine-chilling ghost story The Boy at the Window. Lucy is also the co-creator with artist Pam Smy of the spooky detective series Lockett & Wilde’s Dreadfully Haunting Mysteries. A former English teacher, Lucy is a passionate Reading for Pleasure advocate. She lives