Renee Hand

 The Crypto-Capers in The Case of The Missing Sock
Author: Renée Hand
Publisher: North Star Press of St. Cloud, Inc.

Rating: 
Reviewed by:  Cheryl Malandrinos 

What do you get when you cross an accident prone computer genius, an expert puzzle solver, a flamboyant grandmother who loves knitting–even though she’s terrible at it, and a young detective who can solve crimes that stump senior members of Scotland Yard?

A great new interactive mystery series that your children will love!

Sibling detectives Max and Mia Holmes reside on Baker Street in London. Along with their Granny Nellie Holmes and their technology wizard best friend, Morris, they make up the Crypto-Capers.

In Book 1 of this series, The Case of the Missing Sock, the Crypto-Capers travel to Florida, where Mr. Delacomb hires them to locate a stolen antique sock with a specially made pair of Prada sunglasses tucked inside. With new suspects popping up everywhere they turn, the Crypto-Capers must use Max’s great skills at reasoning and deduction, Mia’s ability to solve puzzles, and Morris’s penchant for technology, to help them solve the crime. And just in case you think Granny has wandered off for no good reason, you’ll discover her wanderings are usually very productive.

Before I say anything else, I have to tell you that my daughters–ages 7 and 5–are already bugging me to get done reviewing these books so that they can have them. I have both Book 1 and Book 2 – The Case of the Red Rock Canyon, and Granny is definitely a favorite character based upon the cover art from Book 2. My girls are starting to make up their own stories without having even read these; so illustrator Alla Dubrovich deserves a huge nod for creating attention-grabbing covers.

The Case of the Missing Sock actually opens in London, with Max in the middle of something good. I don’t want to destroy the surprise, so I won’t say much more on that, but Hand wastes no time in getting right to the action.

Then we get to meet the rest of the team and get some backstory on the family. The backstory is trickled in between the current day happenings, so it doesn’t have a chance to take over the storyline or distract the reader. Hand does an excellent job of sharing just the right amount of detail to make the reader feel like he is experiencing everything along with the Crypto-Capers, while not overloading him with unnecessary junk that weighs the story down.

What I enjoyed most about this book and the plans for other books in the series, is that it gives readers, especially reluctant ones, a reason to pick up a book. By having the reader decipher cryptograms along with the team, The Case of the Missing Sock becomes more than just a book; it becomes an interactive adventure.

The Crypto-Capers by Renee Hand is one series of children’s books that I plan to keep an eye on!

LadyD Books

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Review of The Crypto Capers Book: The Case of the Missing Sock and The Case of Red Rock Canyon by Renee Hand

Are You A Puzzle Solver? You know those crossword puzzles, then there are word scrambles. Well, now you will find cryptograms to work on to help solve mysteries along with a group of young children plus their Granny!

Renee Hand’s stunning new mystery series, The Crypto Capers, is an excellent read for your children. Thanks to Cheryl Malandrinos for giving me the opportunity to review these great detective books. I received signed copies with bookmarks and a sweet note enclosed from the author of the Case of the Missing Sock and the Case of Red Rock Canyon. A big thank you to Renee Hand for such a warm welcome to her new children’s mystery book series!

Book #1 The Crypto-Capers: The Case of the Missing Sock

Right from the beginning Renee’s award winning style of writing draws you in. The author is able to create an atmosphere of mystery and wonder through likeable and well-known characters such as Sherlock Holmes. Throughout the book you will follow Max and Mia, young detectives who are asked from a rich man in Florida to help find his wife’s stolen birthday present. It seems an antique sock with a specially made pair of sunglasses tucked inside is missing.

I must warn you from the beginning, you will not want to put this book down because it is that good. One book can easily be read in a day. Basically the plot revolves around Max and Mia easily solving clues using cryptograms. The Crypto -Capers are a team of young siblings Max and Mia from London, plus their lovable Granny Nellie Holmes who is always forgetting something or wandering off and the sibling’s best friend, Morris a computer genius.

What I especially like about the Case of the Missing Sock is how these youngsters go about finding solutions through their great deductions and reasoning skills. Children will get involved with reading this book on any level and will have fun figuring out the paper clues. Of course if you get stumped, Renee easily provides answers to the cryptograms at the back of the book… but wait, no peeking. You’ll discover and solve the clues right along with Max and Mia throughout these wonderful children’s mystery series. My rating is 5+ stars. I loved this book. The price $12.95

Now the second book of the series is called The Case of Red Rock Canyon. I have been told that it’s important to read this particular series in order. With Book #2, the stolen item and assignment is: A missing Orchid Ruby Necklace. The team heads for Las Vegas, Nevada, where they are thrown into the dramatic world of theater to solve their next mystery.

Personally, I found Book #2 action packed and intense at times. You know, the kind of material kids love to read. The young detective team must sift through the clues to figure out what is truth, and what are lies. One of their lives will be in the balance. I think you will find this book an adventure of self discovery and courage!

I highly recommend Renee Hands mystery series for children ages 9-12 and their parents. The paperback books are reasonably priced and the treasures written inside are priceless. I am fond of the character Nellie because I am a Grandma also. And it is quite an adventure to be with my two precious Grandsons! As I recall, my Mother was so good at doing cross word puzzles. I found myself being drawn in to solving all these paper clues along with the professional team of Max and Mia. What fun!

The Crypto-Capers: The Case of Red Rock Canyon

I have made a strong connection with Renee’s writings. She reminds me of a modern day ‘Joan Wilder’. Congratulations Renee Hand on a winning series of children’s mystery books!

Review given by Allbooks Review 

Genre: Children’s Mystery

Title: The Crypto-Capers in The Case of the Missing Sock

Author: Renée Hand

            In this carefully crafted novel for kids, the author was able to create an atmosphere of mystery and wonder through likeable and well-known characters such as Sherlock Holmes. Max and Mia are young detectives and when a rich man from Florida asked for their assistance in finding his wife’s stolen birthday present, they were ready. By using cryptograms and brilliant knowledge, Max and Mia were able to find and answer many clues that even the police could not find.

            Renée Hand has a very unusual but pleasantly surprising writing style. It was a refreshing taste of genuine writing straight from the heart. Through out the novel, her characters became more and more real as their personalities came through on every page. They each had their distinct aura and were easy to relate too; an over-all, safe style but instant children’s classic.

            Renée Hand’s love for reading and writing started when she was only a young child and remained constant through her life as a teenager and young adult. She writes not only to entertain but to build a connection between herself and her readers. Her first novel, Magic Hearts, won Best Fantasy Romance in 2006, and her second novel, Seduction of the Lonely Heart, won a National Literary award for Best Romance in 2007.

            Overall, this mystery novel about following your heart and never giving up would instantly click in the minds of young boys and girls. Highly Recommended by reviewer, Nicole Harris, Allbooks Review,  this interactive novel would be an immediate hit in classrooms all over the world.

 Michigan author, Renee Hand wins national literary award.