Anyone but Ivy Pocket

When we first meet twelve-year-old Ivy Pocket, she is well on her way to being fired, and with good reason. Yet, Ivy never sees it coming, and when it does, she has no understanding of why. Surprisingly, another job—a dream job—comes her way almost immediately. A dying duchess hires Ivy to carry a very special diamond necklace to a very special person and to deliver it in a very special way. Ivy takes her mission seriously. On the ship from France to England, Ivy makes a friend, a very inquisitive friend, and what is going on is pretty clear to readers, but not to naïve Ivy. When Ivy finds out the duchess has been murdered, perhaps Ivy should be much more concerned than she is.

This book is very clever and has a lot of funny stuff in it, but it seems to be marketed to lower middle-grade kids, and the murders (three of them) may be a bit much for the younger readers. There is great humor throughout the book, but again, it will likely be missed by the younger readers. Older, more sophisticated readers will get it and will enjoy this mystery.