Oh, the cleverness and the rich language and the delightful characters. These are what I love in middle grade fiction, and the comparisons to a certain series (Mysterious Benedict Society) are well founded for these exact reasons. The mystery here is lighthearted yet profound in its depth which isn't fully revealed until the close. Hints of what might come in the second book are just enough to keep young readers eager for the next. (And old readers like me, too!)

A fun mechanical mystery. A love a good clue trail, particularly one that has gone cold over time, and Horten was an engaging character to tag along with. The British, old-fashioned(ish) feel of the setting was also fun, and fit in perfectly with the history mystery revolving around magicians, disappearances, and clockwork secrets. However, I wish the ending hadn't been supernatural - I thought the emphasis on the mechanical would have led to a plausible explanation, but was disappointed by a sudden dose of time travel. The first in a series, future titles seem like they will continue to include a magical element, so I'm not sure I'll keep reading. It would be fun to spend more time with Horten and the triplets in that quaint little town - I'm just not sure I'm interested in following them anywhere else.

A fun read that I think would interest kids who also like the Mysterious Benedict Society. Would also be a good recommend for a younger reader with a high reading level as there are lots of big new words peppered throughout.

This book was actually pretty good. It was a light read that is one part treasure hunt two parts wonka.

A good, solid mystery with a lot of fun and interesting elements. I really liked Stuart and his quick thinking and resourcefulness. Definitely will be recommending this at work, and I look forward to reading the sequel.

Great STEM mystery

A solid middle-grade debut, featuring an engaging protagonist in a fun adventure.

A cast of quirky characters: annoying triplets, an odd father and a dangerous magician are part of Stuart Horten's adventure as he tries to locate his missing great-uncle Tony's magic workshop. Stuart has to follow clues and avoid danger to find the secret workshop before it is too late.

This is an action oriented, engrossing tale of mystery, and adventure. We try along with Stuart to unravel the clues and find the lost workshop.


Recommended: 8 - 12 years

Subject/Theme: magic, mystery,adventure

Series: First in a series (2012 Fall-next)
facebook.com/StuartHorten

I picked this book up purely because of the cover (which is so dang gorgeous) and it was SO charming and fun! We follow a little boy named Stuart Horten who is very short (get it... S. Horten?) and is spending the summer in a new town. The new town just happens to be his father's hometown and upon arrival he learns that he had a great uncle who was a magician and used to live in this town! Stuart is very intrigued and begins to look into his uncle and his mysterious disappearance. Along the way he finds clues and magic tricks galore and also makes a new friend. This book was just so much fun. That's really all I can say. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Stuart and am looking forward to reading the next book in this duology.