The Case of the Stolen Sixpence

Originally published in the U.K., this first book in the Mysteries of Maisie Hitchens series suggests a young Nancy Drew adventure by way of Downton Abbey. Twelve-year-old aspiring sleuth Maisie, who helps her grandmother at their Victorian London boarding house, longs to emulate the famous, dashing detective Gilbert Carrington, who lives nearby ("Just imagine, Maisie thought, following footprints, spotting clues, trailing culprits..."). As Maisie is a "noticing sort of person," she happens upon two mysteries in short order, one involving an abandoned puppy found in a wet sack, and the other concerning the local butcher's delivery boy, who has been wrongly accused of pilfering the sixpence of the title. The boarding house's colorful tenants and employees, Maisie's wealthy best friend and neighbor, and the butcher shop's staff all keep the story entertaining and the moving parts of the plot in play. Lindsay's humorous b&w line drawings are in step with the light atmosphere Webb creates as she lays the groundwork for future cases. Ages 9%E2%80%9312. (Sept.)