The Kingswell Kid Detectives and the Mystery of the Missing Falls (The Kingswell Kid Detectives #1)

Kingswell Kid Detectives founders and fifth grade cousins Luka and Ember take on an inaugural case that dredges up long-lost town history in this dogmatic double debut, a series launch from Veitenheimer and Weaver. Their first investigation comes from two rival descendants of Kingswell’s late town founder, who hire Luka and Ember to uncover the whereabouts of disappeared local waterfalls, which have been missing for a century. With Luka and Ember’s help, both clients determine to win a citywide contest in which participants must figure out what happened to the lost landmark, with the victor receiving glory, cash, and fabled Kingswell treasure. Before officially embarking on their inquiry, though, the detectives put their heads together to establish four core directives, including don’t fight, be kind, work as a team, and always take advantage of their “secret weapon”: prayer. But as the sleuths explore the nearby wilderness and work to decode clues from Kingswell family heirlooms, external pressures strain their close dynamic. Lackluster character development occasionally hampers a linear mystery relayed via straightforward, message-driven language about engaging in prayer and cultivating a relationship with God. Luka reads as having Latinx heritage; Ember is white. Ages 8–12. (May)