Scoop McLaren: Detective Editor

Helen Castles

New Frontier, 2019

135pp., pbk., RRP $A14.99

 9781925594836

Scoop McLaren is the thirteen-year-old news editor of her own online newspaper Click! Her role model is her dad  (who runs his own newspaper too) and he has taught her that delivering the news is an extremely important job because people rely on it so they can be properly informed.  Together with Evie, her roving reporter best friend, the girls strive to keep the residents of their seaside village of Higgity Harbour informed while using their sleuthing skills to solve some curious mysteries along the way.

In this adventure in this new series, an evil reporter Donny Fink is posting the news in his own newspaper at one minute past midnight each night and somehow that news, as disastrous as it is, comes true during the day.  So it is up to Scoop and Evie to investigate what is happening.

This is a series that will hold appeal for newly independent readers who like a solid adventure mystery into which they can project themselves. Complete with tips and tricks for writing from Scoop, it could be the beginning of a new love affair with writing as others are inspired to begin a career in journalism – or at least explore their writing strengths.