Charlie and the Chocolate Factory meets Clue when six children navigate a mansion full of secrets—and maybe money—in this “delightful gem” ( School Library Journal , starred review) with heart. Sweet, shy Tabitha Crum, the neglected only child of two parents straight out of a Roald Dahl book, doesn’t have a friend in the world—except for her pet mouse, Pemberley, whom she loves dearly. But on the day she receives one of six invitations to the country estate of wealthy Countess Camilla DeMoss, her life changes forever. Upon the children’s arrival at the sprawling, possibly haunted mansion, it turns out the countess has a very big secret—one that will change their lives forever. Then the children beginning disappearing, one by one. So Tabitha takes a cue from her favorite detective novels and, with Pemberley by her side, attempts to solve the case and rescue the other children…who just might be her first real friends. "In the grand tradition of Roald Dahl. . . . A plucky amateur detective, secret passages, exaggerated characters, concealed identities, and dastardly villains equal a swell mystery." ― Kirkus Reviews "Original, engaging, and funny.... The writing is beautiful, expertly capturing all the suspense, hope, and love in the story.... A delightful gem that will fly off the shelves." ― School Library Journal (STARRED REVIEW) “A compelling puzzle, vividly drawn characters, and a clever and capable young detective.” ― Booklist (STARRED REVIEW) "Packed with the delicious elements—hidden passages, unexplained noises, suspicious servants—of a traditional British mystery, Lawson’s (The Actual and Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher) story, set in 1907 England, will keep readers engagingly puzzled throughout its multilayered twists and tangles....Well thought-out and deftly executed, Lawson’s novel will appeal to a wide audience." ― Publishers Weekly (STARRED REVIEW) Jessica Lawson is the author of The Actual & Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher , a book that Publishers Weekly called “a delightfully clever debut” in a starred review, and Nooks & Crannies , a Junior Library Guild Selection and recipient of three starred reviews. She is also the author of Waiting for Augusta , Under the Bottle Bridge , and How to Save a Queendom . You can visit her at JessicaLawsonBooks.com. Nooks & Crannies Remember, my dear Mr. Tibbs, that mysterious circumstances frequently begin with an arrival: Unexpected letters or visitors or poisoned meat pasties are often indications that one will soon be forced into mental and/or physical strain. —Inspector Percival Pensive, The Case of the Petulant Postman Just past three o’clock in the afternoon, when schools across London were releasing much-adored children by the bucketful, Tabitha Crum was ushered into the cold as well. She tarried at the edge of St. John’s gate, threading an arm through the bars and observing the world for a moment, ignoring the jostling of boys and girls who seemed in such a hurry to return to the places they belonged. “Today,” she whispered to a small lump in her satchel pocket, “we find ourselves in a curious situation, sir.” Slipping an envelope from her bag, she lightly tapped it against the obtrusion. “Off we go.” The cobblestone streets in the village of Wilting were made eerie and muted by thick November fog, and clip-clopping carriage horses snorted up and down the road, emerging and disappearing into the mist. Almost like ghosts, Tabitha mused. She clutched and rubbed the pretty envelope, letting one fingernail linger along the seam. The hand-delivery messenger had passed two letters to the teacher, glaring severely and emphasizing three times that they were not to be opened, but given to the parents of the children. What she and beastly Barnaby Trundle had done to deserve the elegant envelopes was unknown. The only certainty was that the glue was of a stubbornly good quality and Tabitha’s nails were of a woefully short length. “It’s as though they’ve sealed it together with spite,” Tabitha muttered to the pocket lump, earning an offended glance from a passing elderly lady. Whether it was the muttering, the remark itself, her outgrown uniform, her worn grayish schoolbag that resembled a mangy rabbit, or a combination, Tabitha couldn’t be sure. Perhaps the woman was offended by children as a whole, rather like her mum and dad. Licking chapped lips as she passed the corner bakery with its beckoning aromas, Tabitha felt a stirring in her belly unrelated to having eaten only broken crackers and cheese rind for lunch. Ludicrous or not, it was impossible to ignore the tiniest possibility that the envelope might contain . . . a small bit of light. Hands shaking from chill and an unfamiliar amount of prospect, she lifted the paper to her nose and took a long sniff. It smelled faintly of flowers. A summons from Scotland Yard to become an Inspector-In-Training. An invitation from King Edward to attend and gamble