Eleven-year-old math prodigy Ada Lovelace, daughter of the famous and infamous poet Lord Byron, is a genius. Isolated, awkward and socially inept—but a genius. Mary Godwin, age 14, daughter of radical philosopher William Godwin and feminist writer Mary Wollstonecraft, is a romantic. It has been arranged for Mary and Ada to be tutored by the young man who calls himself Percy B. Snagsby, a nervous fellow who may or may not be a spy. Every day, Mary rides to the Byron estate in a carriage accompanied by Charles, a stowaway boy she is supposed to pretend isn't really there and who all the while keeps his nose in a book. As the two girls become fast friends, their irrepressible curiosity leads to the formation of the secretive Wollstonecraft Detective Agency. Their first case involves a stolen pendant, a false confession, and an array of fishy suspects—but these are no match for the deductive powers and bold hearts of Ada and Mary. Playful historical references and witticisms abound in this comic romp featuring Newgate Prison, a renegade hot-air balloon ride across the rooftops of London, and word-play worthy of the literary characters who inhabit the story. The Case of the Missing Moonstone is funny and fanciful middle-grade fiction that is guaranteed to delight readers of all ages.
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“History meets mystery in this story in which the author reimagines the lives of Ada Byron and Mary Shelley as two girls who meet in 1826 London, agree to form a secret detective agency, and embark upon a series of adventures together…While the author admits to taking a few liberties with historical facts, there are plenty of historical and scientific tidbits that may inspire readers to investigate the real-life figures as well as their discoveries and creations evolve. A good fit for Common Core curricula and a fun overall read, this is a winner.”
— School Library Journal
“This smart and witty first book…vividly recreates the social and economic milieu of 1826 England through the girls’ eyes…They use quick thinking, book smarts, and social know-how to find a stolen gemstone…Comical narration and dialogue will charm readers thoroughly.”
— Publishers Weekly“Young readers unencumbered by the knowledge that the setup is laughably ahistorical …will probably warm to Mary’s steady intelligence. They will certainly relish Ada’s many eccentricities, especially the hot air balloon she keeps tethered to her roof.”
— Kirkus Reviews“Nicola Barber tells the story with a flair and liveliness that add realism to this little time-travel jaunt. Her British pronunciations of some words may sound odd to the American ear, but she ably breathes life into this interesting cast of characters…A great start to a promising new series.”
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Jordan Stratford is a producer, author, and screenwriter.
Nicola Barber, is an Audie Award and Earphones Award-winning narrator whose voice can be heard in television and radio commercials and popular video games such as World of Warcraft. She is also an Audie finalist in the prestigious category of solo female narrationfor her work on Murphy’s Law by Rhys Bowen and Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth. She has performed on the stage in New York City and at a number of top regional theaters in the United States. Her film and television roles include The Nanny Diaries with Scarlett Johansson, and Law & Order’s 2009 season premiere. Originally from England, she currently resides in New York, a multicultural background that enables her to bring a broad range of accents and characterizations to her role as a full-time voice-over actor.