The Secret Starling

"The Secret Starling" is a delightful, lightly Gothic mystery for young readers aged 4-11, featuring Clara Starling, an orphan living under her strict uncle's regime. When her uncle vanishes, Clara, along with streetwise orphan Peter and his cat, embarks on an adventure to unravel twisted family secrets. The discovery of a ballet slipper propels them into a thrilling investigation involving London's Royal Opera House, uncovering a past filled with poison, passion, and murder. This absorbing chapter book offers a classic feel, blending elements of mystery, adventure, and the resilience of plucky young protagonists. Parents should note the themes of family secrets and implied past crimes (poison, murder) are handled in a "lightly Gothic" and age-appropriate manner.

A tattered ballet slipper found under the floorboards of Braithwaite Manor may be the key to Clara’s sinister family secrets in this delightful, lightly Gothic mystery for fans of Maryrose Wood and Claire Legrand. Clara Starling lives a life of dull rules, deadly routine, and flavorless meals under her cold uncle's strict regime—until the day Uncle disappears, leaving Clara alone in his old mansion. When streetwise orphan Peter and his rescue cat arrive unexpectedly, the children seize the chance to live by their own rules. But when the pair’s wild romps through the halls of Braithwaite Manor reveal a single, worn ballet slipper, they are hurled into a mystery that will lead to London’s glittering Royal Opera House and the unraveling of twisted Starling family secrets of poison, passion, and murder. Diabolical villains, plucky orphans, and glamorous ballet stars populate this absorbing adventure with a classic feel.