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Laura Marlin Mysteries #1
Dead Man's Cove
Blue Peter award-winning mystery adventure from the author of THE WHITE GIRAFFE quartet.
'What I want,' Laura declared is to have a life packed with excitement like some of the characters in my books.' And Laura Marlin's favourite character is ace-detective Matt Walker. When she is sent to live with an uncle in St Ives, Cornwall, she's convinced that a life of adventure is hers at last. But everywhere she turns she's confronted with mysteries. Nothing is what it seems.
Is Tariq, the shopkeeper's silent son, a friend or an enemy? Why does her uncle seem so intent on erasing his own past? And why is everyone so afraid of Dead Man's Cove?
When Laura finds a message in a bottle, she embarks on a deadly quest, one that will test her detective skills to the limit and set her on a collision course with a gang of criminal masterminds who will stop at nothing to get their own way.
'What I want,' Laura declared is to have a life packed with excitement like some of the characters in my books.' And Laura Marlin's favourite character is ace-detective Matt Walker. When she is sent to live with an uncle in St Ives, Cornwall, she's convinced that a life of adventure is hers at last. But everywhere she turns she's confronted with mysteries. Nothing is what it seems.
Is Tariq, the shopkeeper's silent son, a friend or an enemy? Why does her uncle seem so intent on erasing his own past? And why is everyone so afraid of Dead Man's Cove?
When Laura finds a message in a bottle, she embarks on a deadly quest, one that will test her detective skills to the limit and set her on a collision course with a gang of criminal masterminds who will stop at nothing to get their own way.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
About the author
Lauren St. John
68 books374 followersLauren St John grew up on a farm and game reserve in Africa, the inspiration for her acclaimed memoir, Rainbow's End, and her award-winning White Giraffe series for children. Dead Man's Cove, the first in her Laura Marlin mystery series, won the Blue Peter Book of the Year Award in 2011. Her bestselling One Dollar Horse trilogy for teenagers was followed by The Glory, a breathtaking YA adventure and romance about a long distance horse race across the American West. Formerly a sports and music journalist, Lauren is the author of Seve and Hardcore Troubador: the Life & Near Death of Steve Earle, a superb, gripping biography of an Americana legend. The Obituary Writer, her first adult novel, was published in 2014 and she is currently at work on her second. Both The White Giraffe and The Glory have been optioned for film.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
November 18, 2011
I'm going to be terribly unprofessional here for a moment so please do humour me.
THIS IS BRILLIANT.
*Puts Critic hat back on*
THIS IS BRILLIANT
Oh, this will never do. Okay, I'll have to do my best to restore some sort of professional overtones to this review.
Laura Marlin is brilliant.
Wait, it's not improving is it.
She has a three legged Siberian huskey as a sidekick. Which is brilliant.
Oh, I give in.
THIS BOOK IS BRILLIANT. It's the Famous Five meets Nancy Drew. It has the wonderful Laura Marlin - bright, brilliant heroine that she is - and she's a delight to read. It has a shady uncle. An even shadier housekeeper. And it feels like sunshine and coconut fudge and fry-ups at the seaside cafe.
Just go get it. Read it. Because it's brilliant.
THIS IS BRILLIANT.
*Puts Critic hat back on*
THIS IS BRILLIANT
Oh, this will never do. Okay, I'll have to do my best to restore some sort of professional overtones to this review.
Laura Marlin is brilliant.
Wait, it's not improving is it.
She has a three legged Siberian huskey as a sidekick. Which is brilliant.
Oh, I give in.
THIS BOOK IS BRILLIANT. It's the Famous Five meets Nancy Drew. It has the wonderful Laura Marlin - bright, brilliant heroine that she is - and she's a delight to read. It has a shady uncle. An even shadier housekeeper. And it feels like sunshine and coconut fudge and fry-ups at the seaside cafe.
Just go get it. Read it. Because it's brilliant.
August 16, 2012
Even though this book was meant for a younger audience, I enjoyed it. It made me really nostalgic of when I was younger, and I wanted to be a detective. Even though that's no longer my ambition, I could still relate to the main character nonetheless.
Reasons to Read:
1.Writing Style:
I really liked the way that St John wrote the novel. It flowed really well; nothing was too awkward about it. I also found it was really easy to read for younger audiences, without making it too young sounding. Each character definitely had their own manner of speaking throughout the entire story that made it easy to know who was speaking at different parts. This book dealt with a lot of things like abuse, slavery, gangs, and poverty-causing debt. All of the subjects, I thought, were kind of mature for a book written for ten-year-olds, but it was written in a very tasteful fashion meant for a younger audience.
2.Plot:
The whole plot was really good and the ending was really well done. I won't spoil it (it being a mystery book and all) but all of the loose ends were tied. I didn't figure out the mystery before the end of the book, which was really nice because that can be really annoying. All of the clues did actually connect to the mystery. I can't really say much about what the plot is, but it really is an exciting adventure from start to finish.
This book did take me a bit to read even though it's only 201 pages. I think the reason for that is because I just haven't really been into reading lately. Besides that, I think it would be a fairly short read. Some of the secondary characters were a bit flat, but I think that if the author had expanded on them it would be longer book that probably most ten-year-olds wouldn't want to read. Other than that, this book was well done.
Review copy received from Hachette UK for my honest review; no other compensation received.
Reasons to Read:
1.Writing Style:
I really liked the way that St John wrote the novel. It flowed really well; nothing was too awkward about it. I also found it was really easy to read for younger audiences, without making it too young sounding. Each character definitely had their own manner of speaking throughout the entire story that made it easy to know who was speaking at different parts. This book dealt with a lot of things like abuse, slavery, gangs, and poverty-causing debt. All of the subjects, I thought, were kind of mature for a book written for ten-year-olds, but it was written in a very tasteful fashion meant for a younger audience.
2.Plot:
The whole plot was really good and the ending was really well done. I won't spoil it (it being a mystery book and all) but all of the loose ends were tied. I didn't figure out the mystery before the end of the book, which was really nice because that can be really annoying. All of the clues did actually connect to the mystery. I can't really say much about what the plot is, but it really is an exciting adventure from start to finish.
This book did take me a bit to read even though it's only 201 pages. I think the reason for that is because I just haven't really been into reading lately. Besides that, I think it would be a fairly short read. Some of the secondary characters were a bit flat, but I think that if the author had expanded on them it would be longer book that probably most ten-year-olds wouldn't want to read. Other than that, this book was well done.
Review copy received from Hachette UK for my honest review; no other compensation received.
March 16, 2014
A great mystery and a lovely, determined heroine. A real treat!
January 8, 2019
An orphaned girl with a big love for detectives finds herself thrown into mystery when she moves in to live with her uncle.
I bought this one during my vacation in 2018, so almost 6 months ago, but never was in the mood to read this one. Oh boy, past me, why why? Because as soon as I started this one I was totally in the story. I wanted to read on and on and on.
Meet Laura, an orphaned girl with a bit of a case of pickiness. She has had so many chances with new families and none of them worked. And while I understand a new family is scary, she has to be a bit less picky about things. And then when she is with her uncle she has all the freedom, and I was just kind of eh about that. Because she kept reminding us, the reader, HOW MUCH SHE loved the freedom and how the other families didn't trust her that much. Um, um, sorry, but it is quite normal that a 11/12 year old doesn't have the full free rein of anything they want. I am sorry, but it is normal to have bedtimes. To have to eat healthy. To get up at a normal time. To listen to their caretakers. To not just go outside without letting people know.
But aside that I did love Laura and how smart she was, and that she had a dream, to become a detective. And that she didn't let anything stand between her and that dream. Plus, I just love a girl who loves books and reading.
What was up with her uncle? I knew it very fast, and then it was fun reading to see how long it took Laura to figure it all out. I did think it took her quite some time, and it was mostly due to her stalking her uncle in the night and overhearing a conversation. :P
Tariq? I loved that guy, though I did feel sorry for what was happening to him. As for what was going on with him? It took me a bit longer to find out all the details, sure, I had some suspicions but I hadn't expected the story to take that turn.
The town of Cornwall? It was quite a lovely place, going by the descriptions. Quiet, small, it has a beach (I would love to live near the beach), there are all kind of fun shops and foodplaces. And then there are the mysterious things that are going on in the town. I was highly curious about Deadman's Cove.
At first I was wondering if Laura went to school, but then it was mentioned. I do have to say that I wasn't a fan of the people there. The teacher who apparently had his dreams shattered (at least that is how it felt to me) and so was enormously discouraging these young kids. The way he talked when Laura told her dreamjob? Man, that is just too much. Way to throw a dream out of the window. I get that you have to stay realistic, but let a kid dream, so much is possible these days that dreams can be fulfilled. I am glad that Laura stood her ground though. *cheers*
The ending, oh boy, the story was already fast-paced, but with this we totally sped up. The last part of the book was one that had me totally immersed in the book, I just had to know if Tariq and Laura would be all right.
Oh, oh, and thank you author for writing a girl character with short hair. It doesn't happen that often that girls have short hair. And I know that as a kid I would have loved this book. Because when I was a kid (and quite some time afterwards again) I had supershort hair. However so many girl characters have long/semi-long hair. :(
I loved that each new chapter had an illustration to accompany it. The style was very nicely done.
All in all, a fantastic book, and yes, I agree with the review on my cover. I am a fan of Enid Blyton and I was delighted by this book, as it did remind me quite a bit of Enid Blyton's stories. I would recommend this one, and I will be looking around to see if I can buy the next book in this series. Let's see what Laura's next adventures will be.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I bought this one during my vacation in 2018, so almost 6 months ago, but never was in the mood to read this one. Oh boy, past me, why why? Because as soon as I started this one I was totally in the story. I wanted to read on and on and on.
Meet Laura, an orphaned girl with a bit of a case of pickiness. She has had so many chances with new families and none of them worked. And while I understand a new family is scary, she has to be a bit less picky about things. And then when she is with her uncle she has all the freedom, and I was just kind of eh about that. Because she kept reminding us, the reader, HOW MUCH SHE loved the freedom and how the other families didn't trust her that much. Um, um, sorry, but it is quite normal that a 11/12 year old doesn't have the full free rein of anything they want. I am sorry, but it is normal to have bedtimes. To have to eat healthy. To get up at a normal time. To listen to their caretakers. To not just go outside without letting people know.
But aside that I did love Laura and how smart she was, and that she had a dream, to become a detective. And that she didn't let anything stand between her and that dream. Plus, I just love a girl who loves books and reading.
What was up with her uncle? I knew it very fast, and then it was fun reading to see how long it took Laura to figure it all out. I did think it took her quite some time, and it was mostly due to her stalking her uncle in the night and overhearing a conversation. :P
Tariq? I loved that guy, though I did feel sorry for what was happening to him. As for what was going on with him? It took me a bit longer to find out all the details, sure, I had some suspicions but I hadn't expected the story to take that turn.
The town of Cornwall? It was quite a lovely place, going by the descriptions. Quiet, small, it has a beach (I would love to live near the beach), there are all kind of fun shops and foodplaces. And then there are the mysterious things that are going on in the town. I was highly curious about Deadman's Cove.
At first I was wondering if Laura went to school, but then it was mentioned. I do have to say that I wasn't a fan of the people there. The teacher who apparently had his dreams shattered (at least that is how it felt to me) and so was enormously discouraging these young kids. The way he talked when Laura told her dreamjob? Man, that is just too much. Way to throw a dream out of the window. I get that you have to stay realistic, but let a kid dream, so much is possible these days that dreams can be fulfilled. I am glad that Laura stood her ground though. *cheers*
The ending, oh boy, the story was already fast-paced, but with this we totally sped up. The last part of the book was one that had me totally immersed in the book, I just had to know if Tariq and Laura would be all right.
Oh, oh, and thank you author for writing a girl character with short hair. It doesn't happen that often that girls have short hair. And I know that as a kid I would have loved this book. Because when I was a kid (and quite some time afterwards again) I had supershort hair. However so many girl characters have long/semi-long hair. :(
I loved that each new chapter had an illustration to accompany it. The style was very nicely done.
All in all, a fantastic book, and yes, I agree with the review on my cover. I am a fan of Enid Blyton and I was delighted by this book, as it did remind me quite a bit of Enid Blyton's stories. I would recommend this one, and I will be looking around to see if I can buy the next book in this series. Let's see what Laura's next adventures will be.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
May 25, 2014
Dead Man's Cove was the first book chosen for my monthly book club. I had been wanting to read it for a while because it sounded like a perfect middle grade adventure and mystery in the vein of Enid Blyton, plus the cover is stunning! Dead Man's Cove is the first story in the Laura Marlin Mysteries series, following 11-year-old Laura as she works on becoming an ace detective, inspired by her favourite fictional detective Matt Walker. Laura is living in Sylvan Meadow's Children's Home when she is discovered by her uncle, Calvin Redfern, and taken to live in St Ives, Cornwall, where her detective skills are about to be put to use.
Middle grade mysteries are among my favourite books to read because they're so much fun and Dead Man's Cove certainly isn't short of mysteries to figure out. Why is the cove so dangerous? Is Tariq, the shopkeeper's quiet son, who he appears to be? Why is the housekeeper, Mrs Webb, so mean? Does her uncle really work in the fisheries? And what does Laura have to do to find her place in St Ives? Dead Man's Cove was (to my delight!) much more complicated and darker than expected, but it also leaves you nostalgic for a childhood you (likely) never had, full of breakfast by the sea, accompanied by a loyal Siberian Husky named Skye, roaming sand the 'colour of a Labrador puppy'. It made me miss living by the sea while I was at university, waking up to seagulls every morning.
It's not just the mystery that is so wonderful, but also the colourful, vivid and distinct characters. You'll have an opinion on all of them, especially Laura Marlin herself, who is an incredibly passionate, intelligent and brave young girl. Luckily, her uncle Calvin knows she's responsible and gives Laura the space to explore, although he's not so sure that she should be rushing to pick her career so quickly... Mrs Crabtree, Laura's nosy neighbour is hilarious and a brilliant addition to the story, and Mr. Mukhtar, Tariq's father, is suspicious and untrustworthy. But when you're just an 11-year-old, it's difficult to get people to believe you.
Dead Man's Cove is a delightful, nostalgic mystery that'll make you remember the time you pretended to be Harriet the Spy, trying to figure out the puzzle in front of you, and in this modern children's detective story, you'll join Laura as she tries to find a place in her new home. I've already read the World Book Day short story, The Midnight Picnic, and can't wait to start the second book, Kidnap in the Caribbean. Just wonderful!
'They came for her at 6.47am. Laura made a note of the time because she'd been waiting for this moment for eleven years, one month and five days and she wanted always to remember it - the hour her life began.'
I also reviewed this book over on Pretty Books.
Middle grade mysteries are among my favourite books to read because they're so much fun and Dead Man's Cove certainly isn't short of mysteries to figure out. Why is the cove so dangerous? Is Tariq, the shopkeeper's quiet son, who he appears to be? Why is the housekeeper, Mrs Webb, so mean? Does her uncle really work in the fisheries? And what does Laura have to do to find her place in St Ives? Dead Man's Cove was (to my delight!) much more complicated and darker than expected, but it also leaves you nostalgic for a childhood you (likely) never had, full of breakfast by the sea, accompanied by a loyal Siberian Husky named Skye, roaming sand the 'colour of a Labrador puppy'. It made me miss living by the sea while I was at university, waking up to seagulls every morning.
It's not just the mystery that is so wonderful, but also the colourful, vivid and distinct characters. You'll have an opinion on all of them, especially Laura Marlin herself, who is an incredibly passionate, intelligent and brave young girl. Luckily, her uncle Calvin knows she's responsible and gives Laura the space to explore, although he's not so sure that she should be rushing to pick her career so quickly... Mrs Crabtree, Laura's nosy neighbour is hilarious and a brilliant addition to the story, and Mr. Mukhtar, Tariq's father, is suspicious and untrustworthy. But when you're just an 11-year-old, it's difficult to get people to believe you.
Dead Man's Cove is a delightful, nostalgic mystery that'll make you remember the time you pretended to be Harriet the Spy, trying to figure out the puzzle in front of you, and in this modern children's detective story, you'll join Laura as she tries to find a place in her new home. I've already read the World Book Day short story, The Midnight Picnic, and can't wait to start the second book, Kidnap in the Caribbean. Just wonderful!
'They came for her at 6.47am. Laura made a note of the time because she'd been waiting for this moment for eleven years, one month and five days and she wanted always to remember it - the hour her life began.'
I also reviewed this book over on Pretty Books.
May 4, 2014
1. I decided to read this book because a family member recommended it to me and said that it was very good. I also liked the themes of the book.
2. A character I found interesting was Mr. Calvin Redfern who was the uncle of Laura Marlin. In the story he was described as a “disheveled one-eyed tyrant who arrived into town in the dead of night”, and I thought what this means was that nobody knew him well and that he just appeared from somewhere one day. Later on, in the story he is revealed to be a detective that moved into town because of a tragic accident but is being followed by a gang who wants to seek revenge. I thought he was interesting because in the beginning he looked like a normal person who might have had a very bad past and moved in to start a new life but then it turns out that he is actually a detective undercover and solving a mystery. I also think that his character is very important in the story.
3. My favourite quote from the book was the description of Mr. Calvin Redfern: “The ink-black figure of a man stood framed against the yellow light with a wolfhound at his side. The slope of his shoulders and knots of muscles in his forearm as he gripped the creatures collar, spoke of an immense power, carefully restrained.” I thought this quote was quite interesting because of the powerful descriptive language that was used to describe him like; the ‘ink-black figure’ makes him sound sinister and intimidating. Also the description of his physical appearance makes us think that he is probably a bad person who has power and can do anything he want when he is really not like that.
4. Something that I thought more deeply/differently about was how looks can be quite deceiving and of how Laura went pass her limits to go solve a mystery by herself and put herself in danger sometimes. It also made me think about who you should put your trust in because even the closest person might not be as trustful as you think they are.
2. A character I found interesting was Mr. Calvin Redfern who was the uncle of Laura Marlin. In the story he was described as a “disheveled one-eyed tyrant who arrived into town in the dead of night”, and I thought what this means was that nobody knew him well and that he just appeared from somewhere one day. Later on, in the story he is revealed to be a detective that moved into town because of a tragic accident but is being followed by a gang who wants to seek revenge. I thought he was interesting because in the beginning he looked like a normal person who might have had a very bad past and moved in to start a new life but then it turns out that he is actually a detective undercover and solving a mystery. I also think that his character is very important in the story.
3. My favourite quote from the book was the description of Mr. Calvin Redfern: “The ink-black figure of a man stood framed against the yellow light with a wolfhound at his side. The slope of his shoulders and knots of muscles in his forearm as he gripped the creatures collar, spoke of an immense power, carefully restrained.” I thought this quote was quite interesting because of the powerful descriptive language that was used to describe him like; the ‘ink-black figure’ makes him sound sinister and intimidating. Also the description of his physical appearance makes us think that he is probably a bad person who has power and can do anything he want when he is really not like that.
4. Something that I thought more deeply/differently about was how looks can be quite deceiving and of how Laura went pass her limits to go solve a mystery by herself and put herself in danger sometimes. It also made me think about who you should put your trust in because even the closest person might not be as trustful as you think they are.
November 27, 2014
A truly outstanding, totally enthralling mystery set in Cornwall, England, this is one of the very best children's mysteries I've ever read. The heroine, 11-year-old orphan Laura Marlin, has been rescued from the children's home by her mysterious uncle, Calvin Redfern. Laura loves books, especially detective stories, and wants to become a detective like her favorite fictional detective, Matt Walker.
After she arrives in St. Ives, where her uncle lives, she finds all sorts of mysteries that call out to her to be solved: What is her uncle's real occupation? Why does he forbid her to go to Dead Man's Cove? Why has the silent boy Tariq, who lives with an Indian couple who run a grocery store, suddenly rejected her friendship? Who has been leaving her messages in a bottle? These are only a few of the puzzles that Laura's curiosity won't let her leave unsolved.
There's plenty of adventure here, plus a twisty plot, quirky, believable characters, and a satisfying, surprising ending. One of my favorite characters is a lovable, brave three-legged Siberian husky who becomes Laura's soul mate. It's a wonderful tale that will appeal not only to kids, but also to grown-ups, even those who don't usually read children's books.
After she arrives in St. Ives, where her uncle lives, she finds all sorts of mysteries that call out to her to be solved: What is her uncle's real occupation? Why does he forbid her to go to Dead Man's Cove? Why has the silent boy Tariq, who lives with an Indian couple who run a grocery store, suddenly rejected her friendship? Who has been leaving her messages in a bottle? These are only a few of the puzzles that Laura's curiosity won't let her leave unsolved.
There's plenty of adventure here, plus a twisty plot, quirky, believable characters, and a satisfying, surprising ending. One of my favorite characters is a lovable, brave three-legged Siberian husky who becomes Laura's soul mate. It's a wonderful tale that will appeal not only to kids, but also to grown-ups, even those who don't usually read children's books.
December 15, 2016
I really enjoyed this book and felt that the characters were very interesting and developed further as you read the book. There were a lot of ins and outs in the books which made it even more exciting to read. I would like to read the others in this series
May 3, 2012
Just finished this and I loved it. Great mystery, good characters and the setting was magical.
October 26, 2023
Only published in 2010, this book already feels a bit dated. The Asian family felt stereotyped, and of course, they’re the baddies of the book, because that’s foreigners for you, I guess? There also wasn’t much mystery. Most of the book is spent setting up Laura Marlin’s backstory and current status. As for that, I found it hard to believe an eleven year old girl could be adopted by an estranged uncle she didn’t even know existed without actually meeting him first. Just a few phone calls apparently, before being driven to the other end of the country and left on her uncle’s doorstep. Re-homed cats and dogs get more checks than that!
The action of the book only really starts quite near the end and is told via some lengthy exposition. It’s all quite sudden, and the criminals don’t fall into the Romantic or cosy crime categories - it’s a bit grim and deals with modern issues. That doesn’t really fit with the Enid Blyton vibes the book is trying give off. It all ended rather abruptly too - one moment we’re thrown into danger, then it’s two days later, then the story is over. By the end, I was underwhelmed, which is a shame, because I liked the main characters and the Cornish setting. It just lacked mystery, atmosphere and a sense of adventure.
The action of the book only really starts quite near the end and is told via some lengthy exposition. It’s all quite sudden, and the criminals don’t fall into the Romantic or cosy crime categories - it’s a bit grim and deals with modern issues. That doesn’t really fit with the Enid Blyton vibes the book is trying give off. It all ended rather abruptly too - one moment we’re thrown into danger, then it’s two days later, then the story is over. By the end, I was underwhelmed, which is a shame, because I liked the main characters and the Cornish setting. It just lacked mystery, atmosphere and a sense of adventure.
June 23, 2022
I really liked it and has made me read some of her other books. I definitely recommend this book to people who enjoy mystery.
December 31, 2018
If I'd have read Kat Wolfe Investigates after reading this, instead of the other way around, I think I might have felt a little cheated. They are similar in a lot of ways, and while Kat Wolfe feels a lot like a more current and updated version of Laura Marlin, it left me feeling this book was a little left behind and forgotten, but I think I enjoyed it more than Kat Wolfe.
Laura's an orphan who has spent most o her life in a children's home, dreaming of long-lost relatives coming to find her. When an uncle suddenly does come to claim her and bring her to live with him in his seaside home in a small Cornish town, Laura is excited to begin her new life. But while her uncle is kind and gives her plenty of things she's never had in her life (including a doggo friend), he's not so generous with his time, always busy with some vague assignments and working at strange hours. Laura also can't work out if the shopkeeper's boy actually wants to be friends with her or not, and there's lots of suspicious and worrying things happening with him and his family, which of course Laura must investigate.
In St. John's usual sleuth-detective style, Laura's investigations lead her into a dangerous adventure with smugglers and new friends, spies and secrets. Laura's a headstrong kid with plenty of attitude and determination. Her strong sense of loyalty and curiosity means that this series is bound to be as exciting and fun as this first adventure. My only qualm was its similarities to Kat Wolfe, and also (similarly to Kat Wolfe) the over-the-top ridiculous bad-guy dialogue that felt better suited to those dognappers in 101 Dalmatians or Scooby-Doo villains. But nonetheless, this was a really fun book, and I especially appreciated how Laura is drawn with short hair on the cover -- such a small thing, but 10-year-old me would have instantly lapped Laura up as her hero for that.
Laura's an orphan who has spent most o her life in a children's home, dreaming of long-lost relatives coming to find her. When an uncle suddenly does come to claim her and bring her to live with him in his seaside home in a small Cornish town, Laura is excited to begin her new life. But while her uncle is kind and gives her plenty of things she's never had in her life (including a doggo friend), he's not so generous with his time, always busy with some vague assignments and working at strange hours. Laura also can't work out if the shopkeeper's boy actually wants to be friends with her or not, and there's lots of suspicious and worrying things happening with him and his family, which of course Laura must investigate.
In St. John's usual sleuth-detective style, Laura's investigations lead her into a dangerous adventure with smugglers and new friends, spies and secrets. Laura's a headstrong kid with plenty of attitude and determination. Her strong sense of loyalty and curiosity means that this series is bound to be as exciting and fun as this first adventure. My only qualm was its similarities to Kat Wolfe, and also (similarly to Kat Wolfe) the over-the-top ridiculous bad-guy dialogue that felt better suited to those dognappers in 101 Dalmatians or Scooby-Doo villains. But nonetheless, this was a really fun book, and I especially appreciated how Laura is drawn with short hair on the cover -- such a small thing, but 10-year-old me would have instantly lapped Laura up as her hero for that.
October 24, 2015
I'm definitely going to read more of St. John's books, especially more of the Laura Marlin mysteries. This book would be an absolute corker of a read for LKS2 as a whole class. Even a seasoned reader could be forgiven for not seeing all the plot twists before they take place. St. John also reveals the darker elements of society (factory sweatshops from India/slavery/child labour) which I think could open up some interesting debate among the class.
I liked the opening of the story, the chapter size (just the right length for a newly-fluent reader), the characters and the setting of St. Ives which I must now visit but what holds the whole thing together is Laura who is a well-crafted and relatable character in that she is a flawed as she is adventurous. I'm all for scarred and flawed heroes and St. John has done a great job with Laura. It seems that orphaned children finding out they have flawed yet deeply interesting relations who step up to look after them is a slice of narrative planning that works well.
Written in 3rd person from behind Laura's shoulder, St. John doesn't go overboard with descriptive sentences (and she could have with it being based in St. Ives). Instead, I think she gets the balance just right between description, mystery and pace. The first half of the book goes along quite slowly as Laura adjusts to her new life and settings but when the mystery behind her uncle and new friend begin to unravel I found that I couldn't put the book down and was disappointed when it all ended with quite a sudden jolt.
I liked the opening of the story, the chapter size (just the right length for a newly-fluent reader), the characters and the setting of St. Ives which I must now visit but what holds the whole thing together is Laura who is a well-crafted and relatable character in that she is a flawed as she is adventurous. I'm all for scarred and flawed heroes and St. John has done a great job with Laura. It seems that orphaned children finding out they have flawed yet deeply interesting relations who step up to look after them is a slice of narrative planning that works well.
Written in 3rd person from behind Laura's shoulder, St. John doesn't go overboard with descriptive sentences (and she could have with it being based in St. Ives). Instead, I think she gets the balance just right between description, mystery and pace. The first half of the book goes along quite slowly as Laura adjusts to her new life and settings but when the mystery behind her uncle and new friend begin to unravel I found that I couldn't put the book down and was disappointed when it all ended with quite a sudden jolt.
July 21, 2010
11 year old Laura is an orphan. Her father, an American soldier, disappeared long before she was born, and her mother died during childbirth. All her life, Laura has lived at the Sylvan Meadow's Children Home. Always hoping and dreaming of finding a home where she can stay longer than half a day because she is fussy. And then finally, such a dream comes true. Her uncle, her mother's brother, is found, and agrees to take her in. She moves to Cornwall to live with her uncle and immediately falls in love with it.
Her uncle, Calvin Redfern is a very intriguing character. Whenever he's around, you get the sense that there's something hidden about him. - secrets.
Laura has always wanted to be a detective. Her idol being Matt Walker, a character in a series of books. And soon, mysteries begin to surround her in St Ives. What are the Mukthars hiding? Who is J? And what is her uncle hiding.
It's gripping, hugely entertaining and has something special about it - I just can't put my finger on it. Lauren St John has written a beauty with this one! My only criticism is that it wasn't longer. I was left yearning for more! Very much looking forward to the second book in the series, Kidnap In The Caribbean, due next year.
Her uncle, Calvin Redfern is a very intriguing character. Whenever he's around, you get the sense that there's something hidden about him. - secrets.
Laura has always wanted to be a detective. Her idol being Matt Walker, a character in a series of books. And soon, mysteries begin to surround her in St Ives. What are the Mukthars hiding? Who is J? And what is her uncle hiding.
It's gripping, hugely entertaining and has something special about it - I just can't put my finger on it. Lauren St John has written a beauty with this one! My only criticism is that it wasn't longer. I was left yearning for more! Very much looking forward to the second book in the series, Kidnap In The Caribbean, due next year.
January 2, 2014
The book reminded me very much of the Famous Five books I enjoyed as a child but brought right up to date and given a social conscience. The book touches on some serious issues, such as the human slavery trade, illegal immigation and child abuse, but in a very child-friendly way. I love the strong female character who would give any of her male counterparts a run for their money, and the supporting cast of characters add some humorous moments.
Even as a grown-up, I found it well written and exciting, so I'll definitely be looking out for the other books in the series, to read myself before passing them on to Sophie and Juliette. The book was given the impressive title of Blue Peter Book of the Year 2011, so I'm not the only one to be won over. I'd say it is suited to readers of both sexes, aged around 8-12.
(full review on my blog : http://madhousefamilyreviews.blogspot...)
Even as a grown-up, I found it well written and exciting, so I'll definitely be looking out for the other books in the series, to read myself before passing them on to Sophie and Juliette. The book was given the impressive title of Blue Peter Book of the Year 2011, so I'm not the only one to be won over. I'd say it is suited to readers of both sexes, aged around 8-12.
(full review on my blog : http://madhousefamilyreviews.blogspot...)
February 18, 2015
This book is phenomenal, no joke! I read this in 1day.
It follows a girl called laura marlin, who lived in a children's home, because her mother died and her father was unknown to her and fellow people. Laura is then told that she has a long lost uncle who has offered to adopt her, and lives in st Ives. Laura's uncle, Calvin redfern is a mysterious character at first but toward the end of the book he is possibly one of my favourite characters.
This book is a mystery and quite funny at times also scary. I loved Skye (if u have read it u will know who the little guy is) he made the story better. My overall favourite character is laura, if u read it u will understand why I like her!
READ it
It follows a girl called laura marlin, who lived in a children's home, because her mother died and her father was unknown to her and fellow people. Laura is then told that she has a long lost uncle who has offered to adopt her, and lives in st Ives. Laura's uncle, Calvin redfern is a mysterious character at first but toward the end of the book he is possibly one of my favourite characters.
This book is a mystery and quite funny at times also scary. I loved Skye (if u have read it u will know who the little guy is) he made the story better. My overall favourite character is laura, if u read it u will understand why I like her!
READ it
June 9, 2013
A really cracking younger (8 to 12) kids adventure novel very much in the Enid Blyton mood but brought right up to date with a daring female lead, traffic'd children, criminal gangs, hidden messages and shady characters. However it still contains lots of cake, hot chocolate and yummy food (albeit pescatarian)
Beautifully written and well paced with excellent main characters and pitched perfectly for the audience - a roaring adventure with just the right amount of peril. It never talks down to the audience and is a clever book that covers "issues" without forcing them on you.
Beautifully written and well paced with excellent main characters and pitched perfectly for the audience - a roaring adventure with just the right amount of peril. It never talks down to the audience and is a clever book that covers "issues" without forcing them on you.
Read
September 18, 2020I think the book starts off well, telling of a girl from an orphanage being adopted by her mysterious and kind uncle. But I had to say the ending was not satisfying as it skipped lots of the climax action and just jumped to the uncle's POV of the story. Other than that the book is a nice mystery and a pretty short read.
January 6, 2012
A brilliant, gripping children's adventure story. Feels like a better version of the Famous Five. My only gripe is the use of home education as a cover for child slavery, but it does make a useful plot device.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 23, 2014
I LOVE this book!!!!! It's soooooo good!!!!! I'm going to Cornwall in the summer and my sister and I (who also loves this book) are going to see Dead Man's Coves together, and go to 28 Ocean View Terrace because we love it so much!
December 18, 2014
I really enjoyed this. It was lent to me by one of the kids in my class who thought I would like it since I enjoy The Famous Five. He was right! I really enjoyed this. Loved the characters and the tale kept me guessing.
Read
November 14, 2012Read this book for my daughter as her bed time story. Both of us enjoyed it!
August 10, 2014
I read this book 3 years ago and it was really good, the plot was amazing and the characters were realistic but imaginative .I would recommend this to anyone who likes mystery books.
January 31, 2015
I read this when I was younger, it was beautiful. The three legged husky just ahh
September 18, 2015
LOVE THIS BOOK! If you are a fan of Enid Blyton, you will like this book!
April 27, 2019
What’s Good About It
It’s a charming little detective story, without being cutesy. There’s real threat and real danger, and serious issues explored within the narrative. Laura is a great character – very relatable, and admirable. She’s independent, intelligent, brave and loyal, but she has her flaws too, making her rounded and believable.
The progression of the mystery – starting with Laura trying to figure out her uncle, escalating to the grand plot behind everything gives the reader a nice sense of immersion into the story. The suspense and fear builds throughout the book slowly, leaving you on tenterhooks as the closing chapters approach.
Of course, we can’t ignore the fact that this is a children’s book – and with a main character aged 11, it is probably targetting 8-10 year olds as its main audience. One of the best things about Dead Man’s Cove is it manages to do everything I’ve mentioned above, keeping the prose simple enough for an 8 year old, yet without being condescending. I can’t say exactly what issues are being dealt with within the book without giving too much of the story away, but they are serious and complicated issues. Dead Man’s Cove challenges its audience, confronts them with some of the stark realities of the world, and it’s all the better for it.
What’s Not So Good
Some of the characters were a bit stereotyped, but they were mostly minor characters, and the main characters were developed and rounded enough for this to be easily forgiven.
It’s a charming little detective story, without being cutesy. There’s real threat and real danger, and serious issues explored within the narrative. Laura is a great character – very relatable, and admirable. She’s independent, intelligent, brave and loyal, but she has her flaws too, making her rounded and believable.
The progression of the mystery – starting with Laura trying to figure out her uncle, escalating to the grand plot behind everything gives the reader a nice sense of immersion into the story. The suspense and fear builds throughout the book slowly, leaving you on tenterhooks as the closing chapters approach.
Of course, we can’t ignore the fact that this is a children’s book – and with a main character aged 11, it is probably targetting 8-10 year olds as its main audience. One of the best things about Dead Man’s Cove is it manages to do everything I’ve mentioned above, keeping the prose simple enough for an 8 year old, yet without being condescending. I can’t say exactly what issues are being dealt with within the book without giving too much of the story away, but they are serious and complicated issues. Dead Man’s Cove challenges its audience, confronts them with some of the stark realities of the world, and it’s all the better for it.
What’s Not So Good
Some of the characters were a bit stereotyped, but they were mostly minor characters, and the main characters were developed and rounded enough for this to be easily forgiven.
November 16, 2016
This book is the first in St. John’s Laura Marlin series of detective novels, and I get the feeling it’s aimed at older children, maybe around the age of 11 or 12. I decided to read it because I saw this for sale in a charity shop and I remember interviewing Lauren way back when I’d just started SocialBookshelves.com, and so I thought it would be nice for me to take the opportunity to read and review one of her books.
Unfortunately, I found it hard to get into it, although I did at least power through the pages pretty quickly, and I appreciate that I’m not necessarily the target audience here. Loosely speaking, it follows the story of an orphan called Laura who leaves foster care to go and live with a long lost uncle, and who stumbles upon a mystery or two while she’s out there.
It’s cliche in a few places here and there, but it’s also well-written enough and I can see why it would have its appeal if you were a kid of a certain age, or even a parent who wants to read a new bedtime story. So really, it’s your call!
Unfortunately, I found it hard to get into it, although I did at least power through the pages pretty quickly, and I appreciate that I’m not necessarily the target audience here. Loosely speaking, it follows the story of an orphan called Laura who leaves foster care to go and live with a long lost uncle, and who stumbles upon a mystery or two while she’s out there.
It’s cliche in a few places here and there, but it’s also well-written enough and I can see why it would have its appeal if you were a kid of a certain age, or even a parent who wants to read a new bedtime story. So really, it’s your call!
April 3, 2023
Laura Marlin is a very engaging character and I was positive that this would be a great 4 star book until about 30 pages before the end. Disappointingly, the author ducked out of actually writing the most important parts of the ending. She fell back on the old ' and then it all went black' cliché , leaving other characters to fill in the back story. Much less work for her and much less exciting for the reader.
There are lots of reviews comparing this series to some of Blyton's work but I don't see any similarities at all. So much of the Blyton oeuvre relied on exciting storylines, banter between the children and food. Lots of it! Nothing like that in Dead Man's Cove but a charming book all the same.
There are lots of reviews comparing this series to some of Blyton's work but I don't see any similarities at all. So much of the Blyton oeuvre relied on exciting storylines, banter between the children and food. Lots of it! Nothing like that in Dead Man's Cove but a charming book all the same.
May 6, 2018
Bought this yesterday as I’m on holiday in Cornwall and it seemed like a fun idea to read something set here. I was drawn in by the review on the front recommending it to Enid Blyton fans, I loved the famous five books as a kid so I picked it up. Really enjoyed it. It’s a fun little mystery, very famous five-esque (except it’s just Laura) with a nice modern twist. It was fun reading about places I’ve been to recently (Bodmin Moor and St Ives) and Laura was a smart but not annoying protagonist. I found myself drawn in to the mystery and found it deeper than expected. Would definitely recommend, especially if you’re going to Cornwall any time soon!
February 5, 2021
Oh boy, I really did not enjoy this. I felt like nothing happened until page 144/201, and what did happen I didn’t believe at all. Why would the gang just....leave the children?
I also was troubled by the descriptions of the Mukhtars as stereotypes, and why was Atari’s constantly referred to as the Asian boy? There was no reference to any of the other characters as white?
I liked the illustrations a lot and there are really nice descriptions of St Ives, but that was about it for me. This could definitely just be a taste thing, my mum loved it and I could see a child reader getting into it.
I also was troubled by the descriptions of the Mukhtars as stereotypes, and why was Atari’s constantly referred to as the Asian boy? There was no reference to any of the other characters as white?
I liked the illustrations a lot and there are really nice descriptions of St Ives, but that was about it for me. This could definitely just be a taste thing, my mum loved it and I could see a child reader getting into it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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