The Synopsis:

Journey to the past with Katie Watson on this first ‘Mystery in Time’ Adventure!

Eleven-year-old Katie is sure her summer is doomed. Sheltered because of her injuries from a horse riding accident, she longs to break free on an adventure like the ones in her favourite detective novels. Instead, she’s stuck with Nan and Pop whose idea of adventure is touring National Trust properties. But when Katie discovers a secret chamber in Otterly Manor with a magical painting, she falls — literally — into a perilous adventure beyond her imagination.

Whisked back in time to the reign of James I, Katie makes fast friends with Sophia, a mature, twelve-year-old ward of Earl Buckville, Lord of Otterly Manor. With Sophia’s help, Katie learns to navigate her strange new world of lace ruffs, prim manners and strange superstitions. But Sophia and Katie’s fun soon plummets into danger when murder strikes at Otterly Manor. With the murderer on the loose and Sophia’s family threatened, can Katie prove her detective skills before life at Otterly Manor is ruined forever? Could succeeding cost her the chance of getting back home?

Sherlock Holmes meets Shakespeare in this time-travel murder mystery with a twist of magic.

I received this book from the author for the purpose of this review. All comments and opinions are entirely my own.

Review:

Taken back to the history of the house she is visiting for the summer, Katie finds herself stuck in the midst of a murder mystery that only she seems to be able to solve. With the help of her friends, and her Sherlock Holmes book, she sets out to discover what really happened at the King’s banquet…

Katie Watson and the Painter’s Plot is such a great book, especially for those girls who can’t get enough of Nancy Drew or Trixie Belden! Drawing inspiration heavily from Arthur Connon Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles, young readers are introduced to classics such as Sherlock and Shakespeare, while also finding themes such as time-travel and magic that are so popular in their currently available books.

The story itself is fast paced and full of twists and turns and Katie and her friends are sure to capture the hearts of any of her readers, young or old! I can honestly say that this is a book that I wish I’d have had as a middle-grader and I know without a doubt that it would be a childhood favorite if I did have a copy!

The faith and morals that are presented in this book do not classify it as a “Christian” book, but fellow Christian readers will certainly enjoy Princess Sofia’s faith, even amidst the trials she faces. There is absolutely no cursing and the content is completely clean.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it very highly!

Read our review of book 2: Katie Watson and the Serpent Stone

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