The London Eye Mystery

by Siobhan Dowd 

★★★~

Review

In my time as a reader, I have found few children's detective books which present a mystery that the reader must solve as they read. Of course every book has an element of mystery, however The London Eye Mystery provides a problem right at the start of the book (Salim, Ted's cousin going missing) and provides the tiniest details and nuggets of information for the reader to spot and piece together in order to solve the mystery before the end of the book. I really enjoying trying my hand at being a detective, but must admit that I failed miserably! I did find the idea of possibly solving the mystery myself very exciting and, as a pretty stubborn person, I refused to put the book down until I had (or at least thought I had) worked out exactly what had happened to Salim. 

While this book is aimed at children, I was surprised by a few of the concepts mentioned in the book. I give warning to readers and parents that there are brief mentions of death, kidnap, child trafficking and murder while Ted tries to place together and understand the clues left behind after Salim's disappearance. I would therefore recommend this book to more mature readers, or as a shared read with the adult being prepared to answer any questions relating to these topics should they arise. 

That said, this book should be celebrated for its role in providing a platform for a protagonist who is neurodivergent. Ted, the main character, is a 12 year old boy who has Asperger syndrome and shares his thoughts and the challenges he faces through his narration. He explains that his brain "works on a different operating system" to other people's, and explains in detail how he struggles with social interactions, especially reading others' body language and facial expressions, and how he is working on his ability to engage with his family and the people around him. He also describes his love for meteorology and often applies his knowledge of the climate and weather to make sense of people and their actions. 

I loved getting to know Ted and how his diagnosis of Asperger syndrome enables him to do things that others cannot. Although some characters, especially his sister, find Ted difficult to manage, it becomes clear that Ted's unique brain is something of a gift and turns out to be crucial in solving the mystery of Salim's disappearance. 

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Key information

Author: Siobhan Dowd

Illustrator: n/a

Release Date: 1st September 2016

Book type: Chapter, 336 pages, paperback

Reader level: Confident reader, content (9+)

Overview

This book piqued my interest as soon as I read the blurb:

11.32 a.m. Ted and his sister Kat watch their cousin Salim get on board the London Eye. The pod rises from the ground, high above the city.

12.02 p.m. The pod lands and the doors open. Everyone exits - everyone but Salim.

Has he spontaneously combusted? (Ted's theory.)
Has he been kidnapped? (Aunt Gloria's theory.)
Is he even still alive? (The family's unspoken fear.)
Ted doesn't see the world like most people he knows and is sure that with his "unique operating system" of a brain he can uncover the truth about Salim's disappearance.
So, teaming up with Kat, Ted sets out to do just that - following a trail of clues across London. But with time ticking dangerously by, can Ted solve the mystery before it's too late?

This book follows the mission of Ted, a 12 year old boy with Asperger Syndrome, to work out how his cousin Salim could have disappeared while enjoying a trip on the London Eye. Ted uses his unique brain to retrace his steps and find a trail of evidence that leads him towards an explanation of Salim's disappearance. We journey with Ted around the city of London as he races to crack the case before the detectives can tell his family any more bad news...

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