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Solve Your Own Mystery: The Time Thief

Illustrated by Louise Forshaw
Paperback
5"W x 7-7/8"H | 8 oz | 24 per carton
On sale Apr 07, 2026 | 224 Pages | 9798217143320
Age 8-12 years

A fantastically imaginative interactive detective story for middle grade readers. With hundreds of paths to choose from and no dead ends, you’ll solve the mystery every time!

Welcome to Haventry, a town where the ordinary and extraordinary collide! With ghosts, werewolves, and zombies living side by side, trouble is always brewing. And when a fiendish crime is committed, YOU are the detective in charge of the case.

The Museum of Magical Objects and Precious Stones is putting on a special time-traveling showcase, but when the main exhibit is stolen, it’s up to YOU to find the thief. The Time Sponge has the ability to stop and start time for whoever squeezes it, so who has the strongest motive? The minotaur chief of police who has a lot going on at work, or the shoplifting band of mermaids? Should you trail the museum’s petrifying gorgon curator? Or could your very own yeti partner be responsible? YOU decide!
Gareth P. Jones is the author of many books for children, including the NINJA MEERKATS, PET DEFENDERS and DRAGON DETECTIVE series, and THE CONSIDINE CURSE, for which he won the Blue Peter Book of the Year 2012. He lives in south London with his family. Visit www.garethwrites.co.uk | @jonesgarethp View titles by Gareth P. Jones
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About

A fantastically imaginative interactive detective story for middle grade readers. With hundreds of paths to choose from and no dead ends, you’ll solve the mystery every time!

Welcome to Haventry, a town where the ordinary and extraordinary collide! With ghosts, werewolves, and zombies living side by side, trouble is always brewing. And when a fiendish crime is committed, YOU are the detective in charge of the case.

The Museum of Magical Objects and Precious Stones is putting on a special time-traveling showcase, but when the main exhibit is stolen, it’s up to YOU to find the thief. The Time Sponge has the ability to stop and start time for whoever squeezes it, so who has the strongest motive? The minotaur chief of police who has a lot going on at work, or the shoplifting band of mermaids? Should you trail the museum’s petrifying gorgon curator? Or could your very own yeti partner be responsible? YOU decide!

Creators

Gareth P. Jones is the author of many books for children, including the NINJA MEERKATS, PET DEFENDERS and DRAGON DETECTIVE series, and THE CONSIDINE CURSE, for which he won the Blue Peter Book of the Year 2012. He lives in south London with his family. Visit www.garethwrites.co.uk | @jonesgarethp View titles by Gareth P. Jones
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