• Age: 9 to 12
• Grade: 4 to 7
• Reading age: 9 to 12

Joe and his friend Skip are enjoying the thrill of the Big Dip, a famous rollercoaster, until they learn the old man in front of them has been shot.

The old man mutters with his dying breath something about getting a Margaret Rose to the police. Joe leaves the crime scene to get on with his life. But someone is desperate for the Margaret Rose and thinks Joe has it. When his sister is kidnapped, Joe is in a race against time to solve the puzzle.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read!

Scottish-born and mystery-minded, Melanie Jackson is the author of Orca's Dinah Galloway Mystery Series for eight-to-11-year-olds, and young-adult suspensers such as The Big Dip and High Wire. Melanie, who lives in Vancouver with her husband Bart, is a business/advertising writer and editor. She's a member of the Vancouver Sun's Book Club, which reviews current novels in print and online. Melanie likes hiking, piano, English/Scottish history—and continually learning from the kids she works with as a writing mentor with the Vancouver School Board.

Melanie teaches a mystery unit to Grades 8 and 9 at two Vancouver secondary schools. She welcomes schools’ inquiries about her presentations for intermediate and secondary classes. For more information, e-mail Melanie or visit her blog.

Melanie Jackson's profile page

• Commended, CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens
• Commended, Resource Links, The Year's Best Books

"A roller coaster of a story that is action-packed and full of mystery and suspense. It is a quick read, and the action takes place against the backdrop of an amusement park, a fun and familiar setting for many pre-teens and teens...Highly Recommended."

CM: Canadian Review of Materials

"Another fast-paced, realistic story from a reliable publisher sure to engage the most reluctant reader."

Resource Links

"Jackson's mystery has an impressive amount of twists, especially near the end…[She] delivers the goods: a propulsive mystery that will hook the most reluctant of readers."

Booklist

"The suspense is intense… This compact story is sure to appeal to reluctant readers, and the ending is a surprise."

School Library Journal (SLJ)

"This book fills a need in many library collections."

Library Media Connection