Scarlet and Ivy, Book Six - The Last Secret

I put off reading this book long enough.  I hate knowing that a certain book is the last book in a series, because I know that once I read that book, that will be the end of any new adventures/mysteries with those characters.  It's like having to say goodbye to friends or family - I may have the pictures that I can go back and reminisce about, but I won't be seeing them again to make any new memories.  The same is true with series books.  I think it's one of the reasons I love ongoing series so much, is because I get to keep coming back with the same characters again and again for new adventures, new mysteries, and new stories!  But, alas, as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end.  And so it is with the Scarlet and Ivy series by Sophie Cleverly.  What started out as a dark mystery about a girl who believes her twin sister who she thought was dead may still be alive has evolved into a complicated story about the girls' mother, the boarding school where they have had so many problems, their evil stepmother, and their distant father.  Along the way, the girls have established some strong bonds with other girls at the school, forming friendships in the most unexpected places.  And now, as the title to this book suggests, we finally come to the last secret to be uncovered within the walls of Rookwood School...

The Last Secret begins over Christmas break, as Scarlet and Ivy do their best to survive their vicious step-mother's every constant attacks on them.  But, then, something completely unexpected happens.  Their father, who never talks about their mother, not only mentions her to the sisters, but also provides them with a music box that belonged to her.  A music box that they soon discover has a secret compartment, which holds some very important documents that could hold the clue to saving their school!  (And yes, despite all of their previous problems with Rookwood and its many malicious headmasters and headmistresses, Scarlet and Ivy discover that they have come to love their school and the friends they have made there, so they are determined to save it before it is too late!)

 

Cleverly forces the twins to face the many aspects of their past as Henry Bartholomew, son of the late Edgar Bartholomew (former headmaster/owner of Rookwood, who had caused so much terror at the school) has shows up to claim the school as his legacy - and his plans seem to be to demolish the building and put an end to Rookwood for good.  One of the only ways for the girls and their friends to possibly prevent that from happening is to obtain information from the last source they would expect to - the evil Miss Fox (Miss Finch's mother)!  But she is in jail, and the girls must convince the faculty of Rookwood that it is absolutely essential that they visit Miss Fox and see if she can provide them with any information they can use against Master Bartholomew - after all, she hated the man's father almost as much as the students did.  Then, of course, there is Edith, the girls' wicked stepmother, and her two sons.  When Scarlet and Ivy are sent home while the school is closed for a week for alleged inspections, they uncover a shocking truth about her and her plans for their father.  At every turn, the girls must face a villain and find a way to beat them at their own games.

The story brings together all of Scarlet and Ivy's friends - Ariadne, Violet, Rose, and even Ebony, along with new recruits Nadia and Penny - as they learn that the school holds one final secret: the true Last Will and Testament of the original owner of the school, one Lady Wootten.  But Lady Wootten hid the Will and left cryptic clues that would lead to its whereabouts.  Secret compartments, locked safes, and a graveyard puzzle all lead the girls on a last minute chase to find the keys and the combination needed to open the safe and find the real Will before Bartholomew gets his hands on it.  It truly is a race against time, one that ultimately engages not only Scarlet and Ivy's father, but Rose's family lawyer as well.  It all leads up to the very dramatic conclusion which, in near-soap opera style, provides readers with a fantastic confrontation and revelation that will leave you grinning from ear to ear.

As much as I hated to see the end of the adventures of Scarlet and Ivy, I have to hand it to Cleverly - if you're going to end a series, this is definitely the way to do it!  And should she ever get the desire to venture back into the world of Scarlet and Ivy?  Well, let's just say she left the door open, like any great author would!

 

One last thing I did want to mention - the first three books in the series, I bought with the beautifully painted covers - but for some reason, the last three books never seemed to be available here in the States with the painted covers; so, instead, I ended up buying the last three books with the silhouette covers.  (Which, of course, plays havoc with my OCD, because I can't stand having a series change format in the middle of the series!!!!)  I found the cover to this last book online, and I must say, I definitely prefer the painted covers!  Maybe some day I will be able to track them down and replace the ones I have with the painted versions.

RATING:  10 small black bottles of poison out of 10 for giving readers a most satisfying conclusion to a wonderfully fun-filled mystery series!

Scarlet and Ivy, Book Five - The Curse in the Candlelight

It's back to school for Scarlet and Ivy Grey, the twin sisters who seem to keep stumbling upon one mystery after another. This series has been rather interesting, in that the culprits in each book are quite a bit more dangerous than those in the standard children's mystery book, and the twin girls and their friends find themselves limited in their investigations by their teachers and school environment. Of course, that never stops them from pursuing whatever culprit happens to be behind whatever shenanigans are going on in each mystery, even when they have to face the consequences for their actions.

In The Curse in the Candlelight, Scarlet and Ivy face off against a new student who seems to have cast a spell over the entire school.  Ebony McCloud shows up late on the first day of school, making quite the entrance to a very startled and surprised group of students and faculty. Scarlet, Ivy, and their friend, Ariadne find it very odd that none of the teachers, nor even their headmaster, reprimand Ebony for anything. She shows up late, it's okay. She talks back to a teacher, it's okay. She doesn't want to do something, it's okay. She has a pet cat in the school dorm, it's okay. And when the rumors begin that Ebony is a witch, and that she has cast a spell on the teachers, some of the younger girls find themselves in awe of this new girl and begin to follow her around.  But Scarlet and Ivy think something else is afoot.

And that's when Muriel Witherspoon shows up at Rookwood School - and becomes the new roommate for Ariadne! Poor Ariadne is at a loss, since Muriel was the bully that ultimately lead to Ariadne being transferred to Rookwood to begin with. But something has changed. Muriel is oddly nice to Ariadne, and even apologizes for her treatment of the girl at their previous school.  Things are definitely not right at Rookwood School, and Scarlet and Ivy are determined to get to the bottom of it.  Muriel has some strange accidents, which ultimately lead to her going missing! When she is found, she is so badly injured, she doesn't remember what happened. Ebony seems to be at the center of everything. And when Ariadne starts to act strangely, the twins go undercover and "befriend" Ebony in the hopes of finding out the truth regarding her alleged supernatural powers.

Tarot cards, curses, and spells are the topic of the day, and soon enough, Scarlet and Ivy find themselves on the receiving end of what appears to be Ebony's wrath.  Their headmistress believes the twins are causing problems at the school, and they are warned that one more incident will result in their expulsion - which would mean going to live with their father and his horrible wife who doesn't want the girls anywhere near them!

Author Sophie Cleverly writes a (dare I say it?) clever little mystery, where nothing is exactly what it appears to be.  As with any good magician, it's all about misdirection and diverted attention. So, what is really going on at Rookwood School? Scarlet and Ivy put their friendship with Ariadne to the test as they try to uncover the truth - and place their own lives in jeopardy when they find themselves locked in a secret basement, left to rot with no food, no water, and no one knowing they are there!

While this book does not provide any further backstory with regard to Scarlet and Ivy's mother, readers will get more of a taste of the nastiness of their wicked stepmother, Edith, who makes her intentions very clear that she wants the girls to be gone from their father's life - permanently!  As this is the penultimate book in this 6-book series, I can only assume that the next book will reveal everything regarding their mother, their stepmother, and reunite their family with a good ol' happy ending (at least, we can hope!).  

RATING:  8 bubbling beakers of frothing green liquid out of 10 for a tense mystery filled with twists and turns and unexpected surprises!

Scarlet and Ivy, Book Four - The Lights Under the Lake

Mystery always seems to find Scarlet and Ivy (well, let's face it though - mystery seems to find any protagonist in a mystery series; I mean, after all, the books would not be much fun to read if there was not actual mystery to solve, now would they?), and a school field trip is no exception!  After rescuing Scarlet from being false imprisoned in a mental institution, after discovering Rose being hidden away behind the walls of their school, and after rescuing their dance teacher from a crazed kidnapper (not to mention fending off a dangerous headmistress while doing all of the foregoing), one would think these two girls deserve a break.  And what could be more relaxing than a weekend at a secluded lakeside hotel with the opportunity to explore nature?  Yeah, right - Friday the 13th, anyone?

The Lights Under the Lake finds Scarlet and Ivy, along with their best friend Ariadne and their new friend Rose, venturing away from Rookwood School on a school trip with their fellow classmates, their new headmistress (Mrs. Knight), the swimming instructor (Miss Bowler), and the prissy, bullying prefects (Elsie and Cassandra) who would like nothing more than to cause trouble for the twins and their friends. Needless to say, the mystery begins before the girls ever reach the Shady Pines Hotel, when Ivy notices a pair of headlights behind them that seems to be following them.  Is it her imagination, or is there someone following the busload of schoolgirls - and if so, why?

While the previous books centered around the school that the twins attended, this book has the perfect setting for a spooky mystery - a run-down, isolated hotel that seems to be haunted by ghosts (The Shining, anyone?). The only thing shining, however, are the strange lights that the girls see coming from underneath the water of the lake just outside the hotel. Were they simply a reflection, or is there something else going on? When the girls go on a hike and explore a cave with the help of a local man, Bob Owens, who gives them the grand tour. When they reach a large cavern, he has them all turn off their lights, and he tells them the gruesome story of what happened to the small village of Seren that used to be there. It seems one day a man showed up in town, telling all of the villagers that he had bought their property and they had to leave. He was building a dam and redeveloping the land, and the valley where the village of Seren was located would be flooded to create a resevoir. The people were forced to leave, and the water came pouring in, destroying all of the village, including the local church. And the graveyard next to the church, where long dead family members had been buried. And if you listen to the locals, they will tell you that those who were buried there have come back - they ring the church bell - and they light the church candles, creating lights under the lake...

Everyone scoffs at the idea of ghosts, but can they brush off the strange things happening at the hotel? A crucifix appearing on the wall that was not there moments before? Someone rummaging through all of the students' luggage? The hotel owner finding a soaking wet hymnal behind the desk? The strange sounds at night in the hall? When one of the prefects' necklaces goes missing, Rose suddenly becomes the target of all the blame. And when Ivy finds Rose wandering into another room at night, her clothes wet, she begins to doubt her friend's innocence - particular when those wet footprints lead up to the prefects' room, where someone has written a warning message in what appears to be blood!

Scarlet and Ivy (and Ariadne and Rose) must put their heads together to determine what is really going on at the hotel. And when Rose goes missing, and a fierce thunderstorm prevents anyone from leaving the hotel, the girls realize it is up to them to solve this case before Rose - or anyone else - gets hurt!

Sophie Cleverly definitely provides her best story yet in this fourth mystery.  Previous books gave readers insight into the secrets surrounding Scarlet and Ivy's family, but this time around, another character gets to shine, with revelations coming out that change the character - and how everyone sees her - going forward.  The story is well paced, and there are a number of suspects to keep the reader guessing until pretty close to the end (I'll admit, even I was stumped until about half-way through the book).  Each of the books in this series gets better and better, so I can hardly wait to see what the fifth and sixth books have in store!

RATING:  10 wind-up gramophones out of 10 for a suspenseful, thrilling mystery that is fun for any age to read!

Scarlet and Ivy, Book Three - The Dance in the Dark

I'm a bit behind in posting my reads - not for lack of reading though!  I just have had a number of things come up in the past month that have taken my focus ... but I'm back, and hopefully can get back on a regular schedule here.

Now, for poor Scarlet and Ivy Gray, it seems there are always more secrets lurking just around the corner. First, Ivy was forced to impersonate her dead sister, Scarlet, at the private school where her sister attended - only to discover that her sister never died, but was locked away in an insane asylum by the school's headmistress! And just when she got her sister back and a new headmaster took over the school, they discovered that he was behind the death of a young student twenty years ago - only to find that the student he killed had the name their late mother had used! So, now, that begs the question - just who is their mother, and why did she lie about who she was?

Thus begins the third mystery in the Scarlet and Ivy series, The Dance in the Dark. Scarlet and Ivy are back at school, but without their friend Ariadne. Things seem calm, Mrs. Knight has taken temporary charge of the school, and their beloved ballet teacher, Miss Finch, has announced that the ballet class will be performing Sleeping Beauty this year. Scarlet is determined to get the lead part, but she, of course, faces competition from her nemesis, Penny, believes she is perfect for the part. And then Ariadne returns to school! Before the competition can begin, however, Miss Finch disappears! Without warning, without so much as a good-bye, she is gone, and in her place is their new ballet teacher, Madame Zelda. No big deal, right? Wrong!

The horses are suddenly released from the stables. A note is intercepted that reveals what the girls believe to be a cry for help from their former teacher. The school lunch is poisoned, making most everyone in the school sick. A student is pushed from a second floor window. The danger keeps escalating, and parents begin pulling their students from the school. Scarlet believes the new ballet teacher is behind the recent events, but Ivy is not so sure. She fears it may be worse than that. Could it be...the return of...Miss Fox? Something is definitely going on, and Scarlet and Ivy (and Ariadne!) are determined to get to the bottom of it before the production of Sleeping Beauty puts everyone to sleep - permanently!

A very strong entry into this series, author Sophie Cleverly (still love that last name!) keeps the mystery fresh, the characters engaging, and the story fun. The underlying storyline regarding the girls' mother continues in this book as well, with more of the secrets revealed, and a surprising revelation that leads to Scarlet and Ivy finding a new relative - someone who might actually care about them. Cleverly reaches into the psyches of both Scarlet and Ivy in this book, and readers will get to see the characters mature in a number of ways as they deal with both the mystery at the school and the mystery of their own mother.

As we get a number of questions answered and most of the mysteries resolved with this third book, the only question that remains is what happens next? As Ivy so aptly puts it on the final page, "Anything could happen. But that doesn't matter. Because we are together..."

RATING:  9 blood-encrusted walking sticks out of 10 for keeping the Gothic elements of stately old estates, dark attics, and even darker secrets in young adult mysteries!

Scarlet and Ivy, Book Two - The Whispers in the Walls

Okay, c'mon, let's face it - with a title like The Whispers in the Walls, how could any true mystery lover pass this one up? Of course, fans of some of the older series books from wayyyyy back in the day might remember that the 15th Penny Parker book by Mildred Wirt was titled Whispering Walls. Could there be a correlation?  Did the author of this book read the Penny Parker series?  Was she a fan?  Hmmmmmmm...

Regardless, this second volume in the Scarlet & Ivy series is even better with the first, with a much darker mystery, some brand new sleuthing, and a few new characters thrown in to spice up the mix. Author Sophie Cleverly picks up exactly where the first book left off - Ivy and Miss Finch have arrived at the psychiatric hospital - and while book one ended with Ivy staring through the glass at her sister, The Whispers in the Walls opens up with Scarlet looking back at Ivy through that same glass, realizing that at last her wish has come true!  Her sister has found her!

Cleverly provides readers with more than just cookie-cutter characters, which makes for some really great reading.  Scarlet and Ivy find themselves changing - Ivy was always the shy, quiet one, while Scarlet was always the strong-willed, outspoken one. They are both shocked, though, to discover that Ivy's time pretending to be Scarlet has instilled in her some backbone, making her a bit more determined and a bit less timid; meanwhile, Scarlet's time in the mental institution has left her with some fears that she is having a difficult time overcoming.  The two girls are no longer polar opposites, which is a good thing, for they are about to face something even worse than Miss Fox (if that were even possible!).

There are a number of mysteries set up in this story.  First, there is Mr. Bartholomew, the new headmaster of the school (although, maybe not so new, as the twins find out that he used to run the school many years ago).  He is super-strict and none-too-friendly, but what raises questions is the fact that he seems reluctant to acknowledge what happened to Scarlet and Miss Fox.  In fact, none of the teachers will talk about it, and everyone is pretending that Scarlet was never away and that Ivy is a new student!  What gives?

Then Violet returns to school. The same Violet who nearly pushed Scarlet off the roof of the school.  The same Violet that disappeared around the time that Scarlet was carted off to the psychiatric hospital. But she's not the same Violet.  She's not hateful, or spiteful, or out for revenge.  Instead, she's quiet and secretive and ... well ... there's just something not right about her.

And that's when the thefts start.  Someone steals some clothes.  And food.  And blankets.  Mr. Bartholomew is out for blood, and students and staff alike are scared of what he will do to the person he finds out is stealing.  Ivy starts to question whether Scarlet could be the culprit when she finds her sister missing in the middle of the night.  Her distrust puts the two sisters at odds - at least, until they, along with Ivy's friend Ariadne, find a mystery to solve.  A ghost in the library.  A ghost that can apparently walk through walls.

Hidden doors, secret passageways, mysterious messages, and a terrifying secret from the school's past that someone will do anything to keep hidden - even if it means setting fire to the school!  And amidst all of this mystery and danger, Ivy and Scarlet stumble across the whispers in the walls, which ultimately lead them to a shocking discovery about their own mother!

Yes, folks, this one has it all.  Cleverly builds the suspense and mystery, all the while making the reader actually care about the characters so that you find yourself not only rooting for Ivy and Scarlet, but for Ariadne, Violet, Miss Finch, Miss Jones, and yes, even Penny.  And, oh, yes, that ending definitely sets the stage for what is to come in the third book of the series...

RATING:  8 bowls of runny, cold porridge out of 10 for wrapping a mystery within a mystery within a mystery to keep the reader engaged!

Scarlet and Ivy, Book One - The Lost Twin

"This is the story of how I became my twin sister."

With a tagline like that, how could you pass up a mystery like this? Sophie Cleverly has written a superbly plotted mystery with fun, believable characters, a dastardly villain, and intriguing clues that lead not only Ivy, but readers on a twisted chase through the halls of Rookwood boarding school as Ivy Gray searches for answers as to what really happened to her twin sister, Scarlet. The Lost Twin has everything a good mystery should have, and it really doesn't matter your age, I can pretty much guarantee that you'll enjoy it.

Shy, young Ivy Gray has been living with her slightly off-balanced aunt ever since her parents shipped her twin sister, Scarlet, off to boarding school. Ivy missed her sister, but never so much as when she receives the news that her sister has died from an illness.  Ivy is heartbroken - until the headmistress from the school arrives and announces that Ivy is coming to Rookwood to take her sister's place.  Ivy doesn't want to go to the school where her sister died, but it seems she has no choice.  Upon arriving at Rookwood, however, Ivy is shocked to discover that Miss Fox, the headmistress, meant exactly what she said.

Ivy would be taking Scarlet's place.  She would BE Scarlet!

Such a premise clearly sets the stage for the real mystery of what happened to Scarlet and why is the headmistress of the school intent on making sure no one ever finds out that Scarlet is gone. Of course, Ivy isn't going to just be facing the villainy of Miss Fox, she also has to deal with mean girls Penny and Nadia, as well as the stress of pretending to be the outgoing, trouble-making twin who was the exact opposite of her! Help arrives, though, in the form of a diary. Scarlet's diary, to be exact. Ivy finds pages of her sister's diary hidden throughout the school, and each page tells bits and pieces of a story, as well as provides cryptic clues as to where the next piece of the puzzle can be found. Slowly, but surely, and with the help of her new roommate and friend, Ariadne, Ivy begins to uncover the truth behind her sister's death. Only, the closer she gets to the truth, the more she begins to doubt her sister is dead. But, if she isn't dead, then where is she?

The book may be just under 300 pages in length, but it reads so easily, and it is so engaging, that I managed to finish it in just a couple of days.  I had to know what really happened to Scarlet, and I loved watching both Ivy and Ariadne become stronger and braver in their words and deeds while trying to decipher the clues and face off against the villain.  And face-off they do!  Let me say, Cleverly wrote the perfect confrontation scene, and the big surprise that is revealed during that scene was definitely not expected at all.

I did not read the preview of the second book, The Whisper in the Walls, as I did not want to do anything to spoil the pleasure of reading it (which I will get to before too long, because I can't wait to see what happens next!).

RATING:  10 midnight feats of pear drops and fudge out of 10 for keeping the young adult mystery genre alive and thriving!