Product reviews for The Five Clues (Don’t Doubt the Rainbow 1)

The Five Clues is a page turning mystery which immerses the reader in the world of ethics and science. Edie is secretly left a set of clues by her activist mother in the event of (what turns out to be) her suspicious death. She uses her natural intelligence and her close relationship with her mother to understand and solve the cryptic conundrums her mum set enabling her to understand the questionable work of an international pharmaceutical business.

Edie turns to her family and friends for help as the mystery deepens and solving it leads to increasing danger. Edie Marble is a strong character who drives the fast pace of this thriller but she is also grieving the sudden death of a parent and the family's forced return from abroad.

This book, written by a doctor, uses his knowledge of the Three Principles; a framework with which to understand how the mind works. Professor Anthony Kessel interweaves these concepts to help support Edie's psychological wellbeing as she grieves the loss of her mother and copes with the stress of the deadly investigation.

The Five Clues was written before the Covid-19 pandemic but offers an compelling narrative where a virus threatens the wellbeing of the human race. It is the first in a series of four middle grade detective stories and I highly recommend it to secondary school students who enjoy a book combining courage and conspiracy!

This book contains issues that may trigger readers: bereavement, threat

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