Thanks to Hilton Press for providing me with a free e-copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I don’t usually write reviews for books I DNF, but since this is a review book, I thought I’d share my thoughts. I stopped reading this at around the 25% mark, even though I could easily have finished it, seeing as it’s such a short book. Unfortunately, I simply didn’t want to.

I have a few issues with this book. Firstly, it’s riddled with errors and inconsistencies. I am aware that it’s likely an uncorrected proof, but this book literally seems like there has been NO editing. These aren’t small issues that slipped through the cracks; they are things that can easily be spotted during a quick read-through.

I could have still coped with that, but the fact that this is a middle-grade is mindblowing to me, considering the subject matter. One of the characters has a ‘condition’ (up to where I read, no further information was given about this) and the other has panic attacks and seems to be suffering from PTSD. Now, I fully think that these things can be included in middle-grade books, but I don’t think they were handled very sensitively in this book. But the thing that made me go ‘nope, not reading any further’, was when I realised that the major plot point of this book centres around drugs and drug dealers, and just. . . I don’t think that should be in a middle grade.

I would argue that this book should be a young adult book, but the writing was too simplistic for that. Overall, it was just weird and I don’t get what the author was trying to do. I wish I could say that it simply wasn’t for me but unfortunately, I don’t think anyone should read this. The topics discussed aren’t suitable for kids, and I don’t think older readers will find the writing or plot engaging enough to keep them entertained.

This was a fun middle-grade chapter book! The story was exciting and fast-paced, and it for sure will keep the little readers interested and will keep those pages turning.
The only thing I did have a slight issue with, was the language. There were way too many funky spelled words, although I do understand that it was done with an intention to mimic the conversation going, but I am not entirely sure that this was done in the best way and that it really adds to the story. Also, I had a slightly confused tween who does not talk like that with their friends and therefore could not understand why someone would talk like that. So, probably the funky language is also kind of dated, because I guess I have to agree with my child, kids nowadays do not speak like that even when no one is around to correct their use of language. That is something that was around some 20 years ago, not today.
Otherwise, this is a great way to introduce a child to the world of books of mystery and thrillers. Yes, there are some slightly disturbing scenes, but that is a part of the genre, and I think those are age-appropriate.

Quite good for middle grade

SUMMARY:
Alex and Ollie are both brothers who were abandoned by their mother and now live with their father in their grandmother's house🤪. One day, when their grandma went to the hospital for a knee replacement, their father went missing, and someone left a printed clue in capital letters that read "TALKING TEAPOT" on the floor of the TV room. Then Alex thinks his father just left them and vanished because apparently to Alex his father didn't really love them, but he didn't bring anything with him. So it's odd how a person who was just there a while ago is suddenly gone.

This story is told in Alex's POV.

Alex
He's so mature and collected, considering his age. He loves his brother, and the way he describes his thoughts is good. Through Alex's character this book can teach how youngster suppose think before they act.

Oliver
He's a special needs child, and he has dyslexia. However, with his deficiency, he can solve the clue and think in a way that ordinary people can't. Even though people tend to see him as weak, but he can defend himself and protect his older brother in his own way.

MY THOUGHTS:
•I love the detail in which the author describes things they love or like and their behaviour. I found it funny when they talk about "Finding Nemo."

•But for a middle grade's book, there are too many slang words that used such as "havna," "didna," "dunno", etc. For me, it is better to teach a middle grade a proper English language instead of slang. Also, a few detectable typos are in the pages.

THE FACT:
The character that speaks slang in this book is a man who is over 80 years old is not make sense to me. The older generation tends to speak in a proper way, but in here, I've lost count of how many times he speaks "didna". And that bothers me a lot.

•There are plot holes here.
1. What happened to their mother at the end?
2. What story do their father and the villain have together?
3. Why had their mother left them with their grandma?
I want to point out another plot hole, but that will be a big spoiler, and I don't want to spoil anything for the sake of your reading experience.

•And there are some scenes that are confusing.
For example:
There's a character who suddenly appears after I thought that person would never make an appearance, but just after that character gone again. Without any further explanation, "why?" And "how?'.

•I do love the first half of the book, but I lost interest in the second half of the book. I invested so much in the early chapters, but as the story goes, it doesn't live up to what I expected it to.

•It does have a violent, kidnapping, and abusing scene, but in my opinion, it is still appropriate for middle grade.

WHAT I LIKE:
-The mystery and thriller in this book I do think it's suitable for middle grade.

-This story is giving same vibe as "Home Alone", where the kids are left alone in their home and have their own adventure. Trying to solve and reveal a secret when someone tries to take their home from them

CREDIT:
Thank you NetGalley and Hilton Press, for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.

Quick and easy middle grade mystery. Resembles a Nancy Drew type mystery. However, not as in depth with the characters. Which given the target age isn’t a huge issue.

I enjoyed the story and relationship Alex & Ollie had with their neighbor Mr. P.

I will certainly save this one for my daughter when she reaches this reading level.

This was a very sweet mystery. I loved the kids and the Mr. P., the old man next door. I would recommend it.

The Mystery of the Missing Tea Drinker is reminiscent of the Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys book series, and it is written in an easy-to-read style for a younger audience.

The mechanics, however, fall a little short of being a completely convincing story (for example, the father's occupation of a journalist unearthing a dangerous drug ring and getting kidnapped while being the sole provider for his two children). It was difficult to understand why the drug dealers would bother with the kids at all or how they had managed to extract the father from the house without a sign.

In the end, I DNFed this book halfway through because it started using language I did not appreciate in a middle-grade novel.

5/5

This book was great. The Mystery of the Missing Tea Drinker is a light read full of intrigue, exactly what I needed. The characters are wonderful, the adventure keeps you hooked, and overall, it's an amazing book. I absolutely would recommend it if you want a book that is free of all the typical adult drama and centred around a few smart kids who just want to get their dad back.

I would certainly recommend The Mystery of the Missing Tea Drinker by Bryl Davidson to any middle grade or YA readers looking for a good mystery with good characters and a lot of suspense. Both Alex and Ollie are realistic protagonists and the search for their missing father is a captivating story.

Th8s was so cute!! I read this in one sitting. I absolutely adored this book.
I just reviewed The Mystery of the Missing Tea Drinker by Bryl Davidson. #TheMysteryoftheMissingTeaDrinker #NetGalley
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This was an interesting tale to say the least and im not sure the age meant when it comes to young readers but I would say 8th grade or higher. The book contains some acts of violance, cussing, and indications of acts of abuse.

It was a riveting tale that I wasn't expecting at all, I thought it would be a whimsical mystery so I was definately suprised at every turn. I appreciate the author cutting to the chase and not dwindling in over use of detail. Giving us enough to enjoy the book.

this was a great young adult mystery novel, it had what I enjoyed about the genre. I was invested in trying to figure out what was going on in this mystery. It had interesting characters and I enjoyed getting to know them and solve this mystery. I enjoyed the way Bryl Davidson wrote this and look forward to more.

"We make it back to the verandah and Mr P stops for a minute, leaning on his stick and panting. He pushes the door open and a sour, musty smell seeps out. The hallway is dim. It’s full of newspapers and magazines stacked in crazy piles that reach almost to the ceiling. Ollie wrinkles his nose and I think he won’t go inside, but he follows me as we squeeze through the narrow gap between the newspapers and the wall."

Rife with errors, formatting is difficult to read. Book is depressing and overly descriptive of psychological issues for a middle grade book.

The Mystery of the Missing Tea Drinker by Bryl Davidson is an action packed mid grade story that made me think of the tales in the A Series of Unfortunate Events series. Alex and Ollie are both unique characters who read as Neurodivergent. Alex also is suggested to be non-binary and the story takes care to reflect that with careful writing. There are many heavier topics covered in this book, like attempted SA, dementia, elder abuse, neglect, and adultery) but the author weaves them in seamlessly and they help to explain the urgency of some of the scenes. Overall this was a fun mystery with a bunch of tense situations that kept me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the characters and it was wonderful to see how much Alex and Ollie cared for each other.

A nice and fun middle grade thriller/mystery. Young readers will for sure enjoy this adventure. The characters are fun and enjoyable, and the setting was interesting. I liked the relationship of the main characters and how it developed. One complaint is that I felt like the author relied a little heavy on exposition and told us instead of showing us. I noticed this a lot at the beginning, where one of the main characters told us about his past instead of it coming through the story in a more natural way. But overall it was a fun read that I’m sure kids will like.