"Silent Lee and the Adventure of the Side Door Key" by Alex Hiam is a delightful middle-grade mystery that blends whimsy, humor, and suspense into a captivating adventure. Hiam's imaginative storytelling and endearing characters create a world that is brimming with charm and intrigue.

The story follows the intrepid protagonist, Silent Lee, a young girl with a keen eye for observation and a knack for solving puzzles. When Silent stumbles upon a mysterious key that unlocks a hidden door in her grandmother's attic, she embarks on a quest to uncover the secrets of her family's past. Along the way, she encounters a colorful cast of characters, including a bumbling detective, a mischievous cat, and a band of eccentric neighbors, each with their own role to play in the unfolding mystery.

Hiam's writing is witty and engaging, with clever dialogue and vivid descriptions that bring the story to life. The plot is well-paced, with plenty of twists and turns to keep readers guessing until the very end. As Silent delves deeper into the mystery, she learns valuable lessons about friendship, perseverance, and the importance of trusting her instincts.

"Silent Lee and the Adventure of the Side Door Key" is not only a thrilling mystery but also a heartwarming tale of self-discovery and family bonds. Hiam's message about the power of curiosity and imagination resonates throughout the story, inspiring readers to embrace their own sense of adventure and curiosity about the world around them.

Overall, "Silent Lee and the Adventure of the Side Door Key" is a charming and enchanting read that will delight readers of all ages. Alex Hiam has crafted a timeless tale that is sure to become a beloved classic, capturing the magic of childhood exploration and the joy of solving a good mystery.

A bit of Harry Potter meets The Lion, Witch, & the Wardrobe mystery.
Adventurous, fun, middle-school aged magical mystery story.
Silent (Sie) has been raised by her Great Aunt Gen and been schooled on real world and magical old world knowledge. One day Sie is taken away from her Aunt, told that had died, and is forced to live with a horrible modern world family. Sie knows something isn't right about this. With the help of some magical notes from a bird and her new friend Raahi, she embarks on a fact finding mission that becomes a rescue mission.
This is a fast paced mystery sure to be liked by any middle schooler with an affinity for magical paranormal adventures.
(This is a series so the end hints toward the events of the next book but not all information is given and situations completely resolved in this book)

Silent lives with her aunt, Generous. Her mother is a spy/spice trader and travels the world for a living so Silent cannot live with her. The book begins with Silent being taken to a cousin's house because Generous, Gen, is dead. From there, it takes on a Harry Potter feel with Silent being the relative hidden away and left when the cousins take a trip for the summer leaving her alone with no food.

Silent has lived between worlds as long as she remembers. She is not allowed to practice magic in this world, the one through the front door. She accidentally helps a classmate when he is having troubl breathing and immediately regrets it, especially when he starts to follow her. Soon, she finds out Gen may not be dead and the classmate, Raahi, convinces her to let him help.

I enjoyed the book, and plan to read the next book in the series. I can't wait to see what kind of trouble Silent, Gen, and Raahi get into. I also hope there is some kind of karma for the cousins who left her alone.

Five stars.
I was given the opportunity to read this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The title of the book drew me in. Unfortunately, this is where it stopped. I couldn't connect to the main character, mostly because she did not behave like a 14 y/o teenager would. I was also hoping to find out more about the magical world behind the door, but there wasn't much about it either.

I absolutely loved this book. Not the genre i would normally choose but i honestly liked this cozy adventure.

If you like your books full of mystery and magic then you are going to love this book. A fantastic read for middle grade.

I loved this story, it's an entertaining and engrossing read.
I loved the plot that flows, the excellent world building and the well developed characters.
I look forward to reading other stories by this author.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.