3.5⭐️

I fell in love with the Last Chance Detectives radio drama series a few years ago, and was happy to continue the adventures of Mike, Ben, Spence, and Winnie in novel form.

It’s a standard middle grade read. A non-complicated plot that’s a bit far fetched, but still provides a nice bit of fun, adventure, history, and faith themes!


*Thank you to NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

As I’ve said before, we’re huge readers in our house. I read a lot. And by a lot, I mean a lot a lot. To the tune of almost 400 books already this year. I do book reviews for publishers, companies, and even just some authors who reach out as well. Most of the books I receive are adult books though or young adults. Not a lot of them are geared toward the younger crowd. This one is and we were so excited about it!

Because I read all the time I have raised a household of readers. This is a good thing, most of the time. There are some times that I do have to threaten to take books away from a child to get them to do their chores, but for the most part, it’s a great hobby for all to have!

I mentioned above that my children have already been introduced to the Last Chance Detectives through a few of the old books and the movies that we’ve watched off Pure Flix. What I didn’t mention was the response when I opened up this package that included the book!

IT IMMEDIATELY DISAPPEARED.
Normally when I get a review book I go ahead and photograph the cover for future use. I didn’t even get to properly look at this cover before it was out of my hands and off to a secluded part of the house. I’m still not 100% sure which child took it first! But I do know that it was read by 7 of my children before I saw it again!

Once it came back into my possession I was able to look at the new cover, which is very nice by the way, as well as start reading it out loud to the entire family. A fun fact that I love is that my older children(think almost adults) will still sit and listen to me read aloud to them.

This is something that I took for granted until I taught a class at our local homeschool coop and realized that those kids could not sit and listen to me read for anything!

HOW ABOUT A LITTLE ABOUT THE BOOK?
In this book, we follow the adventures of the Last Chance Detectives as they search for a long-lost treasure. Spoiler alert: they aren’t the only ones in search of this treasure. Can they find the treasure before their opponents do? Will they find it unscathed?

The crew of detectives is made up of four characters.

Mike is the leader of the group. He’s fearless and bold. He keeps the group moving onward. Sometimes he leads them into danger as well but they normally come out ahead.

Winnie is the girl in the group. She ferrets out news like no one’s business and also knows the desert like no one else. You definitely want her on your side if you’re going adventuring in the desert and want to survive.

Ben has an imagination that we all wish for in our children. He uses that imagination for good though and through it, he is a great problem solver.

Spence has the brains. I’m not saying the above three children don’t, but he’s at a genius level of smart. Don’t believe me? Find out by reading the book or any in the series!

Now you’ve met the cast it’s time to let the adventure begin! Open to page one and proceed!

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

Another fun book in the Last Chance Detectives series! This book continues the stories of Mike, Ben, Winnie, and Spence as they embark on another exciting adventure. Based on the popular 90’s tv series, this book delivers a interesting mystery with plenty of twists and turns and the enjoyable friends at the heart of it.

When Mike and his friends go exploring in the desert, they decide to cool off in a nearby river. What they don’t expect to find, is a skeleton hidden behind a waterfall who’s been there for centuries. The Spanish conquistador holds an ancient artifact that may just be the key to finding a legendary treasure. But when their find is published in the local newspaper, it attracts the unwanted attention of people seeking the treasure too. It’s a race against time to see who can locate the treasure first.

Perfect for those middle grade readers ages 8-12. There’s action, a pretty solid mystery, delightful friendships, and a subtle religious message woven into the story. I loved what the actual treasure was and the mechanisms they had to use to get to it. The bad guy was a bit of a surprise with an ending that was quite suspenseful. We’re also given another clue about Mike’s missing father.

While some of the circumstances seemed a little implausible, I doubt kids will think too deeply about it. Highly recommend this fun action adventure mystery with great messages. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.

How many of my 90s kids contemporaries remember reading (or watching The Last Chance Detectives? Were you like me and hugely disappointed when you got to the end of the series??? Guess what, THEY'RE BACK!!! Mike, Ben, Winnie, and Spence are detecting once again! And this time they're on the trail of an ancient artifact! You, and your kids, are going to want to read this!!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own- scattered thoughts they may be.

Mysterious strangers and very old skeletons launch the Last Chance Detectives into another case, this time searching for treasure!

This series takes place in the mid-90s, though I sometimes think the author takes some liberty with the technology available at the time. Still, this story was fun, with some twists and turns that kept it interesting. There are some things that happen that I felt were unlikely enough to lower the rating by a star, because while kids may not pick up on those issues, that doesn't mean they don't deserve a story with a tighter plot. I also think the kids themselves and their personalities take a bit of a backseat to the grander plot, but overall, it was a good addition to the series. I was leery of new books being written after so long, but now I'm glad to be able to read more about these young detectives from the 90s and really hope the author is planning more, especially considering the tiny crumb we're given about Mike's missing dad in this book.

Back in the mid-1990’s I thoroughly enjoyed 3 Focus on the Family films about the Last Chance Detectives, and used them several times in kids’ groups. I was delighted to find out that even though no more films have been made, there are still books being written about the Last Chance Detectives!

It turns out this new book is number 7 in the series. Think of a “Raiders of the Lost Ark”-type story for 8-12 year olds. Even though it’s been a long time since I saw 12 years old, I really enjoyed reading this book. It kept my interest up better than some “adult” books I’ve read recently. Great characters, unexpected plot twists, red herrings, and exciting action (some of which fits really well with the kind of humor boys of 8-12 years of age enjoy). Now I need to go back and read the previous books.
"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
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