The Disappearing Diamond

Emmie and Jack are visiting the V&A museum on a school trip. They see the brilliant Koh-i-Noor diamond ahead of the upcoming royal coronation. Suddenly, the precious diamond vanishes and Emmie and Jack are whisked back in time to Victorian England. Can they find the missing diamond and return to the present day in time to allow the coronation to go on? A fun historical mystery that will keep kids captivated!

This was just fun and good! I loved the setting and the premise. All things England are always exciting for me, the coronation, Victoria and Albert museum, all of it! It was a great escape read

The Disappearing Diamond was a good read and I enjoyed the mystery and suspense (it gave me Nancy Drew vibes). I was a bit lost in the beginning about some key details and was unaware it was part of a book series. However, I believe young readers would love the history, the time travel and the characters.

The book is a middle grade book so definitely suitable for 4th to 6th graders. I felt like the pace of the book moved a bit faster than what I was expecting. Glen definitely used the policy "show don't tell" which slowed the writing because there were so many descriptions. The book itself gave Nancy Drew meets Magic Treehouse. I rate this 3.5 stars (rounded up) simply because of the pacing issues and it felt like the book is part of a series but not one that can be read alone (like Nancy Drew and Magic Treehouse where you can start anywhere in the series). Because I was a bit lost about the series and some key details that felt like they were mentioned and explained in other books I have rated it 3.5 stars. I would definitely recommend this to parents of younger kids as the story is fun and a perfect combination of Nancy Drew and Magic Treehouse

As someone who up until fairly recently was a confirmed reader of titles for upper KS2 children, it’s been really interesting to branch out into those for younger readers. Not only have I hugely enjoyed many of the books I’ve discovered but it’s been lovely to be able to make links between titles to enable me to make recommendations – either other reads that I think might appeal to those who have just finished a book, or to identify books that I think will act as precursors to others to be saved for when readers have gained in confidence or stamina.

I’ve been aware of the titles which precede this – The Blitz Bus and The Titanic Tunnel – for some time now but, as is so often the way, I haven’t read either of them because – like a great many of us – I find there are too many books and not enough time in which to read them. If, like me, you find yourself in a similar position then never fear because this works very well as a standalone read and is one that I found myself drawing comparisons with Jo Clarke’s Travelling School Mysteries and Sarah Todd Taylor’s Alice Éclair series as I read it and one which paves the way very nicely for The Butterfly Club titles by M. A, Bennett.

Following their previous adventures, friends Jack and Emmie are on a school trip to the Victoria and Albert Museum, dressed suitably for the occasion, which is a treat at the end of their topic on the Victorians. With the class split into smaller groups listening to the adults around them, Emmie and the others’ attention is drawn to a cabinet containing the famous Koh-i-Noor diamond which is soon to be used as part of the pomp and ceremony of the new king’s forthcoming coronation. As Jack steps closer to take a better look, the gallery lights flicker and an alarm goes off.

When a familiar-looking man approaches the two of them, telling them he needs their help again, Jack and Emmie find themselves following him and being told that they will need to locate the now missing gemstone but before they are able to ask what is happening, they find themselves not just outside the museum but mysteriously transported back to Victorian London.

Investigating their surroundings, they discover that the Great Exhibition of 1851 is about to open to the public and will house the fabulous diamond. As they wait for the exhibition to open, Jack and Emmie struggle to feed and shelter themselves without any money to spend and end up on the wrong side of the law but this is soon forgotten when they gain access to the Crystal Palace. When the priceless gemstone mysteriously vanishes from the site, the friends must call upon all their intelligence, charm and skills to solve the case. Can they find the thief who has taken the diamond and restore it to its rightful place and if they can, how will they then manage to travel back through time to modern London?

Detective stories for lower KS2 have really taken off in the last few years and there are some wonderful series now available for that age group – this included. Gentler than those books aimed at older readers, this is a really enjoyable mystery where the danger experienced by Jack and Emmie is very real but is not going to prove to be too frightening or violent in tone for younger children. Jack and Emmie are a great pairing and readers will delight in following their adventure as the two of them deal with each difficulty that presents itself in turn and will be left wondering what is going to happen next as they reach the end of the story.

At just over 200 pages, and with quite short chapters to hold the attention, this is the perfect length for those who are just gaining in confidence reading slightly longer chapter books and will appeal hugely to readers of the series I mentioned earlier who are looking for something similar in tone. As well as those in lower KS2, it will also appeal to those in years 5 and 6 – especially those who do not as yet have the stamina for some middle grade titles which are approaching twice that length.

I very much enjoyed this and will most definitely be keeping an eye open for the next of Jack and Emmie’s adventures. Huge thanks go to publisher Zoetrope Books and Net Galley for my advance, virtual read. The Disappearing Diamond publishes 14th September.

This was a great middle grade mystery novel, it had everything that I enjoyed from the genre. The characters felt like they were suppose to and I enjoyed trying to figure out what was going on and enjoyed the way this was written. Glen Blackwell has a great writing style and I’m excited for more.

I really enjoyed this book! While I hadn't read the first one and therefore missed some context, it was definitely still a great read and I enjoyed it a lot. I loved the idea of two kids who time travel and learn who they can trust along the way. It was a great read!

This was a real treat to read. We had been on a visit to the V&A and I kept this as a follow up treat. The book was interesting and exciting and the children loved the adventure.

It was an action-filled, lovely, time-traveling children's adventure mystery book. Emmie and Jack had a blast in this one. It was fun, exciting, and engaging, a delightful conclusion to an exciting series.