The Trail of the Chocolate Thief

Lynn Manuel writes mystery novels for young adults and is the author of
Return to Cranberry Farm.

The O’Brien Detective Agency consists of Clarice, Sadie, and Brick.
They set about to solve the case of disappearing toys, their most
important clue being the Robin Hood chocolate wrappers found at the
crime scenes. With the help of Clarice’s little cousin, Moonflower,
who like her grandfather has eagle eyes that can see a spider spinning a
web from great distances, they track down the Robin Hood thief who
steals from the rich to give to the poor. And they show the thief that
if Robin Hood were alive today he wouldn’t need to steal. Instead,
he’d be helping everyone with the environment or fighting for better
housing for the poor.

On the positive side, this novel offers a Vancouver setting with
descriptions of False Creek and Granville Island. Moreover, the story is
written with energy and humor. But with a slight plot and
one-dimensional characters, it offers nothing more than a breezy read
for the young mystery enthusiast. Not a first-choice purchase.