Crooked Leg Road

This mystery-adventure comes from the author of The Tunnels of Tacoma, which won the 2013 Davitt Award. Four friends - Kitty, David, Andrea and Martin, get caught up in a series of misunderstandings and mysterious events. They take on the role of detectives to solve a complex mystery, just as the election of a new premier draws closer.

Andrea believes she is being followed by the foreign men loitering around David’s house. When David disappears, his grandfather claims he’s gone interstate to visit relatives the group has never heard about. Determined to discover what has happened to their friend, Andrea, Kitty and Martin find themselves unprepared for what they encounter.

There is a new boy at school whom Kitty befriends. Skender is secretive and evasive. What is he hiding, and can he be connected to David’s disappearance?

Meanwhile other mysteries unfold. Debates in class have ignited rumours that their school will be closed down and the seaside land developed if the new premier has his way. Who is the real main candidate in this election, and how far will he go to get chosen?

The group set out to solve the mystery. But there are secrets, threats, dangers, and unexpected outcomes to face before all their questions are answered.

This novel is terrific reading for the 10+ age group. It’s full of surprises, twists and turns; where things aren’t what they first seem and neither are the people.

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Title: Crooked Leg Road

Author: Jennifer Walsh

Publisher:  Allen& Unwin

Publication Date: April 2014

Format: Paperback

ISBN: 9781743316931

Type: Children's Fiction Mystery/Adventure