The London Eye Mystery

It happened again! I chose a middle grade novel to read without realizing it featured someone with a special need. In this case Ted, the narrator and protagonist of The London Eye Mystery is on the autism spectrum. Will his unusual way of thinking help or hinder him in figuring out why and how his cousin disappeared from the sealed capsule on the huge ferris wheel?

It was interesting to learn about that gigantic modern landmark, the London Eye, and the exciting story kept me guessing.  Ted's point of view seemed realistic, as were his relationships with the other characters.

This book, published in 2007,  is definitely a page turner and will be enjoyed by anyone who likes mysteries. I'll look forward to reading future books by the author, Siobhan Dowd.

The London Eye Mystery

The London Eye Mystery is a middle grade novel by British author, Siobhan Dowd. It's an exciting middle-grade book, of which there are many, but two things set this one apart.

First, it involves an impressive tourist attraction I'd never heard of before. The London Eye is a gigantic ferris wheel where groups of people ride in sealed capsule-type cars. The kids in the book must figure out how their cousin disappeared while riding in one of those.

The second unusual thing is that it's told in first person by a protagonist who seems to be autistic, although that word is never used. Ted's brilliant mind doesn't work like other people's do, and, with the help of his "normal" sister, he uses his different way of noticing things and thinking about them to solve the mystery. The author did an amazingly good job of helping the reader experience what the world is like from the mind of someone with that condition.

This book would be a good read anyway, but the unique setting and point of view make it even more enjoyable.