Sisterhood of Sleuths

A clever and thought-provoking mystery that pays homage to classic Nancy Drew stories, perfect for fans of Wendy Mass and Trenton Lee Stewart. 

Maizy always assumed she knew everything about her grandmother, Jacuzzi. So when a box full of vintage Nancy Drew books gets left at her mom’s thrift store, Maizy is surprised to find an old photo of her grandmother and two other women tucked beneath the collection. Stranger still, when Maizy shows the photo to Jacuzzi she feigns ignorance, insisting the woman is someone else. Determined to learn the truth — and inspired by the legacy of Nancy Drew — Maizy launches her own investigation with the help of new friends, Nell and Cam. What they discover not only points to the origins of the iconic series, but uncovers a truth from the past that will lead to self-discovery in the present, connecting three generations of women.  

This intergenerational mystery filled with literary history, friendship, and family secrets delivers a captivating tribute to the world’s most famous girl detective. 

• Praise for Sisterhood of Sleuths:
  
  "Sisterhood of Sleuths reminded me of everything I loved about the Nancy Drew books, and introduced me to a new heroine worth rooting for!"
  Jennifer A. Nielsen, New York Times bestselling author of The False Prince
• "The perfect book for mystery fans of all ages—a classic that explores the Nancy Drew icon in a contemporary light."
  Fleur Bradley, author of Midnight at the Barclay Hotel
• "Sisterhood of Sleuths is an irresistible blend of history, mystery, humor, and heart."
  Megan Wagner Lloyd, author of Allergic and Haven
• “Characters who jump off the page, authentic friendships that twist and turn, and fun laugh-out-loud moments make this homage to Nancy Drew a classic in its own right.”
  Ann Braden, author of The Benefits of Being an Octopus and Flight of the Puffin
• "Building on beautifully woven themes of forgiveness and female empowerment—Bertman at her best."
  Elaine Vickers, bestselling author of Paper Chains
• "An enormously engaging book-focused mystery."
  Claudia Mills, author of The Lost Language and Write This Down
• "Good luck trying to put this suspenseful, hilarious, and heartwarming mystery down! With a fascinating mix of present-day problems and true-life literary history, Sisterhood of Sleuths will open readers' eyes—and leave them ready to unleash their inner Nancy Drews."
  Tara Dairman, author of the All Four Stars series and The Girl From Earth’s End
• "A strong theme of evolving friendships pervades this fun and funny mystery narrated in Maizy’s lively voice, while the Nancy Drew motif infuses the plot with fascinating, thoroughly researched historical details about the series’ creation and survival. An engaging pick for mystery fans and wannabe sleuths."
  Kirkus Reviews
• Praise and honors for the Book Scavenger series:
  
  New York Times Bestseller (for 5 weeks)
  Bank Street College Best Book of the Year 
  NCTE Notable Children’s Book in the Language Arts
  Indie Next Kids’ #6 pick (Summer 2015)
  ABA Indies Introduce New Voices Finalist 
  An Amazon Best Book of the Year
  Junior Library Guild selection, 2015
  A Publishers Weekly Best Book for Summer
  SF Gate Summer Reads Recommendation, 2015
  Cybils Middle Grade Fiction Finalist, 2015
  SCBWI Crystal Kite Award Finalist, 2016
  Colorado Book Award Finalist, 2016
  Georgia Children’s Book Award Finalist, 2016-2017
  Maryland Black Eyed Susan Award Nominee, 2016-2017
  Massachusetts Children’s Book Award Nominee, 2016-2017
  Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Nominee, 2016-2017
  Triple Crown Lamplighter Book Award Winner, 2016-2017
  Utah Educational Library Media Association Award Master List Selection, 2016
  Jr Tome Society and Club Tome It List Nominee, 2016-2017
  Indiana Young Hoosier Book Award Nominee, 2017-2018
  Louisiana Young Readers Choice Award Nominee, 2017-2018
  Missouri Mark Twain Award Nominee, 2017-2018
  Nebraska Golden Sower Award Finalist, 2017-2018
  North Carolina Young Adult Book Award Nominee, 2017-2018
  Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award Nominee, 2018
  Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Reader’s Book Award Nominee, 2017-2018
  Illinois Bluestem Book Award Nominee, 2017-2018
  Utah Beehive Award Nominee, 2018
  Mississippi Magnolia Children’s Choice Book Award Nominee, 2018
  Rhode Island Middle School Book Award Nominee, 2018
  Tennessee Volunteer State Book Award Nominee, 2018
  Washington Library Association Sasquatch Book Award Nominee, 2018
  Oregon Battle of the Books selection 2018-2019
  Minnesota Youth Reading Award Nominee 2018-2019
  Hawaii Nēnē Book Award Nominee, 2018
  West Australian Young Readers Book Award Nominee, 2019
  
  * “Full of heart and replete with challenging ciphers for readers to decode, Bertman's debut is literary cousin to classic puzzlers like The Westing Game, and a story that values books and reading above other pursuits.”
  Publishers Weekly, starred review on Book Scavenger
• * “In her first novel, Jennifer Chambliss Bertman introduces a smart, resourceful 12-year-old who makes her first true friend through a mutual passion for solving puzzles.... Fans of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library will appreciate the abundant literary allusions, and readers will hope for more adventures, hinted at in the book's final lines.”
  Shelf Awareness, starred review on Book Scavenger
• “Sprinkled with ciphers, San Francisco landmarks, and literary allusions, Book Scavenger is a fun, light, implausible adventure.... This will appeal to fans of Blue Balliett's art-world mysteries.”
  School Library Journal on Book Scavenger
• “Well paced and involving, the story will intrigue kids with an interest in mysteries and codes as well as books. The writing includes references to local landmarks as well as literary allusions to Jack Kerouac, Robert Louis Stevenson, and, especially, Edgar Allan Poe. A lively first novel.”
  Booklist on Book Scavenger
• "A successful sequel . . . Readers who loved the first volume will find this follow-up even more satisfying."
  School Library Journal on The Unbreakable Code
• "Brisk, bookish good fun for puzzle and code lovers."
  Kirkus Reviews on The Unbreakable Code