Opal Watson, Private Eye 

Brittany J. Thurman

This middle grade novel, for ages 8-12, is based on a popular original podcast (of the same name) on Pinna, an award-winning streaming service of audio programming curated for kids.

Opal Watson loves being a detective and solving mysteries. When her friend, Madison, hears disturbances in their apartment building, she starts to investigate.  Even though the old building is undergoing renovations, the mysterious noises are upsetting her neighbors. Opal suspects Mrs. Charlotte Carlowe, who was found suspiciously visiting the building and talking with its residents, is to blame. She fears developers want to tear down the Cresent. Opal learns it’s dangerous to jump to conclusions.

Opal has Retinitis Pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease, and occasionally needs to use her cane, which she calls Pinkerton (a nod to the American detective agency).  Unfortunately, it’s not clearly mentioned whether her visional impairment either improves her detective skills (by strengthening her other senses perhaps) or hinders her in any significant way. Therefore, the inclusion of this disability seemed a bit superfluous. Opal is doing a school project about the Great Migration, which has strong family ties to Opal, but also is relevant to the discovery of an antique typewriter discovered in the Cresent.

There were many characters in the book, which were difficult to recall when read over a longer period time.

3 stars

Reviewed by Lindsey Hopkins, Jay-Niles Memorial Library, Jay