When Olive Cobin Zang’s parents unexpectedly enroll her midyear at a peculiar, artsy boarding school that used to be a prison, she’s not too optimistic about her new life. After all, her parents have never paid much attention to her—they’re far too busy working constantly, and since her grandmother died a month ago, she doesn’t have anyone else to look out for her. The chances of this new development being one she’ll enjoy feel pretty slim.
But that’s before she gets to the school—named, weirdly, RASCH—and discovers it’s not just a quirky, offbeat boarding school. It’s also cover for a group of crime fighters, a group that Olive, along with four of her new misfit friends, have been chosen to become part of.
Learning to be a secret agent, all while finding her place among her quirky friends, is better than Olive possibly could’ve hoped for. There’s just one problem: RASCH is in danger of shutting down. And if Olive and her friends can’t catch a world-renowned jewel thief and secure the respect of RASCH’s most famous donor, they’ll lose the first place they’ve ever belonged.
Quirky and fast-paced, I highly enjoyed A Royal Conundrum. With all the trappings of a spy novel, all about an unexpected group of crime-fighting middle-school underdogs, this book entirely lives up to its premise. The characters are awesome; Olive and the Misfits are all quite different, and often don’t entirely get along, but their developing relationships and strong personalities made the story sparkle. I also loved the illustrations—they truly brought Olive and her friends to life, and added so much to the fun atmosphere of the story. And that’s all even without mentioning the mystery itself, which was hilarious and action-packed in all the right places. I’m glad to know this one’s part of a series—I’ll be anxiously awaiting book 2! I highly recommend A Royal Conundrum to readers ages eight and up, particularly fans of middle-grade mystery books like Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls or Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation.