Book review: Dying To Be Famous and The Head Is Dead

Dying To Be Famous and The Head Is Dead, both by Tanya Landman, are published by Walker Books, priced £4.99.

The kids might be a little too young for CSI, but youngsters can still enjoy the thrill of detective work through Devon-based writer Tanya Landman's latest two additions to her murder mystery series.

In the third release, Dying To Be Famous, amateur sleuth Poppy and her friend Graham end up in the school musical, but before too long the theatre crowd start dropping like flies and Poppy finds herself on the murderer's hit list.

Despite a brush with death, she's back in the game in Landman's fourth book, The Head Is Dead. When Poppy and Graham take responsibility for designing a murder-mystery trail for the school fair, it's not long before they find themselves on a real-life murder hunt.

Twice shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal, Landman's sharp eye for detail and witty humour will make her a firm bedtime favourite.

8/10 Review by Sarah O'Meara