The Shell Secret by Sue Palmer

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The Shell Secret

Adventure / Mystery / Detective Story for 7-12 year olds

For 11-year-old budding detective Alice Clark, summers in Trevellen used to mean roaming the beaches and rockpools, collecting shells with her sister, Poppy.

But this year is different. A year after Poppy’s death, Alice returns alone—determined to build a shell memorial in her honour, and desperate to ensure her sister is never, ever forgotten.

Forbidden from visiting the beach by herself, Alice reluctantly strikes a deal with Jasper—the annoying boy who’s just moved in next door.

But the arrangement quickly becomes more complicated than she expects.

Drawn into the heart of a sinister World War II mystery, Alice and Jasper find themselves in real danger, unearth a shocking family secret, and risk losing the one thing Alice came back to Trevellen to protect.

Story background

The Shell Secret is a fast-paced adventure story, with a detective feel, set by the rockpools, in caves and on the beaches of Cornwall.

Join 11-year-old Alice Clark, as she attempts to navigate the difficulties of grief, uncovers dangerous secrets from the past and present and tries to be the sister she should have been to Poppy.

The Shell Secret spans three generations of the Clark family and has, at its heart, the themes of friendship, family and the healing powers of the outdoors.

The Shell Secret is a middle grade, classic adventure story with a detective feel.

Read the first Chapter of The Shell Secret

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Book Reviews from Children, Parents and Authors

  • Annette Oppenlander

    When Michael May is selected to participate in the Children’s Moon Program, he thinks all his dreams have come true. But only three of the ten teens are accepted to join NASA and though Michael has trained and studied as long as he can remember, inexplicable injuries and accidents befall his teammates. Michael is scared, but he’s also curious. Somebody must be doing this, somebody in his program who wants to win at all cost.

    Palmer has created a winning tale about space programs which not only tells an engrossing story from the perspective of a thirteen-year old British boy, it also teaches much about the science of space. Perfect for 9-12-year olds, May’s Moon is a must read for kids interested in space exploration and becoming astronauts.

    Annette Oppenlander
    (Author of A Different Truth and the Escape from the Past Trilogy)
  • Emily Dunn

    The first chapter had me completely hooked and after about page ten I had my heart in my mouth. It is a really great read with some really interesting facts woven in to give the reader a real insight into what an astronaut truly goes through before being selected for a mission.

    I loved the mystery that is within the main story and I really felt that Michael was a lovely boy and I desperately wanted him to be picked. Great for adventure fans, space fan and mystery fans, boys and girls 8+.

    Emily Dunn
    (A Festival of Books Bookshop, Chipping Camden)
  • Billy Bob Buttons

    Interested in space travel? Interested in how a rocket can fly to a different planet?

    Then this book is for you. I thoroughly enjoyed this exciting story of a boy battling to be a NASA astronaut and travel to the moon. Not only is it a fast-paced adventure, it is also a mystery populated with a host of complex and interesting characters. I would recommend it to any 9 – 12 year old boy or girl who enjoys a thrilling story with a light sprinkling of intergalactic know-how.

    Billy Bob Buttons
    (Author of I Think I Murdered Miss and winner of the UK People’s Book Prize)