A Box Full of Murders
Author Janice Hallett
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Story
Ava and Luke find in a box in the attic full of letters, diary entries and newspaper cuttings, Reading through the documents, they realise that they contain information about an old unsolved murder and set out to solve it themselves. Can you find the solution before they do? The clues are all there.
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Why we chose it
Lots of mystery stories are told through a series of documents, such as letters, case files, diary entries and newspaper cuttings – this is a great example.
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First published
2025, Penguin Random House
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What a young reviewer said
A great book for people to start reading murder mysteries as it keeps you on edge, but it's not too scary. (Alice, age 13)
Story Reviews
Our reviews come from a team of young story lovers! If you’re aged 8–16 and keen to join in, learn how to become a reviewer for The Story Museum.
A Box Full Of Murders by Janice Hallet is a great book for people to start reading murder mysteries as it keeps you on edge, but it's not too scary. It is about a brother (Luke) and sister (Ava) who live separately after their parents divorce. Luke finds a box in the attic with diary entries from a scout camp revealing an unsolved murder case. The book is presented in its own original way by only being in diary entries by the scouts/guides or over texts by Ava and Luke, giving a more modern feel to the story. This style of writing made me feel more involved with the story. I really enjoyed the book as it was written from different points of view from different types of people, which gave me multiple perspectives on the story. This style made me want to keep reading it without stopping, especially because the diary entries always ended with a cliff hanger. The extra plot about the "ghost" gave it an interesting twist. It might have been better if there were different parts to the story, like long chapters, to give it more structure. I prefer murder mysteries which have even more suspense so it might be better for younger readers e.g. age 9 - 11.
A Box Full of Murders is an interactive mystery where siblings solve a 1980s cold case using "found documents" like letters and maps. It’s a fast-paced, puzzle-like read perfect for children 11ish who love playing detective, though its non-chronologic order of the documents can be a fun challenge.