A spotlight on The Peacock Detectives
The Peacock Detectives is one of the six books shortlisted for this year’s Readings Children’s Book Prize.
Here’s everything you need to know about this quirky and warm mystery about family and friendship.
‘When Cassie’s neighbours ask her to look for their missing peacocks, William Shakespeare and Virginia, she eagerly takes the case. But the search takes some unexpected turns, and leads her to deeper puzzles about her family and friends: Why is her father sad? Why has her mother moved out? Why is her sister becoming a Buddhist, and what is Buddhism anyway?
Cassie knows and understands far more of what’s going on around her than the older people in her life are prepared to tell her. Because of this, she has to piece together the interconnected stories of her family, friends and even the school bully from the clues she picks up along the way. Cassie’s narration is charming and insightful, rich with texture and well-observed details about the changing seasons in a rural Victorian town and the internal lives of its inhabitants.’
– Freya Howarth, Chair of the judging panel
Who should read this book?
loveable young detective, heartfelt depiction of family dynamics and sensitive and sophisticated exploration of mental health is perfectly suited to curious, thoughtful readers and budding writers. For ages 9 and up.
Meet the author…
Carly Nugent lives in Bright in Victoria. Her short fiction has featured in numerous publications, including the Bellevue Literary Review and Award Winning Australian Writing. Shortlisted for the Text Prize in 2017, The Peacock Detectives is her first novel.
