I loved this book! I won't give anything away but this is a great story, about Lori and Max. Lori lives with her eccentric nan and is in training to become a detective and Max, the new girl at school, lives with her mum and dad and is a huge fan of animals, kola cubes and Dandelion and Burdock.

This was such an enjoyable read. I really liked Max and Lori and the humour in the book is brilliant. I am already planning who to recommend it to first.

This was a highly engaging read, which I read over one evening. As a lover of adult mystery thrillers I feel the mystery of this children's book was interesting and didn't disappoint in comparison.
Would recommend for younger readers.
Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

You don’t get many crime/ detective stories for this age group, but this fills the gap in the children’s storytelling market and it couldn’t be a better example of one.
Alongside the detective side of the story, which is very appealing to this age group, the book also deals very well with the sensitive subjects of gambling addiction, mental health and neglect at a level which is appropriate. There needs to be more books like this one on the market.

Lori and Max is a fun, multi-layered detective story with some unexpected twists. Written in a young, chatty style, children will be pulled into the story as they spot clues and help Lori find answers.
This story has been very cleverly written from two points of view. Lori is an ordinary Year 6 girl who loves detective stories and trying to solve mysteries. To date, her mysteries have been pretty boring – finding her grandmother’s lost glasses and trying to work out why her teacher is always late to class.
Max is new to the school. She moves around a lot and is always having to fit in and find her place. Her keen observation skills make her a fantastic member of Lori’s sleuthing team and they soon become great friends.
When the charity money goes missing from school, things start to change. This isn’t just playing at being a detective anymore. Things turn dangerous and the girls are challenged to do all they can to bring the real criminals to justice.
I can't wait to read the second Lori and Max book!
Thank you to Firefly Press and NetGalley for this exciting book!

I liked this book a LOT! I really loved the mix of first and third person between Lori and Max's chapters and this made it very readable. I also thought the characters' different lives were well represented and weren't glossed over in any ways - the harsh reality of Max's life and how she coped with it, Lori's eccentricities and how her Nan supported her, I also liked the nuances of even the 'bad' characters - the story of 'rich kid' and greedy and not so bright 'Julie'. I thought the detective elements worked really well, including the nods to other famous detectives throughout. All in all a cracking little story recommended for Year 4+.

What do you do when a policeman turns up at your school, wanting you to share secrets that a friend has told you? When is it okay to break your promise?

When Max starts at yet another new school, she doesn't expect to make a friend. And Lori doesn't expect a friend with so many secrets. But when Max disappears at the same time as a whole lot of charity money, only budding detective Lori believes that she hasn't run away.

I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced detective story, with humour but also some very serious undertones. Perfect for 7-10 year olds.

A stunning contemporary detective story for children! I read this book after its sequel, and I really enjoyed finding out more backstory on Lori and Max. They are great characters! Lori is a dedicated, obsessive detective, who had many autistic traits. Max joins her school after moving school lots of times and also doesn't fit in, trying to hide her mum's depression and dad's gambling problem. I loved the realistic depiction of a modern school and children's lives, that was still humorous and cheery. A mystery appears at school when charity money goes missing, and Max gets the blame. I enjoyed reading this story myself, and would recommend it to anyone 8+.

Lori and Max are lovable characters who make brilliant friends. Lori's chapters are written in first person and her viewpoint is lots of fun. She is desperate to be a detective, and looks for mystery and adventure in every aspect of her life. Max, on the other hand, has a difficult life at home and her chapters are often more serious, addressing issues such gambling, mental illness and poverty.

There are some incredibly tense moments and I think young readers will find this story fast-paced and thrilling. However, it is also very funny, with plenty of comedy provided by Lori's observations and notes, and her eccentric nan. It's definitely a good choice for anyone in the Summer Reading Challenge #SillySquad.

There are plenty of puzzles for both girls to solve, from coded messages to missing money and one very angry hamster. Young readers will be kept guessing throughout, and pitting their detective skills against Lori's as they race to work out what's going on.

A second story in this series, Lori and Max and the Book Thieves, comes out this October so this summer is a great time to read the first.

Thank you Firefly Press for sending me a digital copy for review.

First up a big thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for approving my request.

Sadly.. the book and I didn't click. The writing style just wasn't for me. I didn't like how people were acting around Max, I didn't like Lori's voice that much. And I was just a bit bored while trying to read it. It had such a fun premise and I thought I would enjoy it, but sadly, no. I don't really want to rate it, but since I love the cover and the premise I will give it 2 stars.

Lori, in her last year of primary school, sees herself as a detective, watching police programmes and reading detective stories for most of her spare time and recording everything she notices. So far most of her cases have involved finding her nan’s slippers or glasses, so imagine her surprise when one day she has a real case on her hands: finding her friend Max, who has gone missing. Frustrated with the police and other adults who refuse to believe that Max would not just have run away because of a bit of trouble at school, Lori is forced to investigate.
Told primarily from the points of view of Lori and Max, a large chunk of it in flashback, this is a story of a growing friendship between two children whose individuality keeps them slightly apart from the crowd and their strategies for coping with the difficulties life throws at them. Max has moved schools countless times for reasons she will not divulge, so makes no effort to form friendships, whilst orphaned Lori is being raised by her slightly eccentric grandma who tries to encourage her to “mix” more.
Unlike many of the latest novels for children, this one is firmly rooted in the real world, with two strong and likeable lead characters whose loving, distinctive families reflect some of the social diversity of twenty first century Britain. Lots of humour and a little sadness flavour the plot of a very credible and entertaining mystery novel for young readers.

I chose this book because I love children’s/middle grade crime (for example Robin Stevens). It is usually told in a way that is less tense than adult crime.

I liked Lori a lot, she seems smart and determined. I liked the way she befriended Max, even though she tried to keep her distance. Max seemed even smarter than Lori, though I think it’s just that she’s more experienced. I enjoyed the plot, and the fact the Lori tried to give information to the police, even if they didn’t really listen. I loved the bit at the end where it goes through all the characters and says what they’re up to now. Unfortunately, I did find this story to be a little more tense than I prefer.

I’d recommend this book to anyone looking for an exciting children’s crime story, that brings in realism, but without getting too scary for middle grade aged kids.

I was given a free copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

Lori meets Max when Max arrives as the new girl in the class. The school has a rather bad reputation and so with spaces available it is assumed you had to be expelled from other schools in order to attend. Max is a mystery to Lori until she is invited round for an impromptu birthday party for Max.

The chapters are told from each characters perspectives so in one chapter we can see the truth behind Max and the true reasons she moves around schools. We can also see inside Lori's life, living with her grandmother and wanting to be a detective.

Both girls need each other but for different reasons. Max needs stability and someone she can trust. Lori needs someone to be the Watson to her Sherlock.

When Max goes missing, it is up to Lori to piece all the clues together and present them to the police who think she has run away. She has in fact been kidnapped to get her father to pay his debts. Luckily for Max, the kidnapper is not very smart and keeps buying her food, clothes and books. A trail is found and Lori follows it to help bring her friend home.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and loved the characters of Lori and Max. I admired Lori's determination to see clues, find answers and present them to grown ups.. She deserved the reward in this book as the police weren't listening to her originally. Max has a soft side she was unwilling to share for fear of losing her family but the girls learn to trust each other and a happier ending is in sight.

Fantastic mysteries to be solved that all form part of the bigger mystery as to where Max is.
Great for Year 4+

Was excited to see that @FireflyPress have joined #Netgally & even more excited that they'd put Lori and Max on there - I really enjoyed @CatherineQanik's debut #UKMG - the central characters are brilliant & the story is layered & believable - funny, sad, sensitive. https://t.co/3Z3tmbdKdx