The Mystery of Insch Brae House is an atmospheric and intriguing mystery that combines family secrets, history, and a beautifully drawn setting. Susan Fiddes creates a story filled with suspense and curiosity, inviting readers to uncover the hidden truths surrounding a fascinating old house and the people connected to it.

The setting is one of the novel's greatest strengths. Insch Brae House feels like a character in its own right, with its history and secrets adding a wonderful sense of atmosphere. Fiddes skillfully builds a feeling of mystery while weaving together the past and present, keeping readers invested in discovering what lies beneath the surface.

The characters are thoughtfully developed, with their personal journeys adding emotional depth to the central mystery. The story balances investigation with themes of family, belonging, and the lasting impact of choices made long ago.

The pacing is steady and allows the mystery to unfold gradually, which will appeal to readers who enjoy slower-burning, character-driven stories. Those looking for nonstop action may find the approach more reflective, but fans of historical mysteries and atmospheric fiction will appreciate the careful storytelling.

Overall, The Mystery of Insch Brae House is a captivating read with a strong sense of place, intriguing secrets, and an engaging mystery at its heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a charming mystery with an engaging cast of characters and a wonderfully atmospheric setting. The investigation unfolded at a satisfying pace, and I enjoyed piecing together the clues alongside the protagonists. Cozy mystery fans will find plenty to enjoy here.

This book had a great gothic feel, and the suspense level was perfect. It kept me reading while allowing the plot to develop naturally. I enjoyed the characters and was eager to see how it played out. I will recommend this to students.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Mystery of Insch Brae House. It combines gothic atmosphere, historical intrigue, and an engaging mystery into a story that kept me guessing from beginning to end.

The setting is wonderfully immersive. The old house almost feels alive, filled with secrets waiting to be uncovered. I loved the slow unraveling of the mystery and appreciated that each new discovery added another layer rather than simply answering questions.

The pacing strikes a nice balance between suspense and character development, allowing readers to become invested in both the mystery itself and the people trying to solve it.

If you enjoy atmospheric mysteries with richly described settings, hidden family secrets, and a touch of gothic charm, this one is definitely worth reading.

Great childrens fiction book with strong characters like Muriel 💕

Cute without being too cutesy 😊

Fun unique storyline and just fun laidback book 📖

enjoyable mystery that kept me curious from beginning to end. It doesn't rely on shocking twists or fast-paced action, but instead builds its suspense steadily, letting the atmosphere do most of the work. The old house itself felt like a character, full of secrets waiting to be uncovered, which was easily my favorite part of the novel. I found myself piecing together clues alongside the characters, and that made the reading experience satisfying. While I guessed parts of the mystery before the reveal, I still enjoyed seeing how everything came together. It may not become a favorite of mine, but it was a solid, entertaining read that I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys classic mysteries with an eerie, old-house setting.

A Gravity Falls type mystery meets funky scottish setting. Great detective novel for kids that would watch horror movies if only their parents allowed it

What worked:
The author describes a mysterious, depressing setting for Muriel, as she’s sent to stay with a guardian she’s never met. Miss Floss demeans her at every opportunity to the point where Muriel is afraid to move about the house. The house itself is drab and dusty, with most of the rooms standing empty. However, food surprisingly appears outside her bedroom door, but it seems Miss Floss doesn’t know anything about it. Strange sounds and Muriel’s curiosity lead her to begin investigating the house.
The author uses short chapters, which should appeal to young readers. The conflict focuses on the history of Insch Brae House, since Muriel doesn’t understand why it’s in such poor condition now. She deduces that it may have been a school where Miss Floss once worked, but Muriel wants to know why she’s now so sad and bitter. A young boy from town joins Muriel halfway into the story, and together, they follow clues to uncover what happened to the house and Miss Floss. The truth involves bullying and a tragic love story and builds to a surprising climax.
What didn’t work as well:
The prologue and an early chapter describe Muriel’s father in India. He’s injured during an earthquake, and her mother travels there to be with him. However, her parents aren’t a major part of the story, and readers may be disappointed or surprised by that. Perhaps the parents will be more present in the book’s sequel.
The final verdict:
The plot isn’t a suspenseful mystery, but it features unique characters and a heart-warming ending. I suggest you give it a shot.

The Mystery of Insch Brae House is a charming middle grade mystery. Muriel is shuttled off suddenly and without explanation with an employee of her grandparents to a home her mother remembers fondly from childhood. Muriel tries to discover why she was sent to Insch Brae House while also figuring out the strangeness of the place.

I enjoyed the way the mystery of the house unraveled itself, though it was a bit slow. Muriel’s imagination about her survival and detective skills were a delight. I could imagine her inner monologue, and it was fun. While Muriel’s temporary caregiver is rather unkind, her new, local friend brings some interesting adventures to the story.

I enjoyed the mystery aspect of The Mystery of Insch Brae House, but found the pacing a bit slow and the ending a bit too tidy and unbelievable. Muriel and Christopher, however, were great.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance copy. Opinions in this review are my own.

For a middle grade a fun and atmospheric read. Maybe a bit too short. And as an adult, I missed too much details. I would've loved to read more about Insch Brae House in the old days, when it was thriving. And the parents of the MC could've had a bigger part in this story. Overall, a fun, short read and I think it'd be great for the younger readers who like a quick fix when it comes to reading.

This is an interesting introductory mystery. Muriel’s father is off in another country working. Her mom suddenly sends her to stay at Insch Bray house with the terrible Miss Floss. Muriel tries to figure out the mystery of Insch Bray and why Miss Floss is so mean to her. This book is just mysterious enough to hold your interest. Packed with a creepy old house and maybe a ghost? I thought the reason her mother sent her away with a stranger was a little flimsy. The friendship Muriel develops with a local boy seems genuine. Parts of the ending feel unrealistic. The story wraps up neatly in a little package.

Recommended for grades 2-4 for mystery fans. Thank you NetGallery for the preview.

I received a free copy of The Mystery of Insch Brae House, by Susan Fiddes, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Insch Brae House has its secrets and mysteries. Though I guessed the mystery early on this was still an enjoyable read.

I gave this book to my son (aged 10) to read. This is his feedback:

This was a brilliant book. I loved it because it the setting was creepy but fun and set in a cool location (big house in Scotland in the snow). I didn’t expect the twists and turns of the story and loved the characters. I could imagine me and my friends there. The book was a perfect length. Not to short but not too long either. I could easily do a chapter a night.

Eight year old Muriel dad has been away for several months, helping the people of India recover from an earthquake when her mother decides to go help him, leaving Muriel to stay with Miss Floss at Insch Brae House, where her mum spent many happy days in her childhood. For Muriel, however, it's very unhappy. Miss Floss is strict, not willing to give Muriel a chance. And there's something off about Insch Brae - the house feels like it should be a haunted house, abandoned except for Miss Floss with strange noises at night. There's something about the house that just doesn't make sense.

I'm not the target demographic for this book (middle-grade) but feel it would be good for middle schoolers, even perhaps kids a few years younger. It was a good length for young readers to get into, and not too scary. Initially, I was put off by how much was just Muriel's thoughts, but then realized that stylistic decision highlighted how alone and frightened Muriel was as her mother didn't give her a lot of details about why she was going to visit her father in India.

Recommended. A great book for young readers.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

This is a children's mystery which is almost gothic. It has everything we expect from such a story - a child parted from her parents living in a lonley and bleak house; a mean and unsympathetic guardian; strange noises and happenings in the house; a local child who becomes a friend and helps to solve the mystery; tunnels under the house and sea and a solving of the mystery.

All these plot points do not make the book derivative or boring. The descriptions are good and Muriel and Christopher are well drawn and there is some tension relating to the mysterious happenings and the tunnels. My main problem, however, was with the mystery itself which seemed just too unbelievable and I think the mother was most remiss in not checking if Miss Floss was still suitable to be Muriel's guardian. The ending, written in the form of an epilogue is not bad and suitable for a children's book.

Thank you NetGalley for this beautiful ARC.
I really appreciate.
It’s a very cozy mystery book with a warm ambience and feeling and good characters with a lovely plot.
Very low stress and chill however, the book is not for me. I will recommend it to others because it’s nice and sweet.

The Mystery of Insch Brae House was a fun read that I would have liked to delve a bit deeper too. I enjoyed the world that Susan Fiddes created and Muriel, our main character, was quite entertaining. Muriel is living her everyday life when all of a sudden, she is sent away with the cranky Miss Floss to stay at Insch Brae while her mother is busy with who knows what (the reader finds out early on) and her father is away. Muriel quickly discovers that Insch Brae is NOT what it looks like (nor what her mother remembers) and with her new friend, Christopher, they start to unravel and explore the mysteries of the house.

There were several points in the book where I wanted to know MORE to deepen my understanding of what was happening in the book. I felt there were a few parts that were rushed through, leaving me wanting more. Overall though, the story was charming and fun - I can see the appeal for younger readers who would appreciate the shorter chapters and faster pace, while still getting the world building that has been carefully put into the story.

This reminds me of the little princess a bit. A simple story and a simple mystery that young readers will relish.

Muriel is sent on a train journey with Miss Foss, her Mum saw her off at the station in Edinburgh, the train is going to Moreland. Muriel has no idea who Miss Foss is or why she has to go with her, she does know that her Mum spent loads of time in Moreland when she was a girl. But that was summer and this is winter and it’s snowing and Muriel hasn’t got her boots on.
This is a gothic tale for children, which I’m sure they will love, it has everything, courage, friendship and overcoming difficulties. An excellent book which my grandchildren will love.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc.

When Muriel is sent away from her family to a mysterious old school full of secrets, she is determined to find answers as to who else may be in the building with her and her guardian.

This book ended up being very cute! The writing style felt a bit unusual and almost historical at times, rather than taking place just a decade ago, but once I got used to the writing, it was easy to get swept into the adventure of the story. I loved the setting, the backstory, and Muriel’s desire to get answers. It was a fun read, and also sad at times!

Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. All thoughts are my own.

A mystery for a younger audience - Muriel is sent to the titular Insch Brae House. which seems to be abandoned. Muriel is determined to figure out what is happening. The plot is easy to follow and suitably scary for an elementary school age group.

This was not quite what I was expecting (I thought it would be more of a supernatural tale) but still a very enjoyable book. I liked Muriel and her ability to go with whatever was going on around her and not falling into a sulk because her situation was not great. I do not quite understand why her mother would put her in the care of a woman she had not talked to in years and to send her to a house she had not seen in years - did she really have no other options? I also wondered how hard people looked for the missing caretaker considering these two kids found him within a few days. Ultimately, this book is about forgiving ourselves and each other for past hurts and to recognize that although you cannot take back something you have done, you can make amends to others and do better in the future. I was actually kind of sad how much time was lost between Miss Floss and Robert all because of one incident. I really hope there will be more books that partner up Muriel and Christopher as mystery solvers, they were a great team.