Hannah West in the Belltown Towers: A Mystery [Paperback]

Linda Johns (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

Hannah West is not your ordinary twelve-year-old. She’s artistic, full of street smarts, and best of all, she’s a budding detective. She and her mom are technically homeless, but thanks to a series of house-sitting jobs, they always have a place to stay. In this first book in a lively new Sleuth series, Hannah and her mom—who adopted Hannah from China when she was a baby— move into their latest new place: a high-rise apartment in Seattle’s swanky Belltown towers. And just as they’re getting settled, someone tries to steal a valuable piece of artwork from one of their new neighbors! Quick as a wink, Hannah is on the trail of a thief who is wreaking havoc on Seattle’s thriving art scene! Armed with her keen eye and ever-present sketchbook, no detail gets past Hannah unnoticed.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Gr. 5-8. Johns has concocted a wonderful character in 12-year-old Hannah West, who wanders the street, closely observing her surroundings. Adopted from China as an infant, Hannah and her adoptive mother, an artist, earn their way by house-sitting, with Hannah making extra money as a dog walker and errand runner. While taking care of an apartment in Seattle's upscale Belltown Towers, Hannah and her mother stumble upon an art theft. The heist turns into a series of thefts from local art galleries, which Hannah, with her knowledge of the city and keen observation skills, is able to solve. With a great backstory and an engaging heroine, this enjoyable mystery is a strong addition to the Sleuth imprint. Connie Fletcher
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Linda Johns lives in Seattle,Washington.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 170 pages
• Publisher: Puffin (May 4, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0142406376
• ISBN-13: 978-0142406373
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 5.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,425,898 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Linda Johns is a writer and librarian living in Seattle, Washington. By day, she works at the Seattle Public Library's downtown library. By night, she writes children's novels and reads novels by other people (and also wastes too much time online). She shares a 100-year-old house with her husband, son, basset hound and cat.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hannah the Hero!, June 7, 2006

By 

Fiona & Norman's Mom (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hannah West in the Belltown Towers: A Mystery (Paperback)

I know the book is targeted towards young girls, but this 46 year old woman loved the story! I chuckled more than a few times when I read the book. Hannah is a smart, curious and energetic girl - a real heroine! It was fun to read about all the local Seattle spots and even more fun to try to solve the `whodunit' with Hannah. I can't wait to read the next mystery Hannah stumbles upon!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars High-rise fun with a pint-size detective...!, September 1, 2006

By 

Erika Sorocco (Southern California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hannah West in the Belltown Towers: A Mystery (Paperback)

Twelve-year-old Hannah West thought that everything in her life was going smoothly. That is, until her mother lost her job at a big dot com company, and they ended up broke. Now, Hannah and her adoptive mother are on the move (literally), for Hannah's mother has taken up a new position: as a house-sitter. While it's loads of fun to take up residence in other people's digs on a regular basis, however, Hannah finds it to be quite a trying ordeal. However, when she ends up in the illustrious high-rise known as the Belltown Towers in downtown Seattle, Hannah feels as if she's hit the big-time. Sure, her fear of heights has finally hit the surface, but living on the eleventh floor also has its perks. Case in point, having a view to see just about everything that goes on around the bustling city. So when Hannah's new neighbor, Dorothy, discovers that the coveted painting by Mimi Hansen (one of Seattle's hottest new artists) she's been waiting for to arrive is nothing more than a blank canvas, and Hannah learns that more of the budding star's work has been stolen from various local museums, Hannah puts herself, and her Miss Marple loving pal, Lily, on the case of the thefts. Now, however, Hannah realizes that this case may be tougher to crack than she'd ever expected, especially now that a group of purple-clad bike messengers have hopped on the bandwagon, proving to be quite a nuisance for someone trying to solve a mystery. Now, the two girls must join forces in an attempt to nail the thief before more priceless paintings disappear without a trace, otherwise the HONCHO charity that they're supposed to be auctioned off at will be ruined.

It seems that nowadays girl detectives are hitting the scene left and right, yet not all are as endearing as Hannah West. The budding artist is an unforgettable character, whose trusty sketchbook, street smarts, and eye for detective work keep the reader on their toes; while the sensible, yet sometimes out there, Lily, is a wonderful contrasting personality, whose love of old-fashioned mysteries and Chinese food are prevalent from the get-go. Together these girls create an unstoppable detective team, playing off one another in the same manner as Starsky & Hutch, The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew and Bess, and countless others. With HANNAH WEST IN THE BELLTOWN TOWERS, Linda Johns has proven that her character has the staying power to last in a series, as well as to rival her pastime amateur sleuth sisters Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew. High-rise fun with a pint-size detective that will leave readers craving more of Hannah.

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for mystery lovers, June 10, 2006

By 

Marlene Perez (Orange County, California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hannah West in the Belltown Towers: A Mystery (Paperback)

I loved HANNAH WEST IN THE BELLTOWN TOWERS and so did my twelve-year-old daughter. I love that Hannah's mom has a non-traditional job as a house-sitter and Hannah is truly an original character. BELLTOWN TOWERS is a fast-paced well-plotted mystery, sure to please any mystery readers.

I've only been to Seattle once, but I enjoyed the Seattle setting and look forward to reading the rest of the the series