Customer Reviews

Hannah West in the Belltown Towers: A Mystery

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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!

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

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

In the tradition of girl detectives like Nancy Drew, [...] Hannah West solves mysteries in Seattle. Her story is told in the first person and the title character is appealing and a bit quirky. This one is the first in a series (four have been published thus far). Hannah's adventures include lots of local color about Seattle and its different neighborhoods; one noteworthy element is that she is an adopted Chinese daughter of a white mother who is a professional housesitter; this occupation gives the author a reason to have the main character in a different setting in each book. It also provides a multicultural element to the stories that make them very contemporary. The story in this particular book has to do with stolen art works and, despite the criminal part of the plot, is not at all frightening or violent. Readers might also enjoy Hannah's blog, which allows readers to leave comments (although the most recent post from the author seems to be from 2007).

Hannah West is an amazing character. This author brought Hanna alive for me with her description; Hanna has some great highlights in her hair and loves the color purple. While Hannah does have some of the typical traits of a 12-year-old, she also has individuality and a unique perspective on life. How could she not with a mother who has three jobs, yet still makes plenty of time for Hannah.

Hannah is an artist in progress and also a sleuth and she uses her art to capture clues and work out her theories. Homeless is not a word she likes to use to describe herself, however, with no real roots, Hannah is still grounded enough to follow her own path. She and her mother "house-sit" for rent and they find themselves in some posh digs in Seattle. The theft of some paintings is right up Hannah's art ally and she uses her sketch book, her best friend and a borrowed terrier to solve the crime.

Linda Johns has created a wonderful series and I plan to add a few more of her titles to my bookshelf.

Hannah West in the Belltown Towers is fantastic! I bought it for my step-niece and she loved it. It features a realistic heroine, a well-crafted mystery, and fun Seattle details that only a local would know.