Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam The Diamond Chase

Title: Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam The Diamond Chase
Author: Tracey Corderoy
Illustrator: Steve Lenton
Publisher:  Nosy Crow
Published: 2016
Format: Hardback/Paperback
Source: My own copy

This is the third book in the “Shifty McGifty And Slippery Sam” series by Tracey Corderoy and Steven Lenton, following the adventures of our two protagonists after they have given up their life of crime and gone into the cake-making business. In this instalment, they must take up the roles of not only bakers, but also detectives.

The bakers have been asked to provide the treats for Lady Kate's birthday party, which her energetic nephew Barnaby is also attending. They are successful in preparing the treats for the party guests despite Barnaby getting in the way at times and everything seems to be going well…until Lady Kate appears and reveals that someone has stolen her diamond tiara! Shifty and Sam instantly volunteer to help, but the thief will prove to be a hard one to catch. Like the other two books beforehand, this story is told in rhyme which will appeal and entertain a wide audience, especially one consisting of young children. It also has the same level of excitement as the other stories, which definitely got me reading further and wanting to find out whether the tiara is retrieved in the end. Additionally, the illustrations provided by Lenton continue to be expressive and delightful, capturing the mood of the characters perfectly.

This is another fantastic instalment in the series with brand new characters that children will love as well as familiar ones such as the lovable Scottie dog. This will definitely appeal to fans of the first two books as well as new readers, especially ones that love a good detective story and adventure.