Claudia is staying with her grandparents in the Boonside Heights Retirement Village. It’s not supposed to be forever, but it’s beginning to feel
like it after 70+ days. Her parents are on a ‘once in a lifetime’ cruise, and she’s wondering if they will ever come back?
It’s not like her Grandma are Pop aren’t nice to be with. Grandma loves her books, and it shows with the piles everywhere in their villa. Pop loves his daily newspapers. But seven old people and a middle-aged dog aren’t the best company for such a long time.
A couple of other residents do have grandchildren too, but they aren’t exactly the type to hang out with. Cousins Zane and Yasmin visit their grandmother Mrs Bassal every week. They are very popular at school because of their successful social media presence but way too cool for Claudia. The other young visitor is Orphi McAdoo whose grandfather used to live in the village. He is the very opposite of cool, and Claudia would like to avoid him as much as possible.
This soon becomes impossible because a malfunction to the gate of the retirement home locks them all in – together!
Claudia does her best to keep herself occupied, and thinks maybe, just maybe – she could make friends out of cool Zane and Yasmin. Especially since the handyman won’t be back to fix the gate until after the long weekend ahead of them.
It’s not long before they discover something to keep them all occupied. Strange notes begin being found around the premises. Who wrote them and what could they possibly mean?
While they wrangle the very few clues and the seven elderly residents, Claudia and co track down answers to a ever deepening mystery.
With illustrations peppered through the text, intermittent fun fonts popping up as main character Claudia has an idea, and a growing mystery to solve, this middle grade novel is a fun read.
Being stuck inside a small retirement village where everyone knows everyone (very well), but who don’t all get on (very well), there are upsets, reveals, grumbles and gripes, along with baking, quizzes, cooks and books galore.
Throw in some strange notes and this closed off community have nothing but time and an opportunity to sort things out, find a brother, win a dance competition, discover a real home, reveal a secret or two and band together for their future.
Through Claudia, readers get to know each resident with their quirks and hilarious, annoying, kind and grumpy personalities.
(Look out for the next in the series – The Clueless Guide to Catching a Thief)
If you liked this you might like:
The Girl and the Ghost series
Violet and the Velvets Series
Author – Samera Kamaleddine
Illustrator – Hykie Breeze
Age – 9+
(2026, Angus Robertson, Harper Collins, Elderly, Retirement Home, Friendship, Family, Humour, Mystery, Secret, Series, Villas, Locked Gate, Social Media, Written notes, Investigating, Clues)