Grace can’t face going to school in her old coat. It just doesn’t fit any more despite her mother insisting it does. Mum is too busy preparing for a promotion to even look up at Grace when she complains, so she all but gives up.

On the way to school with her best friend Suzy, Grace grabs an opportunity for a bargain at a closing down sale at a local charity shop. In the jumble of clothing she finds a beautiful green velvet coat that Suzy tells her she looks great in. Using some of her hard saved money for an upcoming Art course, Grace buys the coat.

But when she wears it, she has a strange vision. She is looking at a room from a time before, through someone else’s eyes. When she wakes up, Grace fobs it off as not enough to eat. But then it happens again and again with the visions becoming more disturbing. When she finally sees a murder she knows she cannot ignore it any longer. With Suzy’s help they begin to research the past owner of the coat.

At first it is exciting, researching the past and digging for clues on a girl called Olivia. They discover past classmates, but their questioning alert those who had something to do with Olivia’s disappearance.

Can Suzy and Grace discover the killer before they become victims too?

This is a straightforward easy to read but compelling murder mystery that kept me turning the pages. The main characters are teenagers but I think the cover and format caters for readership aged 10 and up. Although this is a murder, the content is fine for a good reader in this age group.

95% of the story is in third person and Grace’s point of view, but there are a sprinkling of chapters in the villain’s third person POV. These chapters are in full italics to avoid any confusion and help the reader see what Grace and Suzy cannot.

This builds the tension as the best friends don’t know what’s brewing as they investigate a murder of a young girl.

The novel concludes with a tidy but satisfying ending for young readers.

Author – Sarah Wynne

Age – 10+

(2023, New South Books, Murder, Mystery, Crime, Visions, Green Velvet Coat, Best Friends, Hitman, Investigation, Police, Action, Being Followed, Technology, Op Shop, Thrift Store, Bullies, Bully)