Jon Glass Author Of Worcester Glendenis, Kid Detective
List by Jon Glass

Why am I passionate about this?

As a child I loved reading detective stories, and I still retain strong memories of Tintin and Sherlock Holmes, after which I graduated to Agatha Christie. As an adult my tastes changed and I lost interest in mysteries (with the exception of Edgar Alan Poe). However recently my interests have reversed, partly because I became a grandfather, and partly for the reason that I teach ethics to primary school children, as a volunteer. So it’s possible that Worcester Glendenis is a re-incarnation of me, but as the 12-year-old I wish I had been (as far as my memory can be relied upon to go back 60 years): more emotionally mature and more extrovert.


I wrote

Worcester Glendenis, Kid Detective

By Jon Glass,

Book cover of Worcester Glendenis, Kid Detective

What is my book about?

This book has been written for the middle grade reader who enjoys mysteries, crime fiction, and puzzles.

Worcester Glendenis is…

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The books I picked & why

Book cover of The Puzzling Pearls: Plum and Woo #1

Jon Glass Why did I love this book?

I love an Aussie mystery.

This book mixes seaside with intrigue, pools with pearls, parents with puzzles, as the two main characters bring their separate, and often conflicting, skills to the table in order to solve a mystery. The chapters are short and punchy with good cliffhangers at the end.

By Lisa Siberry,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Puzzling Pearls as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

A dazzling, whip-smart mystery series about two very different girls and a whole heap of danger ...

Hannah Plum loves fashion, fun, and junk food. Patti Woo is obsessed with detective novels, lives in leggings, and is definitely not Hannah's friend. But the two girls are stuck at the beachside Heartbreak Hotel together while Hannah's dad and Patti's mum are out birdwatching and - yuck! - falling in love.

When a hotel guest's beautiful pink wedding dress is stolen, Hannah is determined to get to the bottom of it. With a reluctant Patti in tow, the two girls are launched…


Book cover of The Good Thieves

Jon Glass Why did I love this book?

Katherine is a super-talented writer who has written adult books as well.

In this case she brings her amazing skills to bear on a strong mystery with a female protagonist, a grandad, and a bunch of talented circus performer types. Great use of words, complex plot, good resolution, spooky locations.

By Katherine Rundell,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Good Thieves as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

“A dazzling tale of wild hope, lingering grief, admirable self-sufficiency, and intergenerational adoration.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Vita tests her own limits, and readers will thrill at her cleverness, tenacity, and close escapes.” —Booklist
“A satisfying adventure.” —Kirkus Reviews

From award-winning author Katherine Rundell comes a fast-paced and utterly thrilling adventure driven by the loyalty and love between a grandfather and his granddaughter.

When Vita’s grandfather’s mansion is taken from him by a powerful real estate tycoon, Vita knows it’s up to her to make things right.

With the help of a pickpocket and her new circus friends, Vita creates…


Book cover of Potkin and Stubbs

Jon Glass Why did I love this book?

This book resonates for me because it successfully lands a very adult approach to detective work in the hands of a young female character.

Many of the tropes of Chandler and Hammett are employed, such as the seedy dive of an office, the spooky house, and others to build an atmosphere suitable for young readers, but that will also appeal to parents.

By Sophie Green, Karl Mountford (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Potkin and Stubbs as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 9, 10, 11, and 12.

What is this book about?

A brilliant new series bursts onto the scene filled with ghostly goings-on and an unusual investigative duo. With illustrations from Karl Mountford.

Lil Potkin lives in bleak Peligan City. Her mum works in City Hall and is rarely at home, so aspiring journalist Lil has all the time she needs to explore the city in her bright yellow raincoat, investigating unsolved stories.

One rainy evening Lil meets a sad-looking boy sitting by himself in the bus station and buys him a hot chocolate. That night Lil wakes to find him in her bedroom. He doesn't want to admit to being…


Book cover of The Silver Serpent

Jon Glass Why did I love this book?

This book is very arty by which I mean it introduces the young reader to the world of art and art galleries. There is also a strong dose of spy-type intrigues.

A very snooty older man gets satirised for his arrogance, which I think is a nice twist for the reader and a good change from the bossy types who often appear. The father-daughter relationship is well done.

By Lena Jones,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Silver Serpent as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 11, 12, 13, and 14.

What is this book about?

A third mystery for thirteen-year-old Agatha Oddly - a bold, determined heroine, and the star of this stylish new detective series.

Agatha Oddlow is on the case with yet another adventure! An assistant at the National Gallery has gone missing, but when Agatha begins investigating, she uncovers a plot bigger than she could ever have imagined. Join Agatha as she travels throughout London and into the very heart of the mystery...


Book cover of Mickie McKinney: Boy Detective, Troubles with Teamwork

Jon Glass Why did I love this book?

This is a less sophisticated mystery than the other four but doesn’t suffer for that reason.

Mickie Mckinney is a schoolboy detective and the setting is a school. I like the conceit that his office is in a cupboard under the stairs. The crimes are not sophisticated, which will suit some readers, and the humour is good.

Explore my book 😀

Worcester Glendenis, Kid Detective

By Jon Glass,

Book cover of Worcester Glendenis, Kid Detective

What is my book about?

This book has been written for the middle grade reader who enjoys mysteries, crime fiction, and puzzles.

Worcester Glendenis is a 12-year-old wannabe private detective. He models himself on his hero, the fictional private eye Philip Marlowe, of course without the booze, cigarettes, and violence. After all, he is only twelve. He's a likable and smart kid with two pesky 7-year-old twin sisters, and a Mum and Dad who are not always on his side. Yet he wins out by solving difficult cases, always with the help of his

You might also like...

The Mazatlan Showdown

By Patrick Weill,

Book cover of The Mazatlan Showdown

Patrick Weill Author Of The Mazatlan Showdown

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Artist Editor Father Husband Fighter

Patrick's 3 favorite reads in 2024

What is my book about?

Jeff Walker is a champion surfer haunted by the mystery of his father’s murder and his mother’s broken heart. After finding a job as a lifeguard, a rescue mission at sea plunges him into a far-reaching criminal conspiracy.

Walker and his closest friends aid the police in their investigation, through which it is revealed that the leader of the crooks is his father’s killer! The tension builds from that point on until he finally faces his nemesis in a confrontation that will leave only one man standing. 

This first episode of The Park and Walker Action Thriller Series will whisk…

The Mazatlan Showdown

By Patrick Weill,

What is this book about?

Meet Jeff Walker, a champion surfer haunted by the unsolved mystery of his father’s murder and his mother’s broken heart. When he relocates to sunny San Diego and secures a job as a beach lifeguard, a rescue mission at sea plunges him into the dark underworld of international crime.

Along with his closest friends, Walker supports the police in their investigation, and in doing so discovers that the leader of the smugglers is his father’s killer, the man he’s been looking for since he was a teenager! From that moment on, the tension builds, until Walker finally faces his nemesis…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in detectives, the Age of Enlightenment, and birdwatching?

Detectives 2,902 books
Birdwatching 36 books