I received this book for free from netgalley for an honest review.

Great history and I normally don't read these cozies but it cought my eye.

My Thoughts:
This was an okay mystery. There wasn’t anything particularly special about it. I definitely liked the idea of a family who was trying to be as ordinary as possible while the father was serving in the role of Prime Minister. Theo is suitably awkward, in his position as the son of the PM, with all eyes on him. He doesn’t quite fit in at school because of it. I’m not sure if it’s the author’s voice or the character, but Theo reads as quite young for his given age.

The conflict-turned-friendship with new girl Sammy is fairly predictable. There’s no new ground covered here. Watching them team up to find the missing mace is a little bit reminiscent of James Ponti’s “TOAST” series, which was definitely done better.

As usual, much is made of the children trying to solve things themselves because the adults just won’t listen. It is not one of my favorite plot devices.

Bonus points for including the resident cat of #10 Downing Street. (I follow him on Twitter!)

Possible Objectionable Material:
Kids putting themselves in awkward/dangerous situations. Some mild bullying. A bit of dishonesty and sneakiness.

Who Might Like This Book:
Those who like to see what life in Britain is like. Mystery fans,

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my opinion.

This book also reviewed at https://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/2023/04/more-books-for-younger-set.html

What with the success of Murder Most Unladylike, I’m always getting asked for recommendations for other mystery books and thought this might be a good shout on that front!

The setting for this is certainly unusual, I don’t think I’ve ever read a book set so much within the Houses of Parliament and it’ll be something a little bit different to the usual boarding school mysteries!

While it’s ultimately pretty easy to read and a good mystery, I do think it’s a bit slow in places and some parts might be a bit confusing or too complex depending on the age of the reader!

Mystery in the Palace of Westminster by Sarah Lustig is book 1 in the Westminster Mysteries series. The book caught my eye with its beautiful cover, but it was well plotted and will keep readers mesmerized. Such a great read! I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

Really enjoyed reading this mystery.
Great characters and a well thought out plot. Me and my son were guessing who the thief was, which was great fun.

I really really liked this book! In general, I‘m a huge fan of these kind of mystery books and this one kept me interested at all times so I almost couldn‘t put the book down. The mystery was so nicely executed that it had me guessing throughout the whole book.
The characters were so lovable and the story was so nice to follow, it was adventurous and interesting even though politics which can be really boring had a part in it. It‘s very educational aswell because it teaches about politics and how the parliament works and I think it‘s absolutely great for middle grade children but also older ones.

A wonderful middle grade book ! I really enjoyed myself with this one. I also learned a lot about english politics with it. The characters are good and the plot really catchy.

Theo Duncan is an ordinary student who also happens to be the son of the Prime Minister. When the parliamentary mace is stolen, Theo decides to help get it back. But with suspects at the highest levels of government, finding the thief could threaten Will Duncan's leadership. Can Theo find the thief before the government is brought to its knees?

This was so much fun. I enjoyed this story immensely, even though I would have initially said that it revolves around the most boring topic ever… politics.

However, Lustig managed to create a story that not only was adventurous, exciting and tense, but was also educational and eye-opening about the inner workings of Parliament and for me I really enjoyed this, especially as someone who knows little to nothing about politics.

I also really loved Theo, I thought he was relatable, empathetic, honest and was a great protagonist that any young teenager could aspire to. Filled with great messages and page-turning drama this was a fantastic read.

Thank you to Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC for an honest review.

This was a delightful book! I think children and YA will love it. I'm an adult and I enjoyed this book. I'm usually big on the covers of books. I love the cover with the design, drawings and the color! Very cute book. Thank you.

Princess Fuzzypants here: This book has an interesting premise. The teenage son of the Prime Minister is having trouble adjusting to his new school. That is until he and another oddball student join forces after they witness the theft of the Commons Mace during a trip to the Palace of Westminster. The two decide to join forces to discover who took the Mace which is essential for Parliament to sit. Theo’s father is presenting a bill that will reshape The House of Lords and it is not universally applauded. In fact, there are members in his coalition who might do anything to prevent it from going through. Theo and Sammy learn a great deal about British democracy and government whilst they search for both the villain and the Mace.

It is a good mystery wrapped with a lot of information that the reader absorbs without even knowing it. I think this book would be an excellent one for anyone from a literate teen and up. I especially love how Larry, the Number 10 cat, was part of the story. Felines always add to any story. Five purrs and two paws up.

This was a decent book. The main characters, Theo and Sammy, sometimes felt a bit younger than they were, but it wasn't anything that really threw the book off. Decent mystery revolving around British politics. Being an American, I have little idea of how the British government works, and I enjoyed the insight this book gave me. Where the staff was actually found was well thought out, but I did figure out who the perpetrator was early on in the book.

I fell in love with the cover and I knew I had to read this book because there was a Larry-like cat on the cover.
It was the type of book I would have wanted to read when I was 10 and I appreciated now when I’m some decades older.
It’s the story of a coming of age, of a mystery, and a good way to learn about Westminster and how it works.
I like how Theo evolves and becomes more sure and less shy. I loved Sammy and like how they related even if they belong to different social class.
I wasn’t a fan of Theo’s parents who seem mainly interested in their careers.
The plot flows and it’s quite fast paced. I read it in one sitting and had fun.
I also learned a lot and like how the explanations were easy to follow.
A good story that can be appreciated by adult and children, a compelling and entertaining story.
Recommended.
Many thanks to Sarah Lustig, Rachel's Random Resources, and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Fun mystery for the middle grade reader., Lots of twists and turns. I'll definitely recommend this when kids ask for a new mystery and it's book one in a new series, always a bonus. Ending is more realistic than some middle grade books

Great fun mystery story for all Ya / Middle Grace readers. Great story line and well written. Love the cover!

I enjoyed this book and the way that the story unfolded. It was an amazing story and I loved the way the story and plot turned out. The characters were written well and I enjoyed it a lot.

Thank you Netgalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I found this book to be a little confusing and chaotic. It felt like there were so many things going on but at the same time, nothing was happening. I thought that this book had the potential to be a really interesting book but the writing style just wasn't for me. I did enjoy learning about some of the aspects of the Houses of Parliament, but I think that the author included *TOO* many details that were difficult to follow in some parts. However, one of the things that I did like about this book was that even though it was a mystery, it was still lighthearted and not super heavy.

Sarah Lustig's Mystery in the Palace of Westminster is a very, very enjoyable mystery! A nice story featuring Theo Duncan, the 14 year-old son of the Prime Minister, who is on a school trip to The Palace of Westminster when someone steals the mace. Working alongside his new school chum, Sammy, Theo works to find the mace and restore order to Parliament. Recommended for all lovers of mystery, from young adult on up. 5 stars!!!

A great book for young adults. When the parliamentary mace is stolen from inside the Houses of Parliament, Theo is determined to help his dad get it back. But he can’t do it alone. And when help is offered, there’s a problem. It comes from the new girl at school, Sammy Jhor, who’s a supporter of the opposition party.

Theo and Sammy form an unlikely team to spy on government officials, sneak through the corridors of Downing Street and pursue the thief through the Palace of Westminster.

But when the evidence points to suspects at the highest levels of government, finding the thief could threaten Will Duncan’s leadership.

Can Theo and Sammy put aside their differences to find the mace – and the thief – before the government is brought to its knees?

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of "Mystery in the Palace of Westminster" by Sarah Lustig.

This children's book was so interesting! In this book, the parliamentary mace goes missing. The main character - Theo - was amazing and you could tell he truly cared for his father's job and welfare. He asked legitimate questions and worked out who the Thief was when fully fledged adults struggled.

However, my main qualm with the book was that I truly forgot who the Thief was and that it wasn't unexpected - it was just underwhelming. But of course, that is truly just my only qualm with the book.

Lustig is an amazing writer and I'd be interested to see what comes next.

This story is set in the Houses of Parliament and Downing Street. The main character is the Prime Minister's son Theo, in his hunt to find a thief.

The book explained the inner workings of parliament in an easily understandable and age appropriate manner, making it a great introduction to politics for children. The political explanations did not detract from the main mystery narrative, and instead enhanced it.

I would have absolutely loved this book as a kid, and still thoroughly enjoyed it as an adult.

Thank you to the publisher, author and NetGalley for sending me this arc. I will be posting this review on my Goodreads and Storygraph accounts, and on Waterstones and Amazon upon publication.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/57438368-georgie
Storygraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/profile/gfairs’