The Tiara on the Terrace

Young and Yang #2

by Kristen Kittscher

Sophie Young and Grace Yang have been taking it easy ever since they solved the crime of the century...well, at least the biggest crime Luna Vista has ever seen. But things are getting exciting again now that everyone is gearing up for the 125th annual Winter Sun Festival—a town tradition that involves floats, a parade, and a “royal” court made up of local high school girls.

When Festival president Jim Steptoe turns up dead on the first day of parade preparations, police blame a malfunctioning giant s’more feature on the campfire-themed float. But the two sleuths are sure the mysterious death wasn't an accident. Teaming up with their ever-resourceful friend, Trista Bottoms, the girls trade their high tops for high heels and go undercover as helpers to the snooty Royal Court girls.

They’ve got plenty of suspects: Barb Lund, angry that her daughter didn’t make the Royal Court; bitter Luna Vista Middle School Principal Katz, who was passed over for Festival president; and Festival vice president Lee, whose business would have benefitted from an unexpected change in leadership.

But as the girls go deeper into the world of the Winter Sun Festival, their friendship is tested—and as they get closer to solving the case, their search for the truth becomes more dangerous than they ever could have imagined...

Genres: Mystery, Middle Grade, Childrens, Humor, Mystery Thriller, Adventure, Coming Of Age

388 pages, ebook

First published January 5, 2016

About the author

Kristen Kittscher is the 2014 James Thurber House Children's Writer-in-Residence and debut author of THE WIG IN THE WINDOW (Harper Children's 2013) and THE TIARA ON THE TERRACE (Harper Children's, 1/5/2016). Officially a native of Pittsburgh, Kristen grew up in over thirteen cities -- including San Francisco, Reno, London, and Dallas. She graduated from Brown University with a degree in Comparative Literature and worked as a story editor in Hollywood before becoming a teacher. A contributor to the Los Angeles Review of Books and The Rumpus, Kristen is a frequent presenter at schools, libraries, and festivals and is active in promoting community literacy initiatives in Southern California, where she lives with her husband, Kai.