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Skylar Robbins #3
The Mystery of the Missing Heiress
Xandra Collins was rich, famous, and missing. After inheriting a fortune, she vanished without a trace, leaving her 100-year-old mansion abandoned. A frightening enemy had been stalking the wealthy heiress. Thirteen-year-old detective Skylar Robbins moves into the deserted estate with her family, and vows to crack the case. Skylar teams up with her BFF Alexa, and Daniel Gannon—the most brilliant boy in middle school—to solve the mystery of Xandra Collins’s disappearance.
Skylar Robbins discovers a mystifying clue written in code, hidden underneath the velvet lining of Xandra’s jewelry box. Decoding the message opens the door to a world of danger. Now Xandra’s stalker is after Skylar! Inside the mansion, a trap door leads to a secret passageway and a hidden floor. A shocking image glows in the beam from Skylar’s black light. Poems in Xandra’s diary contain clues to the location of a mysterious key. Skylar and Daniel must outsmart Xandra’s enemies and brave life-threatening waves to locate the lock. Can the team determine how the heiress went missing…before Skylar suffers the same fate?
Skylar Robbins: The Mystery of the Missing Heiress has a 4.7-star average on Amazon and is perfect for girls and boys ages 10 and up.
Skylar Robbins discovers a mystifying clue written in code, hidden underneath the velvet lining of Xandra’s jewelry box. Decoding the message opens the door to a world of danger. Now Xandra’s stalker is after Skylar! Inside the mansion, a trap door leads to a secret passageway and a hidden floor. A shocking image glows in the beam from Skylar’s black light. Poems in Xandra’s diary contain clues to the location of a mysterious key. Skylar and Daniel must outsmart Xandra’s enemies and brave life-threatening waves to locate the lock. Can the team determine how the heiress went missing…before Skylar suffers the same fate?
Skylar Robbins: The Mystery of the Missing Heiress has a 4.7-star average on Amazon and is perfect for girls and boys ages 10 and up.
314 pages, Paperback
Published March 25, 2017
59 people are currently reading
773 people want to read
About the author
Carrie Cross
5 books164 followersCarrie Cross is an avid reader who fell in love with books as a little girl after listening to Goodnight Moon at bedtime. Carrie discovered her passion for mysteries while reading Nancy Drew and The Happy Hollisters series--and then Judy Blume arrived with her unputdownable coming-of-age novels like Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret and Deenie.
A dancer since age six, Cross took three years of ballet and nine years of jazz dance, until a horrific car accident at age 18 put her in the hospital for five weeks with a broken neck, a broken hip, and severe head trauma resulting in coma. After a year of rehabilitation, Cross returned to C.S.U.N., earning a degree in Speech Communication. During college, Cross pursued a modeling career and was a note-taker and sign language interpreter for the hearing-impaired.
During an interview she was asked, "Where do you get your inspiration?"
"When I was six years old, my parents decided we needed to buy a bigger house. We looked at a creepy two-story in Santa Monica Canyon, and I played hide-and-seek with the little girl who lived there. There were closets and secret hiding places with doors that opened into other rooms. Later, I wondered, "What if there was a clue hidden in one of those closets?" And the idea for the Skylar Robbins mystery series was born.
Cross's influences include YA authors Deb Caletti, Kara Thomas, and Sarah Dessen, as well as Robert Crais and Lee Child. She lives in Southern California with her graphic designer husband Ed-- creator of the Skylar Robbins book covers--and their affectionate rescue cats, Tiki and Kona.
When she isn't writing, favorite pastimes include boating (ocean imagery appears in every Skylar Robbins novel), watching Food Network, eating sushi, playing Words with Friends, driving her Porsche "like a Grandma," trying new recipes and restaurants, and traveling to exotic islands.
Skylar Robbins mysteries have won multiple awards, and several have achieved #1 Bestseller status in Children's Detective Books on Amazon. Other accolades include being voted Book-of-the-Month by LASR readers, three 5-star Reader's Favorite awards, the 5-Star Literary Titan Book Award, and one was a Top Ten Finalist for an Author Academy Award in the YA/Middle Grade category. Many reviewers have compared Skylar Robbins to a modern Nancy Drew.
Skylar's adventures begin with THE MYSTERY OF SHADOW HILLS, and continue in THE MYSTERY OF THE HIDDEN JEWELS. For those who wonder what became of the magic garden and Skylar's bullying cousin Gwendolyn, Cross penned a 92-page fantasy novella, GWENDOLYN'S REVENGE. After she solves her second big case, the Skylar Robbins Detective Agency tackles the MYSTERY OF THE MISSING HEIRESS, and then Skylar travels past the Hawaiian archipelago to solve the MYSTERY OF THE ISLAND IDOL.
Follow Carrie Cross on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarrie...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorcarri...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Carrie_Skylar,
Website: www.carrie-cross.com
Skylar Robbins fans can follow Skylar on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretagent...
A dancer since age six, Cross took three years of ballet and nine years of jazz dance, until a horrific car accident at age 18 put her in the hospital for five weeks with a broken neck, a broken hip, and severe head trauma resulting in coma. After a year of rehabilitation, Cross returned to C.S.U.N., earning a degree in Speech Communication. During college, Cross pursued a modeling career and was a note-taker and sign language interpreter for the hearing-impaired.
During an interview she was asked, "Where do you get your inspiration?"
"When I was six years old, my parents decided we needed to buy a bigger house. We looked at a creepy two-story in Santa Monica Canyon, and I played hide-and-seek with the little girl who lived there. There were closets and secret hiding places with doors that opened into other rooms. Later, I wondered, "What if there was a clue hidden in one of those closets?" And the idea for the Skylar Robbins mystery series was born.
Cross's influences include YA authors Deb Caletti, Kara Thomas, and Sarah Dessen, as well as Robert Crais and Lee Child. She lives in Southern California with her graphic designer husband Ed-- creator of the Skylar Robbins book covers--and their affectionate rescue cats, Tiki and Kona.
When she isn't writing, favorite pastimes include boating (ocean imagery appears in every Skylar Robbins novel), watching Food Network, eating sushi, playing Words with Friends, driving her Porsche "like a Grandma," trying new recipes and restaurants, and traveling to exotic islands.
Skylar Robbins mysteries have won multiple awards, and several have achieved #1 Bestseller status in Children's Detective Books on Amazon. Other accolades include being voted Book-of-the-Month by LASR readers, three 5-star Reader's Favorite awards, the 5-Star Literary Titan Book Award, and one was a Top Ten Finalist for an Author Academy Award in the YA/Middle Grade category. Many reviewers have compared Skylar Robbins to a modern Nancy Drew.
Skylar's adventures begin with THE MYSTERY OF SHADOW HILLS, and continue in THE MYSTERY OF THE HIDDEN JEWELS. For those who wonder what became of the magic garden and Skylar's bullying cousin Gwendolyn, Cross penned a 92-page fantasy novella, GWENDOLYN'S REVENGE. After she solves her second big case, the Skylar Robbins Detective Agency tackles the MYSTERY OF THE MISSING HEIRESS, and then Skylar travels past the Hawaiian archipelago to solve the MYSTERY OF THE ISLAND IDOL.
Follow Carrie Cross on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarrie...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorcarri...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Carrie_Skylar,
Website: www.carrie-cross.com
Skylar Robbins fans can follow Skylar on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretagent...
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
June 9, 2017
Once again I found Skylar Robbins to be just a joy to read. While working on her skills as a master detective she is paired up with a future spy and then the mystery begins to come together. With all the favorite mystery elements, of secret ink, hidden panels, secreted paths and missing heiress, this book has it all. With moments of oh no I got what I wished for and moments where she wished she had wished differently, Skylar struggles through school just like everyone else her age.
Skylar is a cute role model for kids that are not exactly in the most popular group or in the bad kids' group, Skylar is situated in the middle trying to find her happiness and solve the mystery at school and at home.
Skylar is a cute role model for kids that are not exactly in the most popular group or in the bad kids' group, Skylar is situated in the middle trying to find her happiness and solve the mystery at school and at home.
February 23, 2020
My name is Ellie and I'm 13. I've read all the books in the Skylar Robbins series up to this book and I love this one just as much as the others. The characters are awesome - I still love how much I feel like I have in common with Alexa and it was great getting to know a few new characters, too. The mystery continued to make me think and the suspense still had me on the edge of my seat - especially in the alley scene with the bricks! YIKES; how scary! I don't want to give too much away, but I'm glad one of the things Skylar figured out in this book is that she should just be herself - not to worry about what other people think. I hope her parents figure out soon (if what happened in this book hasn't already taught them) that they can't protect Skylar from danger forever. Sometimes a detective's just gotta do what a detective's gotta do!
August 3, 2017
Skylar Robbins and The Mystery of the Missing Heiress is the third book in the Skylar Robbins series. The book opens with a mysterious poem by Xandra Collins that sets the mood for a good mystery. I love the puzzles and codes that are in the book to be solved and the reader gets to figure them out right along with the story. I also like how Skylar's experiences teach us to stand up for ourselves, keep our integrity and persevere. Geared toward middle school and early high school, the Skylar Robbins books are fun and interesting mysteries. 5 stars!
May 25, 2017
Great mystery. Clever clues. Believable, fun characters a reader can connect with. Some of the clues are hard for Skylar to solve and she gets frustrated like a normal teenager. Her friends are there to help her. It was fun watching the characters solve the mystery.
June 8, 2018
An elusive clue about a wealthy missing heiress who vanished without a trace gives teen sleuth Skylar Robbins the incentive to jump feet first into a mystery that left police baffled. The young detective is back in this on-the-edge-of-your-seats suspense, the third Skylar Robbins teen mystery by Carrie Cross, The Mystery of the Missing Heiress.
Skyler and her family purchase and move into the abandoned old home of the missing heiress, providing Skyler with lots of opportunities to investigate and do so legally. However, the teen discovers that there can be consequences for pushing the limits with her parents. Because she makes some bad choices that place her in danger, Skylar ends up having limits set and eventually being grounded. Teen readers can relate to this, making the story more believable.
Budding teen romance abounds, but the mystery is what draws the reader in and won’t let them go until the book’s resolution. Cross has the ability to keep the reader wondering at each plot twist whether the missing heiress, Xandra Collins, is dead, kidnapped or simply in hiding. Lots of obscure clues keep readers wondering how one teenage girl is going to be able to solve the mystery. Luckily Skyler has a best friend, Alexa, whose Dyslexia somehow helps her ability to unravel codes. Add to that a certain brilliant and handsome new boy in class who is glad to lend a hand and The Skylar Robbins Detective Agency is ready to roll.
In her last book, Skylar Robbins: The Mystery of the Hidden Jewels, the teen detective solved the mystery of Xandra Collins’ jewels, prompting her to start the detective agency. After discovering the treasure by decoding a number of difficult clues, she got to keep the jewels. Being rewarded with the jewels and having her own detective agency at such a young age has turned the 13-year-old into the object of jealousy by some of her classmates.
In The Mystery of the Missing Heiress, Cross does a good job of imparting constructive behavior without seeming to do so. Having the young detective stand up to a classmate who made fun of her allowed Skyler to gain confidence and no longer fear some of the other class bullies. The writer successfully deals with personal and online bullying, both hot topics in today’s society, especially for teens.
Just as I, a 66-year-old grandmother was swept up in the antics of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, young readers today will find the Skylar Robbins series of books captivating. They are fresh, fun, and have a goodness about them that will give moms and dads an incentive to keep buying the books as more are published.
“Is Xandra Collins dead?” Read the book. You’ll enjoy it.
Skyler and her family purchase and move into the abandoned old home of the missing heiress, providing Skyler with lots of opportunities to investigate and do so legally. However, the teen discovers that there can be consequences for pushing the limits with her parents. Because she makes some bad choices that place her in danger, Skylar ends up having limits set and eventually being grounded. Teen readers can relate to this, making the story more believable.
Budding teen romance abounds, but the mystery is what draws the reader in and won’t let them go until the book’s resolution. Cross has the ability to keep the reader wondering at each plot twist whether the missing heiress, Xandra Collins, is dead, kidnapped or simply in hiding. Lots of obscure clues keep readers wondering how one teenage girl is going to be able to solve the mystery. Luckily Skyler has a best friend, Alexa, whose Dyslexia somehow helps her ability to unravel codes. Add to that a certain brilliant and handsome new boy in class who is glad to lend a hand and The Skylar Robbins Detective Agency is ready to roll.
In her last book, Skylar Robbins: The Mystery of the Hidden Jewels, the teen detective solved the mystery of Xandra Collins’ jewels, prompting her to start the detective agency. After discovering the treasure by decoding a number of difficult clues, she got to keep the jewels. Being rewarded with the jewels and having her own detective agency at such a young age has turned the 13-year-old into the object of jealousy by some of her classmates.
In The Mystery of the Missing Heiress, Cross does a good job of imparting constructive behavior without seeming to do so. Having the young detective stand up to a classmate who made fun of her allowed Skyler to gain confidence and no longer fear some of the other class bullies. The writer successfully deals with personal and online bullying, both hot topics in today’s society, especially for teens.
Just as I, a 66-year-old grandmother was swept up in the antics of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, young readers today will find the Skylar Robbins series of books captivating. They are fresh, fun, and have a goodness about them that will give moms and dads an incentive to keep buying the books as more are published.
“Is Xandra Collins dead?” Read the book. You’ll enjoy it.
February 18, 2018
There is a missing heiress. Skyler Robbins is not a normal girl - she is a sleuth or detective - that is great at solving mysteries. The missing heiress just happens to be the next mystery that catches her attention.
The story story keeps you wanting to know more each step of the way. With the help of a boy from school and surfer, Daniel, and also her best friend Alexa, Skylar sets out to solve this mystery!
My kids have been reading Skylar Robbin’s mysteries from book one, book two, and now three! If you or your children enjoy Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys, all of you would enjoy these. Carrie Cross has a way of making the perfect surprises, twists, and turns.
The other thing that is quite enjoyable is the website for these books! Your kids can interact with Skylar and help solve upcoming mysteries. Adventures that allow your children to get immersed in the adventure!
Something special I wanted to add: The author found out about one of my children who is facing surgeries due to bone tumors. Carrie reached out to my darling girl and sent her an autographed book. This was so special and was a great companion for my daughter. She loves the mysteries - and as a 13 year old could live through the same adventures through reading. The last 5 or so months have been made so much better because of this. She tells me that Carrie Cross and her character Skylar are her very favorite!
The story story keeps you wanting to know more each step of the way. With the help of a boy from school and surfer, Daniel, and also her best friend Alexa, Skylar sets out to solve this mystery!
My kids have been reading Skylar Robbin’s mysteries from book one, book two, and now three! If you or your children enjoy Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys, all of you would enjoy these. Carrie Cross has a way of making the perfect surprises, twists, and turns.
The other thing that is quite enjoyable is the website for these books! Your kids can interact with Skylar and help solve upcoming mysteries. Adventures that allow your children to get immersed in the adventure!
Something special I wanted to add: The author found out about one of my children who is facing surgeries due to bone tumors. Carrie reached out to my darling girl and sent her an autographed book. This was so special and was a great companion for my daughter. She loves the mysteries - and as a 13 year old could live through the same adventures through reading. The last 5 or so months have been made so much better because of this. She tells me that Carrie Cross and her character Skylar are her very favorite!
May 30, 2017
Skylar Robbins is worried about solving another mystery. The bullies at her school think the agency is a joke. She is working on finding the Missing Heiress. The heiress disappeared three years ago. Skylar is left with one clue. With the help of her friends old and new, she makes headway. Her investigation brings her into some dangerous situations. Her parents get worried and make the investigation harder by grounding her. Skylar will stop at nothing to find what happened to the heiress.
In an Oyster Shell – A cute and satisfying mystery.
The Pearls – The mystery was well done. It had lots of twist and turns and kept you engaged. The ending was great with the promise of another mystery. I really like this series even though the main character is a middle schooler.
The character was well done and true to description. The author does a good job getting in the head of the main character. She is a believable teenager. The things the character worries about is true to her age. It’s very realistic.
There is a little bit of romance. It’s appropriate for the age of the character. It adds a nice depth to the story. It makes it more interesting.
The Sand – It’s a well-done story!
In an Oyster Shell – A cute and satisfying mystery.
The Pearls – The mystery was well done. It had lots of twist and turns and kept you engaged. The ending was great with the promise of another mystery. I really like this series even though the main character is a middle schooler.
The character was well done and true to description. The author does a good job getting in the head of the main character. She is a believable teenager. The things the character worries about is true to her age. It’s very realistic.
There is a little bit of romance. It’s appropriate for the age of the character. It adds a nice depth to the story. It makes it more interesting.
The Sand – It’s a well-done story!
April 8, 2017
Great Read! My Favorite in the Series (So Far...)
I was so excited to read the third book in the the Skylar Robbins mystery series by Carrie Cross--and I was not disappointed! The Mystery of the Missing Heiress was my favorite so far, but I look forward to the next installment and reserve the right to revise my opinion. (I know this book just came out, but after finishing it, I'm hungry for the next one already.)
With this book, the characters I know and love (and others I love to hate) were developed further, and some great new ones were introduced. I thoroughly enjoy the way the reader is allowed inside Skylar's thought processes so that we receive a very intimate look at her interior life and really get to know her. It is so fun to read a series in which I can watch Skylar face challenges, learn lessons, and grow up right before my eyes! Through her trials and tribulations in Missing Heiress, she ultimately reaches a new level of maturity and self-confidence that is wonderful to see.
This mystery has lots of great twists, turns, and clever clues; there's plenty of excitement, danger, and much more. If you're a fan of mysteries, start at the beginning of the series and read them all. They're page turners and sure to delight readers of all ages.
I was given a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
I was so excited to read the third book in the the Skylar Robbins mystery series by Carrie Cross--and I was not disappointed! The Mystery of the Missing Heiress was my favorite so far, but I look forward to the next installment and reserve the right to revise my opinion. (I know this book just came out, but after finishing it, I'm hungry for the next one already.)
With this book, the characters I know and love (and others I love to hate) were developed further, and some great new ones were introduced. I thoroughly enjoy the way the reader is allowed inside Skylar's thought processes so that we receive a very intimate look at her interior life and really get to know her. It is so fun to read a series in which I can watch Skylar face challenges, learn lessons, and grow up right before my eyes! Through her trials and tribulations in Missing Heiress, she ultimately reaches a new level of maturity and self-confidence that is wonderful to see.
This mystery has lots of great twists, turns, and clever clues; there's plenty of excitement, danger, and much more. If you're a fan of mysteries, start at the beginning of the series and read them all. They're page turners and sure to delight readers of all ages.
I was given a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
April 17, 2017
Missing Heiress is the third book in the Skylar Robbins series. While this book and series is written for middle schoolers, adults will enjoy it to. At least this adult did. These books are Nancy Drew for the 21st century. While this book can be read as a standalone, it starts where the previous book ended and ends with a cliffhanger for the next book in the series.
The book blurb adequately describes the storyline so I'm not going to repeat that all of that info here. I like Skylar's use of the detective skills her grandfather taught her. This book is filled with the normal everyday life drama that goes on with preteens in Junior High/Middle School. The author does a good job with keeping the characters real and believable.
I do want to continue to read the more of the series. And will read the next book just to see what happens on the island during the summer school trip.
The book blurb adequately describes the storyline so I'm not going to repeat that all of that info here. I like Skylar's use of the detective skills her grandfather taught her. This book is filled with the normal everyday life drama that goes on with preteens in Junior High/Middle School. The author does a good job with keeping the characters real and believable.
I do want to continue to read the more of the series. And will read the next book just to see what happens on the island during the summer school trip.
July 2, 2017
I was given an advance review copy by the very talented author Carrie Cross. In it, the Skylar Robbins franchise picks up where it left off with The Mystery of the Missing Heiress, the latest offering from the brilliant teen and adult author Carrie Cross. In The Mystery of the Hidden Jewels, teen sleuth Skylar Robbins searched for the jewels, and now sets her sights on locating the owner who had disappeared under cryptic circumstances. With not much to go on, Skylar uses her ever-sharpening skills to make sure it's "game on," all along dealing with the expected distractions of adolescence. Despite a slightly slow start, this latest volume is the most sophisticated mystery in the series, and will be enjoyed by both old and new Skylar Robbin's fans.
December 8, 2017
Carrie Cross has done it again! She kept me on the edge of my seat anxious to turn to the next page and chapter. I enjoyed this book so much, and have enjoyed the entire series so much, I was afraid it would get wrapped up neatly without a sequel. Instead, the stage was set for another chapter in Skylar’s life. I can’t wait for Book 4!
January 2, 2021
Great for middle grade
This was a wonderful book for middle grade readers. I read YA, but a 13 year old was a little young for me to enjoy as a main character.
This was a wonderful book for middle grade readers. I read YA, but a 13 year old was a little young for me to enjoy as a main character.
August 23, 2022
Quick read for children looking for adventures.
May 14, 2017
This is my first Carrie Cross book, and i thoroughly enjoyed it. Skylar is a teenager with the normal pangs and angst that goes along with it. But she is much more!! Her spunk,her daring, and her tenaciousness are awesome. The trust that Xandra has in Skylar is well deserved. She beats Nancy Drew hands down!! Now, i have to read all the other books in this series.
November 12, 2019
A mystery series perfect for ages 9-14, it is reminiscent of the Trixie Belden mystery series of the 1950s and '60s (reprinted in the early 2000s). Skylar is the typical 13-year-old, dealing with puberty, bullies, and boys, with an atypical ability to solve mysteries. She is completely endearing, from the serious determination she exemplifies when tackling puzzles to the self-talk she employs when dealing with bullies. I fell instantly in love with her, and I imagine young girls will as well. The plot is fast-paced and holds the reader's interest without fail. The cast of support characters is an equally lovable cross-section you'd find in any US Middle School School. The Skylar Robbins Mystery series is perfect for 21st-century middle-grade detectives at heart. I was gifted a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
April 17, 2017
This series just keeps getting better and more exciting. In The Mystery of the Missing Heiress, Skylar Robbins teams up with brilliant school hottie Daniel Gannon, and her dyslexic BFF Alexa, to solve the case. They decipher an almost impossible code and follow a series of dangerous clues to figure out how wealthy heiress Xandra Collins disappeared. Spoiler alert: Skylar gets attacked by a homeless thief, stalked by a creepy relative of Xandra's, and unknowingly puts her friends' lives at risk to solve the mystery. A real page-turner!
August 28, 2018
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
Skylar Robbins: The Mystery of the Missing Heiress is a sleuth mystery novel for preteens and young adults written by Carrie Cross. The first day of a new school semester always made Skylar a bit nervous, but this one, the spring semester of her seventh grade, was particularly troubling. Becoming famous for having found a missing heiress’s jewelry and being interviewed on TV seemed to have made her everyone’s target -- from her fellow students to the teachers to even her parents, who were not all that comfortable about the dangers she encountered in her sleuthing activities. Skylar couldn’t help but look for puzzles and mysteries to solve -- it was in her genes. Her grandfather had been a detective, and she was following in his footsteps. And having found Xandra Collins’ jewels made her next sleuthing assignment a no-brainer. Where was Xandra Collins and what happened to make her fear for her life? Since she and her parents were now living in the big house formerly owned by Collins, this investigation was of particular importance to the teen sleuth.
While Carrie Cross’s sleuth mystery novel, Skylar Robbins: The Mystery of the Missing Heiress, is geared towards preteens and young adults, anyone who enjoys puzzles and adventures will have a field day with Skylar, Alexa and Daniel as they follow a succession of tantalizing clues while dealing with overly cautious parents and jealous classmates. This was my first encounter with Skylar Robbins, and I had a grand time reading this well-plotted and engaging sleuth mystery story. While this is the third book in the series, the author provides sufficient background information for it to be enjoyed as a standalone. Cross’s characters are credible and finely drawn, her Santa Monica location is perfect, and her plot is suitably twisty and filled with suspense. Skylar Robbins: The Mystery of the Missing Heiress: Skylar Robbins Mysteries, Volume 3 is most highly recommended.
Skylar Robbins: The Mystery of the Missing Heiress is a sleuth mystery novel for preteens and young adults written by Carrie Cross. The first day of a new school semester always made Skylar a bit nervous, but this one, the spring semester of her seventh grade, was particularly troubling. Becoming famous for having found a missing heiress’s jewelry and being interviewed on TV seemed to have made her everyone’s target -- from her fellow students to the teachers to even her parents, who were not all that comfortable about the dangers she encountered in her sleuthing activities. Skylar couldn’t help but look for puzzles and mysteries to solve -- it was in her genes. Her grandfather had been a detective, and she was following in his footsteps. And having found Xandra Collins’ jewels made her next sleuthing assignment a no-brainer. Where was Xandra Collins and what happened to make her fear for her life? Since she and her parents were now living in the big house formerly owned by Collins, this investigation was of particular importance to the teen sleuth.
While Carrie Cross’s sleuth mystery novel, Skylar Robbins: The Mystery of the Missing Heiress, is geared towards preteens and young adults, anyone who enjoys puzzles and adventures will have a field day with Skylar, Alexa and Daniel as they follow a succession of tantalizing clues while dealing with overly cautious parents and jealous classmates. This was my first encounter with Skylar Robbins, and I had a grand time reading this well-plotted and engaging sleuth mystery story. While this is the third book in the series, the author provides sufficient background information for it to be enjoyed as a standalone. Cross’s characters are credible and finely drawn, her Santa Monica location is perfect, and her plot is suitably twisty and filled with suspense. Skylar Robbins: The Mystery of the Missing Heiress: Skylar Robbins Mysteries, Volume 3 is most highly recommended.
September 14, 2024
Skylar is back and She's on a Mission to Win
Oh my gosh! I thought Carrie Cross's last book was incredible so, that makes The Mystery of the Missing Heiress, a tour de Force. This author has mastered the art of building a mystery with such finesse, I think she belongs in the big leagues with James Patterson and John Grisham.
Missing Heiress follows on the heels of Carrie Cross's previous book, Skylar Robbins and the Mystery of the Missing Jewels.
Skylar Robbins is an exceptionally bright teenager who solved the mystery left open for three years, and pursued by many, entitling her to keep a fortune in diamond jewelry from the missing heiress, Xandra Collins. What Skylar never revealed to anyone is that she found a hidden note in the bottom of the jewelry box, encouraging her to continue her search.
This year, in 7th grade, Skylar takes an aptitude test, and is invited to join a group called ACE, for students in the 7th and 8th grade, who show exceptional intelligence and creativity. They are asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Their answers determine who they are paired with for the semester. Thus begins an outrageously twisted and dangerous journey that involves Skylar, her BFF, Alexa O'Reilly and the new crush in her life, suntanned, blonde and brilliant Daniel Gannon.
The Mystery of the Missing Heiress is chock full of creepy, dark rooms; obscure clues and dangerous dives; opportunities for collaboration and an ending you absolutely will not see coming.
I found myself holding my breath, gasping at the reveals, laughing along with Skylar and her friends and clapping for joy with them at the conclusion. I can't say it enough, Carrie Cross is superior writer, gifted with the ability to wholly submerse you into the fabulous world she builds. Skylar Robbins may just become a contemporary Hercule Poirot. Watch out Agatha Christie!
Oh my gosh! I thought Carrie Cross's last book was incredible so, that makes The Mystery of the Missing Heiress, a tour de Force. This author has mastered the art of building a mystery with such finesse, I think she belongs in the big leagues with James Patterson and John Grisham.
Missing Heiress follows on the heels of Carrie Cross's previous book, Skylar Robbins and the Mystery of the Missing Jewels.
Skylar Robbins is an exceptionally bright teenager who solved the mystery left open for three years, and pursued by many, entitling her to keep a fortune in diamond jewelry from the missing heiress, Xandra Collins. What Skylar never revealed to anyone is that she found a hidden note in the bottom of the jewelry box, encouraging her to continue her search.
This year, in 7th grade, Skylar takes an aptitude test, and is invited to join a group called ACE, for students in the 7th and 8th grade, who show exceptional intelligence and creativity. They are asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Their answers determine who they are paired with for the semester. Thus begins an outrageously twisted and dangerous journey that involves Skylar, her BFF, Alexa O'Reilly and the new crush in her life, suntanned, blonde and brilliant Daniel Gannon.
The Mystery of the Missing Heiress is chock full of creepy, dark rooms; obscure clues and dangerous dives; opportunities for collaboration and an ending you absolutely will not see coming.
I found myself holding my breath, gasping at the reveals, laughing along with Skylar and her friends and clapping for joy with them at the conclusion. I can't say it enough, Carrie Cross is superior writer, gifted with the ability to wholly submerse you into the fabulous world she builds. Skylar Robbins may just become a contemporary Hercule Poirot. Watch out Agatha Christie!
May 27, 2020
I loved this new episode of Skylar's adventures. In particular with this book, I loved the way that not everything was sugar-coated. I found the missing heiress, Xandra Collins, when we did finally meet her, very creepy and sinister. Her story didn't seem convincing to me, and I felt it was just a little more far-fetched than I was comfortable with. She was not a person with whom I would like my own children to be familiar. That, for me, prevented the wonderfully satisfying denouement from being cloyingly Disneyish.
More generally, the book is a wonderful read, and the detailed and so-believable tales of early teenage life, and the preoccupations and concerns of a young girl at that age, are just the epitome of realism. It is the gift of the true writer to be able to think herself so deeply into a character's head that this is possible, and Cross certainly has that gift.
All of the elements of a great novel are here - the moral element, the development and learning of the principal character through the events of the book, the swift and sure establishing of the reader's total sympathy with that character - I would certainly buy this book for my child if he were in that age group. It has just the right level of moral content, and that content well wrapped in exciting fiction so that the didactic element doesn't put one's back up, as do all of the really great children's books. Although the subject matter is very different, I was a little reminded of Sewell's Black Beauty.
More generally, the book is a wonderful read, and the detailed and so-believable tales of early teenage life, and the preoccupations and concerns of a young girl at that age, are just the epitome of realism. It is the gift of the true writer to be able to think herself so deeply into a character's head that this is possible, and Cross certainly has that gift.
All of the elements of a great novel are here - the moral element, the development and learning of the principal character through the events of the book, the swift and sure establishing of the reader's total sympathy with that character - I would certainly buy this book for my child if he were in that age group. It has just the right level of moral content, and that content well wrapped in exciting fiction so that the didactic element doesn't put one's back up, as do all of the really great children's books. Although the subject matter is very different, I was a little reminded of Sewell's Black Beauty.
April 2, 2018
Ms. Cross’s cleverness and flair for creating fun, exciting, and suspenseful stories are at their finest in this third installment of her fabulous Skylar Robbins mysteries. I truly enjoyed it. Every time Detective Skylar discovered a new and intriguing clue, I had to keep turning the pages to find out how in the world she would decipher it, and then what adventure it would lead her into in searching for the missing heiress. Was she…dead? Alive, but trapped somewhere? Maybe kidnapped by some nefarious fiend? (I worried a lot when clues took Skylar into perilous situations.)
I love that Skylar has grown and matured through the series. She’s an intelligent, strong, caring, and believable ‘tween who doesn’t let life’s problems, danger, or bullying stop her from doing what needs to be done in solving every mystery that comes her way. Also, I loved that a bit of romance with a great new character added extra sparks and zing to Skylar's adventures. I can hardly wait for book 4! :)
I love that Skylar has grown and matured through the series. She’s an intelligent, strong, caring, and believable ‘tween who doesn’t let life’s problems, danger, or bullying stop her from doing what needs to be done in solving every mystery that comes her way. Also, I loved that a bit of romance with a great new character added extra sparks and zing to Skylar's adventures. I can hardly wait for book 4! :)
June 7, 2018
Again, the characters were great, really realistic portrayal of young teens, however the mystery seemed a little unrealistic, not to mention bizarre that Skylar actually thinks that she has a real detective agency going on. She still does incredibly thick and dangerous things on a whim - despite being 'sooo clever' and again, WTH is up with her parents? In one part she is looking for a clue in the house, and despite actually being allowed to do this (unlike the other stuff), she sneaks around and panicks that she's going to get into trouble for being in her parents bedroom. Do parents really demand to know where you are every second when you are AT HOME and INDOORS??? Very offputting. Still, looking forward to the next book though.
January 5, 2021
I was not really impressed with this book. it is called the "Mystery of the missing heiress," not the misadventures of a 7th grader. I was really looking forward to discovering just where this mysterious heiress vanished to. instead, there is chapter after chapter of, (what I think,) somewhat boring "day in the life of a 7th grade girl." in some chapters the mystery is only referred to as her being to busy to work on it. now this would be just fine if I was expecting a coming of age book with a slight mystery in it. I was very disappointed that the author choose to go in this direction. my friend and I were reading this series together and we both felt this way. definitely lost these two readers for the rest of the series.
May 30, 2017
Skylar Robbins is a typical middle school girl, however, she is also a private detective and loves mysteries. In The Mystery of the Missing Heiress, Skylar continues to battle bullies, her own self confidence, and tries to solve her next major mystery. I think Carrie Cross's books will appeal to most middle school girls as Skylar also deals with social and life issues along the way. The mystery is intriguing and the clues are well done and fun to figure out.
May 11, 2021
Great Mystery
Skylar is a genius at finding and unraveling coded clues. But she is also smart enough to seek help when she is stumped. This time her partner in detecting is a smart and good looking boy in her advanced mathematics class. They find and follow the clues, with some side help from Skylar's best friend, Alexa. I wish Alexa had gotten in that advanced class as she too is a math genius. Only her other grades are not A's because of her dyslexia. So sad.
Skylar is a genius at finding and unraveling coded clues. But she is also smart enough to seek help when she is stumped. This time her partner in detecting is a smart and good looking boy in her advanced mathematics class. They find and follow the clues, with some side help from Skylar's best friend, Alexa. I wish Alexa had gotten in that advanced class as she too is a math genius. Only her other grades are not A's because of her dyslexia. So sad.
November 23, 2021
Good book, but wasn't expecting the main character to be 13. There were a couple of small gross parts, which made me wish I hadn't read those two sentences.
January 6, 2022
I felt that parts of the book was repetitive of the Hidden Jewels in regards to the cute boy and the danger Skylar puts herself in, however it is a very good read.
August 29, 2022
Tbh, this series is just so good. I love these detective stories and everything. So, basically it’s about Skylar Robbins finding a treasure which contains DJJDJFKSJ information about someone mysterious, I would totally recommend, but warning, it might be my favorite but your least favorite.
November 3, 2017
This was every bit as fun as the first two in the series, and it completely rounds out the story arc involving Skylar's great big mysterious house and the former owner, heiress Xandra Collins. If you read the first two, you won't want to miss this.
Skylar is maturing in this story, both physically and emotionally; and finding her way around a new middle school, with the usual ups and downs and a few humorous situations. Oh, and there's this whole exciting mystery to be solved about what happened to Xandra!
On an odd personal note... I waited rather a long time for this book to come out, and when it did, only the paperback was issued initially. The e-book edition didn't arrive for months and months and I was getting impatient... So I bought a used paperback on-line and it happened to be autographed, so that was super cool. Then when the Kindle edition was released, I bought that, too. Now, I don't buy two copies of very many books, so, yeah... That's like an extra recommendation. I was in the middle of reading this on Halloween, so I spent most of the evening sitting in the entry hall of my cracker-box with my eyeballs glued to this story on a glowing little screen while waiting for trick-or-treaters to bang on the door...
Skylar is maturing in this story, both physically and emotionally; and finding her way around a new middle school, with the usual ups and downs and a few humorous situations. Oh, and there's this whole exciting mystery to be solved about what happened to Xandra!
On an odd personal note... I waited rather a long time for this book to come out, and when it did, only the paperback was issued initially. The e-book edition didn't arrive for months and months and I was getting impatient... So I bought a used paperback on-line and it happened to be autographed, so that was super cool. Then when the Kindle edition was released, I bought that, too. Now, I don't buy two copies of very many books, so, yeah... That's like an extra recommendation. I was in the middle of reading this on Halloween, so I spent most of the evening sitting in the entry hall of my cracker-box with my eyeballs glued to this story on a glowing little screen while waiting for trick-or-treaters to bang on the door...
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