What do you think?
Rate this book
Ava & Carol Detective Agency #2
The Mystery of Solomon's Ring
Which would you choose? Helping an old man that’s being kidnapped, or endless plates of delicious pasta?
On this second book of the Ava & Carol Detective Agency series, Ava and Carol were about to take a stroll through Italy, when an old man is chased down and then thrown into the back of a car. At the last second, using sign language he sends a secret message to the girls.
The girls hide in the shadows as the car races away. Fearing for the man’s life, the girls begin to track down clues. Only what they discover this time, is a religious relic that has magical powers. Suddenly evil and powerful villains are chasing them. The clues lead to France, where Ava and Carol are thrust into a secret battle between the Knights Templar and a group of criminals that will stop at nothing, to get Solomon’s Ring.
On this second book of the Ava & Carol Detective Agency series, Ava and Carol were about to take a stroll through Italy, when an old man is chased down and then thrown into the back of a car. At the last second, using sign language he sends a secret message to the girls.
The girls hide in the shadows as the car races away. Fearing for the man’s life, the girls begin to track down clues. Only what they discover this time, is a religious relic that has magical powers. Suddenly evil and powerful villains are chasing them. The clues lead to France, where Ava and Carol are thrust into a secret battle between the Knights Templar and a group of criminals that will stop at nothing, to get Solomon’s Ring.
168 pages, Paperback
First published November 10, 2021
34 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Lockhaven
50 books97 followersSo grateful to have won the prestigious Mom’s Choice Award! Thank you!
You can blame my 7th grade English teacher, Mr. Ownby. I began writing mysteries in middle school, with gripping titles like, The Secret in The Swamp and The Ghost of Hollow Lake—Mr. Ownby, would kindly read them, and then encourage me to keep writing and reading the classics. His words, some day I'll be reading your mysteries with the rest of the world inspired me.
Forty years later, I was able to fulfill my dreams and become a full time writer. When I began writing, I decided that my books would be a safe-haven from the real world. My children's series all have strong messages of perseverance, thinking outside the box, friendship and loyalty. I have a daughter, and as I work through my manuscripts, I always try to imagine what I can say to inspire and entertain at the same time.
For my cozy readers, I spent much of my life traveling to small coastal towns in North Carolina and then later in my life to the coastal towns in New England. I've always loved the idiosyncrasies of the locals, and I've always wanted to bring them to life in a book series. My Coffee House Sleuths stories are just that. And just like my children's books, I endeavor to write stories that are clean, with very little violence and no profanity. I do my best to help people disappear from the craziness of life, even if just for a little while.
I currently live in Boston, but my dream is to move to a small coastal town, stare out over the ocean, and to let the words flow. I have an incredible wife who constantly inspires and encourages me- and an amazing daughter who is my most harsh, but loving critic. As I said earlier, my passion is to write and to continually improve and perfect my craft. For those of you who read my books, I humbly thank you. For those of you who have never read my books, I welcome you with open arms.
You can blame my 7th grade English teacher, Mr. Ownby. I began writing mysteries in middle school, with gripping titles like, The Secret in The Swamp and The Ghost of Hollow Lake—Mr. Ownby, would kindly read them, and then encourage me to keep writing and reading the classics. His words, some day I'll be reading your mysteries with the rest of the world inspired me.
Forty years later, I was able to fulfill my dreams and become a full time writer. When I began writing, I decided that my books would be a safe-haven from the real world. My children's series all have strong messages of perseverance, thinking outside the box, friendship and loyalty. I have a daughter, and as I work through my manuscripts, I always try to imagine what I can say to inspire and entertain at the same time.
For my cozy readers, I spent much of my life traveling to small coastal towns in North Carolina and then later in my life to the coastal towns in New England. I've always loved the idiosyncrasies of the locals, and I've always wanted to bring them to life in a book series. My Coffee House Sleuths stories are just that. And just like my children's books, I endeavor to write stories that are clean, with very little violence and no profanity. I do my best to help people disappear from the craziness of life, even if just for a little while.
I currently live in Boston, but my dream is to move to a small coastal town, stare out over the ocean, and to let the words flow. I have an incredible wife who constantly inspires and encourages me- and an amazing daughter who is my most harsh, but loving critic. As I said earlier, my passion is to write and to continually improve and perfect my craft. For those of you who read my books, I humbly thank you. For those of you who have never read my books, I welcome you with open arms.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 15, 2022
The Mystery of Solomon's Ring by Thomas Lockhaven is a fabulous story set in Florence, Italy.
What happens when two young teenagers see an older gentleman being kidnapped?
The girls are in Italy with Ava's mom, Beth Clarke, since she is there for a conference of journalists. Ava and Carol decided after eating their dinner to go on a walk to the river right outside their hotel. Well, that is where the story and the mystery start. I was captivated by the story from the beginning and the tenacity of these two girls trying to figure out how to help the older man. Instead, they get wrapped up in a mystery they have no idea where it would lead them. Ava is still the leader of the two of them in getting them involved in these cases of theirs when they shouldn't be risking their lives. Carol initially wants to stop Ava, but instead, she gets enraptured in trying to solve the case.
The villains that Mr. Lockhaven creates for these stories are fabulous. From how they first appear to how they get caught is magnificent.
Mr. Lockhaven had me hooked, and I love the pictures he put into the book to show what he was talking about. The way he comes up with these plots, and especially the mysteries for these two lively twelve-year-old girls to solve, is beyond me. Ava and Carol Detective Agency is becoming one of my favorite series.
Five Stars
The Mystery of Solomon's Ring by Thomas Lockhaven is another fantastic mystery that Ava and Carol have to solve. Why did these people grab an old man off the streets? The mystery that these two girls first encounter, but then they get sucked into a more significant problem when they find the first half of the ring. While reading this book, Mr. Lockhaven had me at the edge of my seat. I am giving The Mystery of Solomon's Ring by Thomas Lockhaven five stars and a huge recommendation to seriously read this series. Even if it is out of order, you won't be disappointed.
Mr. Lockhaven, so far, hasn't steered me wrong with these first two books. I can't wait to read the next one next month!
Ava & Carol Detective Agency Series
What happens when two young teenagers see an older gentleman being kidnapped?
The girls are in Italy with Ava's mom, Beth Clarke, since she is there for a conference of journalists. Ava and Carol decided after eating their dinner to go on a walk to the river right outside their hotel. Well, that is where the story and the mystery start. I was captivated by the story from the beginning and the tenacity of these two girls trying to figure out how to help the older man. Instead, they get wrapped up in a mystery they have no idea where it would lead them. Ava is still the leader of the two of them in getting them involved in these cases of theirs when they shouldn't be risking their lives. Carol initially wants to stop Ava, but instead, she gets enraptured in trying to solve the case.
The villains that Mr. Lockhaven creates for these stories are fabulous. From how they first appear to how they get caught is magnificent.Mr. Lockhaven had me hooked, and I love the pictures he put into the book to show what he was talking about. The way he comes up with these plots, and especially the mysteries for these two lively twelve-year-old girls to solve, is beyond me. Ava and Carol Detective Agency is becoming one of my favorite series.
Five Stars
The Mystery of Solomon's Ring by Thomas Lockhaven is another fantastic mystery that Ava and Carol have to solve. Why did these people grab an old man off the streets? The mystery that these two girls first encounter, but then they get sucked into a more significant problem when they find the first half of the ring. While reading this book, Mr. Lockhaven had me at the edge of my seat. I am giving The Mystery of Solomon's Ring by Thomas Lockhaven five stars and a huge recommendation to seriously read this series. Even if it is out of order, you won't be disappointed.
Mr. Lockhaven, so far, hasn't steered me wrong with these first two books. I can't wait to read the next one next month!
Ava & Carol Detective Agency Series
Also available on KindleUnlimited
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Mystery of Solomon's Ring by Thomas Lockhaven.
Until the next time,
Happy Reading!
This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove
December 12, 2021
Continúan las aventuras de Ava y Carol. Con un estilo ágil, amigable y divertido, esta historia invita a los jóvenes lectores a investigar, crear y encontrar soluciones a los enigmas y problemas que encuentran, con los recursos a su alcance.
________
Ava and Carol's adventures continue. With an swift, friendly and fun style, this story invites young readers to investigate, create and find solutions to the puzzles and problems they encounter, with the resources at their reach.
________
Ava and Carol's adventures continue. With an swift, friendly and fun style, this story invites young readers to investigate, create and find solutions to the puzzles and problems they encounter, with the resources at their reach.
December 16, 2018
Thrilling, suspenseful and humorous, this is an excellent middle-grade adventure – and it is an adventure rather than a mystery. The clues and solutions are somewhat arcane. The two heroines make a fine team, combining their intelligence, daring, and passion for doing the right thing. Perhaps it's being in a foreign country, but they certainly manage to be quite transgressive (a vocabulary word for Ava!) – running from police officers, dodging security guards, deceiving shopkeepers, faking injury, and so on. All for the best motives, of course. They even get to be quite physically aggressive with the bad guys. Heady stuff, and that's without the ancient secret societies and the possibly magical artifacts. It's something of a departure from the first book, but it would be enjoyable for the series to have a mixture of solving mysteries in their home town and international adventures with the Templars. Excelsior!
December 24, 2023
This fabulous book is about Ava and Carol and their trip to Florence Italy where they get involved in a mystery. In this mystery they find half of a ring and have to deal with bad guys who want the ring.
It's amazing all they go through following clues that lead them from Italy to France. Not to give away the whole story --- but there is a kidnapping, an encounter with a very helpful templar who has the other half of the ring and the help Ava and Carol have to capture the bad guys.
I love following Ava and Carol's mysteries - This is a very well written book. I would recommend it for any middle schooler OR adult too!!!
Looking forward to putting this fabulous book in our Little Free Library for others in the community to enjoy!
It's amazing all they go through following clues that lead them from Italy to France. Not to give away the whole story --- but there is a kidnapping, an encounter with a very helpful templar who has the other half of the ring and the help Ava and Carol have to capture the bad guys.
I love following Ava and Carol's mysteries - This is a very well written book. I would recommend it for any middle schooler OR adult too!!!
Looking forward to putting this fabulous book in our Little Free Library for others in the community to enjoy!
August 22, 2020
Carol and Ava are two lucky young ladies when they travel with Ava’s journalist mom to an event in Italy. Pasta, history and unexpected mysteries come alive for the girls in some amazing European cities.
After they witness a kidnapping, and an unusual relic finds its way into their hands, modern and historical cabals are explored - the Knights Templar.
Victory is incomplete for the girls this time, yet many adventures are had and lessons addressed, if not learnt.
Another fun chapter book mystery adventure
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
After they witness a kidnapping, and an unusual relic finds its way into their hands, modern and historical cabals are explored - the Knights Templar.
Victory is incomplete for the girls this time, yet many adventures are had and lessons addressed, if not learnt.
Another fun chapter book mystery adventure
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 9, 2024
4/5 stars
Ava and Carol are in Italy for Ava's work trip! While they are on a walk they see an old man being beaten up and kidnapped. When they find a mysterious ring that the old man dropped, they must follow the clues to help find him! While following the clues they draw the attention of a dangerous evil society that will stop at nothing to get the ring from them. Will they solve the mystery before the evil men find them?
I have always been a fan of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, so I was excited to start reading this series. While the first book didn't really grab my attention, this second book definitely did! I enjoyed the Historical Fiction aspect of this book bringing in different landmarks throughout Italy. There was so much going on throughout this book that it kept me entertained throughout! There were many twists and turns that kept me guessing!
Ava and Carol are both fantastic characters, they are polar opposites of each other but complement each other perfectly. While Carol is book-smart, Ava is street-smart and can think while on the fly.
They play off each other so well that I found myself chuckling multiple times throughout. I loved reading about how they solved the mystery and protected themselves and family while they were on the case!
Ava and Carol are in Italy for Ava's work trip! While they are on a walk they see an old man being beaten up and kidnapped. When they find a mysterious ring that the old man dropped, they must follow the clues to help find him! While following the clues they draw the attention of a dangerous evil society that will stop at nothing to get the ring from them. Will they solve the mystery before the evil men find them?
I have always been a fan of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, so I was excited to start reading this series. While the first book didn't really grab my attention, this second book definitely did! I enjoyed the Historical Fiction aspect of this book bringing in different landmarks throughout Italy. There was so much going on throughout this book that it kept me entertained throughout! There were many twists and turns that kept me guessing!
Ava and Carol are both fantastic characters, they are polar opposites of each other but complement each other perfectly. While Carol is book-smart, Ava is street-smart and can think while on the fly.
They play off each other so well that I found myself chuckling multiple times throughout. I loved reading about how they solved the mystery and protected themselves and family while they were on the case!
December 15, 2018
Two 12-year old girls travel to Florence with the mother of one of them. Observing a kidnapping and understanding a message in sign-language - albeit Italian and American Sign are quite different they try to solve the kidnapping, are hunted, travel to France by plane - without a passport....
Not very realistic, but written in an engaging style. A fun read, but I hope my children will not try to copy those two.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Not very realistic, but written in an engaging style. A fun read, but I hope my children will not try to copy those two.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 9, 2020
If you enjoyed the first Ava & Carol book, you'll really love this second book in the series! And if you're new to the series, you'll be able to jump right in with these fantastic characters. Sending Ava & Carol off to Italy provides a vivid new backdrop, some REALLY memorable new characters, and a lot of fascinating history and tourism backdrops to explore. Plus, the girls' characters really continue to develop in this book, and they become more endearing on every page. Two thumbs way up!
February 23, 2019
They will be given a choice help save a kidnapped man or endless bowls of pasta. What would you choose? They concourse to after the man who was.kidnapped before their eyes. Why is he taken? Can they find him? See where this will take you
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 9, 2023
Even in the face of danger Ava’s humor is there. I loved this latest adventure of Ava and Carol, sleuths extraordinaire! They stumble upon this mystery their first night in Florence and find themselves in a race against evil. They are very brave and resourceful girls and have no problem doing what is needed to thwart the forces of evil and solve the mystery! I LOVED it!
February 1, 2019
Fun adventure
Ava and Carol find a mystery in Italy. I enjoyed their banter. I enjoyed seeing tourist sites through their eyes. There was some danger, but not too much. The girls got to use their strengths to solve the mystery.
Ava and Carol find a mystery in Italy. I enjoyed their banter. I enjoyed seeing tourist sites through their eyes. There was some danger, but not too much. The girls got to use their strengths to solve the mystery.
December 29, 2025
This was a fun second book in the series. There were some humorous moments, and of course it was fantastical, but still enjoyable.
February 27, 2022
Sencilla la historia sin embargo es entretenida.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews