SOLVED. Children's (Elementary) Mystery chapter book with mice characters. Read in the early 1990s. [s]

[Adriana]

I was born in 1984 and read a book in elementary school (1990-1996ish) that was a mystery with mice characters that I remember being somewhat of a mix of Fog Magic and the Great Mouse Detective. It was not a popular series. Possibly set in England or another country other than America. Chapter book but not easy reader.

[Rainbowheart]

The Rescuers?

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH?

The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents?

[Adriana]

Rainbowheart wrote: "The Rescuers?

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH?

The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents?"

along the similar lines but none of these. I don't think its a series, if it is I only read one book. Not a well known classic. Also no other animals or characters besides mice that I recall.

[Rainbowheart]

The Great Cheese Conspiracy?

Shadow Over Mousehaven Manor?

[SamSpayedPI]

I was going to suggest The Great Cheese Conspiracy but I see Rainbowheart beat me to it! It was a favorite of mine when I was in fourth grade.

[Adriana]

You all are amazing- I am so impressed. Shadow Over Mousehaven’s Manor sounds familiar, plot line seems on track and I do remember something about a castle or mansion. I ordered it and will report back after reading! I am very excited. Thank you thank you!

[Rainbowheart]

Fingers crossed!

[Rainbowheart]

Adriana, did Shadow Over Mousehaven Manor turn out to be your book?

[Kris]

Adriana, what do you remember about the plot or mystery/crime?

[Kris]

Here's the KirkusReviews.com summary of Shadow Over Mousehaven Manor by Mary Deball Kwitz - Rainbowheart's suggestion. It's long so I've put it in a spoiler tag (which doesn't work on the app):

(view spoiler)[Featuring a cast of furry and feathered characters, a tale of skulduggery on the prairie that is a perfect example of the worst kind of anthropomorphic fantasy. None but the most iron-stomached will be able to digest this cloying account of how Minabell Mouse and her friends--who have names like Wendell Weasel, Percival M. Bat, and Teena Chipmunk--save the day at Mousehaven Manor, where Minabell's Aunt Pitty Pat is held hostage by Magnus, an evil Chicago rat. The cliches fly thick and fast; so does an odd assortment of information about the author's native Illinois (readers will learn the name of the state bird and the words to the state song as well as sundry geography and history). There's also a particularly nasty scene in which a hen "murdered" by Magnus' gang of Prairie Pirates is dragged through the snow leaving a "trail of blood," then plucked "naked and pink" and carried off with her head hanging down, "dead eyes open, staring back at the farm." It's a jarring note in an otherwise saccharine, cutesy-pie story. Ormai's b&w illustrations do have a measure of charm. (hide spoiler)]

Google Books has a snippet search, so you might get lucky searching for keywords: https://books.google.com/books?id=8Im...

[Paige]

Roquefort the Mouse, Detective?
One of the Anatole books such as Anatole and the Thirty Thieves?

[Caitlin]

Possibly “The Littles” series— they were tiny people with mouse features

[Adriana]

Rainbowheart wrote: "Fingers crossed!"

it was Shadow Over Mousehaven Manor. Thank you all so much for your help and suggestions!

[Rainbowheart]

Yay, glad this one is solved!