Miss Penny Dreadful and the Mermaid’s Locks by Allison Rushby

Title: Miss Penny Dreadful and the Mermaid’s Locks

Author: Allison Rushby

Genre: Mystery, Historical Fiction

Publisher: Walker Books

Published: 1^st November 2023

Format: Paperback

Pages: 160

Price: $15.99

Synopsis: The final exciting instalment in the Miss Penny Dreadful series from acclaimed author Allison Rushby.

Searching for a new story idea for her aunt’s famous penny dreadfuls, Penny and Aunt Harriet decide to follow up a newspaper article about a mysterious mermaid’s grotto. Hidden down a secret passageway on the banks of the River Thames, the only way to enter is through a tavern, aptly named The Mermaid’s Locks.

In the glittering grotto, Penny and her aunt find a comb with some strands of the mermaid’s red-gold hair. Penny sets out to investigate – can the mermaid truly be real? Also, why doesn’t Mr Crowley, Aunt Harriet’s publisher, want her to write about it? Meanwhile, another cryptic postcard arrives from Penny’s missing parents. Nothing is as it seems in Penny’s world. Will Penny be able to finally piece together all the clues?

~*~

Penny and Aunt Harriet are back and getting closer to finding out what happened to Penny’s parents. But Mr Crowley is determined to get rid of Penny and ensure Aunt Harriet publishes and goes on her American tour. A new story is percolating for Aunt Harriet, inspired by the story of a mermaid’s grotto in the River Thames – yet Penny’s discovery of a comb, some hair, and a sick girl will spark a new mystery and maybe lead Penny to her parents. Yet everyone they meet is determined to cover up the truth or are at least reluctant to help. And Penny will have to use all her wits, the cryptic postcards from her parents, and a little bit of help from a new friend and a bookseller to find out what is really going on – if she can put all the pieces together, that is.

The final book in the Penny Dreadful series is here – and it has everything the first two books had and more. The ongoing mystery of where Penny’s parents disappeared to, prompting her aunt to whisk her away from Miss Strickland’s School for Girls of an Inquiring Mind is ever-present, driving the story and what Penny gets up to. I have been following this series since the beginning, and it has everything a good historical mystery needs without being too dark and over the top with gruesome themes. It plays on classical mystery tropes, turning them into a cool story for younger readers. I have loved that each book has a different, almost impossible thing in it that in Penny’s world, has a reasonable explanation whilst still showing that believing in something magical can make for a good story.

Words and mysteries drive this series, with the role of the sinister spectre played by Mr Crowley, who is determined to get rid of Penny so Aunt Harriet can write. Yet Penny knows Mr Crowley is up to something no so good, or at least, she suspects he is connected to the disappearance of her parents. The mystery has been unfolding throughout the three books, with each one giving Penny a very cryptic clue as to where her parents are and what has happened. I loved this, it was like cracking a code as well as following the evidence – it gives kids a nice starter to mysteries if they haven’t discovered them, and I think they add to the breadth of mystery stories out there. There are so many ways a mystery can be written, and Allison Rushby uses all kinds of mysteries in her books, ensuring that they are engaging for her readers.

It was bittersweet ending Penny’s journey but seeing her complete her goals and journey was satisfying too. I loved seeing her grow and evolve and realise things throughout the series. It made for great reading, and it was one where I didn’t want to set it aside so I could find out what comes next. I don’t know if I have a favourite out of the three, because they were all so awesome. The setting was something I enjoyed – I love seeing what different authors do with various historical periods and settings, and the stories that they can tell with them. Another fantastic book and one that Penny Dreadful fans will love.