Review of The Mystery of the Pharaoh’s Diamonds

Book 1 of the Ava & Carol Detective Agency Series

by Thomas Lockhaven and Emily Chase

In the small town of Livingston, diamonds from a Ramessess exhibit have been stolen. But don’t worry, Eva and her clever friend Carol are on the case. The girls believe they can do better than the local police because they’ve already solved the ‘Great Clock Heist’ at Nobel Park Middle School. Despite their parents’ protests, the two preteen girls cycle headlong into this case. Along the way, they tussle with a museum security guard, sweet-talk a bank manager into letting them view the bank’s video surveillance footage, and stage a late-night break-in. 

Lively dialogue and a fast-paced plot make The Mystery of the Pharaoh’s Diamonds by Thomas Lockhaven and Emily Chase a fun read even for adults. Carol is the computer-hacking genius, and Ava is the more spirited creative. They follow a series of clues gleaned from observation, video footage, computer hacking, and somewhat believable reasoning. While none of this seems plausible, it isn’t much different from what we see on popular detective shows featuring adult characters. Consequently, suspending disbelief requires only minimal effort. 

But the question remains: would this story engage children between ages 8 and 11? My answer is maybe. The niche to target here would be studious 9-year-old girls with broad vocabularies and cloistered lives. The average child between the ages of 8 and 12 may find the vocabulary in the book frustrating. A child keen to learn new words might persevere, but would she relate to Ava and Carol enough to finish the book? I have my reservations. The plot would probably be engaging, but the girls’ innocence and sophisticated dialogue might not be relatable. The girls do not sound like today’s or even yesterday’s tweens. Here are a few amusing examples:

From Ava to her mother,

‘“I’m rehearsing for a school play. The ‘Cocoon That Could,’ a poignant story of a butterfly -”’

Ava’s thoughts regarding her mother’s good mood,

“How could anyone be so chipper this early?”

Ava discussing their previous success.

‘“I did enjoy the adulation, and the free tacos,” said Ava as they walked up her driveway.’

I listen to children talk for a living: ‘chipper,’ ‘poignant,’ and adulation are not part of their conversations. Stretching children’s vocabulary through reading is highly recommendable; unfortunately, young ladies in 2025 may find the girls’ conversations snobbish or pretentious.

The Ava & Carol Detective Agency Series was published in 2018; plenty has happened since then. Consequently, today’s young people may see this book as old-fashioned. Today’s middle school children tend to be a bit too worldly-wise and cynical when you compare them to Ava and Carol. By grade six, their interests lean toward video games, YouTube influencers, and TikTok. 

That said, I do think there are preteens, particularly young ladies, who would enjoy this story. Parents and educators may want to encourage their children to read this book. The Mystery of the Pharaoh’s Diamonds has several jumping-off points for historical investigation. Notwithstanding their misbehavior, Carol and Ava are actually decent role models for young people as they display curiosity, resilience, and respect. It would be a worthy addition to a family or classroom library.