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Title details for The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls by Judith Rossell - Wait list

The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls

by Judith Rossell
ebook
Pre-release: Expected May 27, 2025
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A whimsical, adventure-filled mystery about a young orphan at the edge of society who finds herself at the center of a city's secrets. For fans of The Swifts and A Series of Unfortunate Events.
"I was hooked from the beginning … Move over Lemony Snicket!" —Karen Foxlee, award-winning author of Lenny’s Book of Everything
Maggie Fishbone is not expecting much when she’s sent to the Midwatch Institute for Orphans, Runaways, and Wayward Girls—the last resort after causing a ruckus at the orphanage where she was living. Except . . . the Institute isn’t some dreadful, dreary place like she thought.
Instead it’s full of curious girls training to solve mysteries, fight bad guys, and keep the city safe. In between fencing lessons and discovering all the shortcuts in the building, Maggie finds herself making friends at the Midwatch and finally feeling like she’s home. And when a woman goes missing, Maggie’s off on her first assignment, with each step leading her deeper into the secrets of the city.
With gorgeous black-and-white illustrations and pages of “Useful Things Every Girl Should Know” (like how send messages in morse code and how to shout extremely loudly), The Midwatch is a whimsical, adventure-filled mystery from internationally bestselling author-illustrator Judith Rossell.

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  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Kirkus

      Starred review from March 15, 2025
      Magdalena Fishbone's relegation to an institution for "orphans, runaways, and wayward girls" turns into an extraordinary adventure. When Maggie arrives at the Midwatch Institute (after committing a satisfying, if somewhat violent, act of justice), she's one of three new girls. As it turns out, the seemingly dreary orphanage is a front for a school that trains girls in useful arts and skills. Maggie's classes in "Maps, Fencing, German, Motorcars, Drawing, Observing, Contriving, Hiding, and Dancing" comprise a fine beginning education for any spy or detective. Excerpts fromUseful Things Every Girl Should Know, a book published in 1911 by the director, Miss Adelia Mandelay, appear between chapters and include instruction and advice on, among other things, disguises, decision-making, Morse code, knot tying, and escaping from quicksand. Most entries include anecdotes from the author's madcap experiences as an international woman of mystery. Rich, quirky language and a well-imagined early-20th-century setting--including a port city with skyscrapers, airships, motorcars, and an elegant hotel--provide an immersive backdrop for the girls' foray into detective work. The disappearance of a botanist and attacks by a creature the press calls "the night monster" are elements of the criminal conspiracy the girls uncover. Terrifically evocative black-and-white illustrations extend the narrative. Maggie and the adults appear white, and some of Maggie's schoolmates have dark skin. Cinematic, amusing, and exciting: a slightly subversive, delightfully empowering, all-around winner.(Mystery. 8-12)

      COPYRIGHT(2025) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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  • English

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