"I love classic mysteries that place a number of people at the scene of the crime the exact time it happens because readers are forced to use their imagination and logic to try and figure out who the culprit is, so I didn't want to tamper with this formula," Maggy explains. "But aside from challenging young readers to think out-of-the-box, I also want to entertain. For me this is by making people laugh. I did not want this series to be one dimensional and completely dark. What I tried to do was strike an almost even balance in bringing both humour and intellect to each book."

And intellect is exactly what Eleven-year-old Declan McLeod, the protagonist of Declan the Kid Detective, will need to solve his next three cases. Gone are the days of tracking down missing dogs and secret admires. His latest assignments involve culprits with twisted minds who will stop at nothing to get what they want. Joined by his assistant and best friend, Layla Price, Declan is about to discover some puzzles are not so easy to figure out, but if you do, there may be a price to pay.

Kidnapping of the diamond eyes gingerbread penguin, the first book of the series, takes place in the victim's, Samantha Tate, home when her friends learn the recipe to the cookie is worth millions of dollars. With nowhere to turn, Samantha hires eleven-year-old Declan McLeod to solve the case.

This humorous mind-twisting mystery will keep readers guessing who-did-it right up to the very end.

Kidnapping of the Diamond Eyes Gingerbread Penguin is for children ages eight to 13. It is now available on Amazon.com in paperback.

Maggy Downey is the author of the new series Declan the Kid Detective. Her passion for reading has given birth to her love of storytelling for children.