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Paula Berinstein
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Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy (Amanda Lester, Detective Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Paula Berinstein (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 out of 5 stars 152
See all formats and editions
Twelve-year-old Amanda Lester wouldn’t be caught dead going into the family business. Just because she’s related to Inspector G. Lestrade, that bumbler who sometimes worked with master sleuth Sherlock Holmes, doesn’t mean she should become a detective and give up her dream of becoming a filmmaker.

Unfortunately, her plans are in jeopardy. Her latest project with the Stick Dog Filmmakers Club and Production Company isn’t coming together, and her control freak tendencies have driven away all her actors. If she doesn’t make a winning film soon, her parents will insist that she go into the L.A.P.D. young cadets training program, and her budding career will be over.

So when Herb and Lila Lester suddenly send her to a secret English school for the descendants of famous detectives, Amanda resists—until she and her new friends notice drops of blood and weird pink substances in odd places. Are these strange happenings clues to a real mystery or simply part of the elaborate class project the teachers assign every year?

The answer comes all too soon. When Amanda’s father disappears and the school’s cook is found dead with her head in a bag of sugar, the kids are certain that crimes are taking place. Now Amanda must embrace her destiny and uncover the truth. The only snag is that arch-villain Blixus Moriarty, a descendant of Holmes’s nemesis Professor James Moriarty, might be involved, and he doesn’t like nosy little girls interfering in his business.
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  1. Reading age
    10 - 17 years
  2. Book 1 of 9
    Amanda Lester, Detective
  3. Print length
    388 pages
  4. Language
    English
  5. Grade level
    5 - 12
  6. Publication date
    May 22, 2015
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

"Amanda Lester was so tired of hearing about the greatSherlock Holmesshe could scream. Mr. La-di-da boring detective, whoop-de-doo. Nightandday, day and night, he was all her parents talked about. "It's time togetserious, Amanda. When I was your age, I had already memorizedSherlock Holmes'scomplete memoirs." "Darling, that will never work. Youmust do it like SherlockHolmes." "Did I tell you what MergatroydThumbwhistle said about SherlockHolmes?" She loved her parents but theywere so clueless."

So begins this exciting tale readers arecalling "Sherlock Holmes meets Nancy Drew meets Harry Potter." Whetheryou are ten or a hundred you will love this story of the girl whodiscovered that sometimes you must be part of something bigger thanyourself.

From the Back Cover

Cast of Characters

Amanda Lester, filmmaker and detective
Ivy Halpin, blind detective
Amphora Kapoor, testy roommate
Nick Muffet, heartthrob
Simon Binkle, geek
David Wiffle, pain in the neck
Gaston Thrillkill, headmaster
Blixus Moriarty, arch-villain
Paula Berinstein, author

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00Y41B47O
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ The Writing Show (May 22, 2015)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 22, 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 983 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 388 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 152

About the author

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Paula Berinstein

Paula Berinstein

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Paula Berinstein loves to ponder "what if" questions, which is why she writes so many different kinds of books. That's what happens when you spend your life reading . . . and dreaming. She invites you to join her on her journeys of the imagination.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
152 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

John Ling
5.0 out of 5 stars Pitch-perfect and immensely satisfying!
Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2016
Verified Purchase
Have you noticed how most young-adult novels these days seem to be dominated by dystopias, vampires and superpowers? Yep, dark and moody fiction is the trend, isn't it?

Well, I have to admit -- that leaves me feeling kind of depressed. You see, I actually grew up reading Enid Blyton, and I sorely miss the kind of fiction she used to write -- good old-fashioned adventures featuring children detectives. The kind where the pint-sized heroes juggled schoolwork with sleuthing, prevailing over the villains with intelligence and wit. Call me nostalgic, but I was beginning to despair that I would never get to experience those kind of stories again!

Well, surprise, surprise. Author Paula Berinstein has come out of nowhere with a brand-new YA series that’s a worthy successor to Blyton’s FAMOUS FIVE and SECRET SEVEN. It’s deliciously good. Rip-roaringly fantastic.

Here’s the rundown: Amanda Lester is 12, and she's an aspiring film-maker with an impressive lineage -- her ancestor happened to be Inspector G. Lestrade, a colleague of the legendary Sherlock Holmes. That qualifies her to study at the Legatum Continuatum School for the Descendants of Famous Detectives.

As the name implies, it’s the most exclusive and prestigious detective-training institution in the world, and only descendants of famous detectives are allowed to attend. Amanda soon encounters a fascinating cast of characters -- Nick, Simon, Ivy, Nigel, Amphora -- and she finds herself plunged into a conspiracy that she has to solve. It, of course, involves pink sugar!

To say much more would be to spoil the plot. But, rest assured, the storyline is paced perfectly and it will have you tearing through the pages to find out what happens next! And here’s the ingenious bit: the structure allows young readers to put on their thinking caps, sussing out the mystery as Amanda pieces together the clues. It’s brilliant. Edutainment at its best!

I can’t recommend AMANDA LESTER AND THE PINK SUGAR CONSPIRACY enough. Think of it as a more down-to-earth version of Hogwarts, featuring detective work! This would be the perfect read for the young and young-at-heart. A++
3 people found this helpful
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dbibb
5.0 out of 5 stars The first volume in a delightful series of detective stories that are part Tom Swift (or Robert Heinlein) and part Nancy Drew
Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2016
Verified Purchase
The first volume in a delightful series of detective stories that are part Tom Swift (or Robert Heinlein) and part Nancy Drew (Hardy Boys)

Amanda Lester lives in California and is an aspiring young filmmaker; however, her parents have a different idea. Her Father (a lawyer) and her Mother (a successful mystery author) have decided to send her to the Legatum Continuatum, a school for the descendants of great detectives. Amanda is horrified because her “famous” ancestor is the G. Lastrade of Sherlock Holmes fame. Lastrade was not a great detective and owed most of his success to Holmes’ allowing him to take the credit for solving crimes.

Amanda is moved to the public (private in the US) school, begins to make friends, and discovers that she has a nack for investigation. As the students begin observing things around them, they notice something is not as it should be. Can they discover the source of the pink sugar conspiracy?

As many of the classic detective characters are still under copyright the author has created a bunch of new “old” detectives for her cast of characters ancestral lines. The book is a fun adventure for the readers.

The audio version of the book is read, and performed by, Allan Corduner and is a wonderful work. It is unabridged, well performed, and a great addition to anyone’s audiobook library.
2 people found this helpful
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Dharma Kelleher
4.0 out of 5 stars An Innovative Reimagining of the World of Detectives and Criminals
Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2016
Verified Purchase
I don't read a lot of middle-grade or young adult books, but I found this one intriguing. The story is set in a world where the famous literary characters like Sherlock Holmes are real people. The main character, Amanda Lester, is the descendant of Inspector Lestrade.

When we first meet Amanda, I must say she's not very likeable. She's an aspiring filmmaker who doesn't get along with her fellow filmmakers or her parents. And she hates the fact that she is descended from the bumbling Inspector Lestrade. Adding her frustration, her parents insist on moving from California to England where Amanda is being enrolled in a secret school for descendants of famous detectives.

In a way, this part borrowed heavily from J.K Rowling. A secret school for people of a certain inherited ability, which is divided into four houses. And when Amanda and a few of her new friends begin sneaking around and getting in trouble in order to solve a mystery, it felt a little like Harry Potter Redux.

That said, there is a lot of exciting action that young readers will enjoy. After a school building explodes, Amanda and her friends are determined to get to the bottom of it, unsure of whether the whole thing has been staged as a school assignment or whether there is something more nefarious going on. The stakes grow increasingly dire the deeper Amanda digs.
3 people found this helpful
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Kindle Reader
3.0 out of 5 stars Story was youthful and quirky, but I thought it was a bit weird.
Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2019
Verified Purchase
Amanda Lester is tired of hearing about the great Sherlock Holmes. Even though it ran in her family, she had no desire to be a detective like her father and grandfather. At 12, she wanted to be a filmmaker. With the deadline for the film festival awards, she had no idea what kind of movie to make.

With a great knowledge of movies, Amanda was a smart, inquisitive kid. But she could be bossy at times, which made it harder to find people to work with. She also had a sweet tooth and was considered a “good eater.” (Basically, she was fat.)

At her parents’ request, she is enrolled in detective school. What? She doesn’t want to go to some filthy school in London; she wants to make movies. Her parents were just trying to squeeze the creativity out of her.

The special school had strict rules. No snacking? Amanda was going to die.

Story was youthful and quirky, but I thought it was a bit weird. School was basically a Hogwartz for detective Harry Potters. The writing was smart, but it was also too smart at times—almost condescending and annoying. An okay YA read though.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Frankie
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!
Reviewed in Germany on July 3, 2016
Verified Purchase
I know this book is more for middle grade and YA readers. I'm 33 years old and I still loved it. Amanda Lester is like a modern and at first slightly unwilling Nancy Drew at a boarding school for the descendants of famous detectives. The story is gripping and different, not your average mystery. :)
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