Children’s Book Review | Nina and the Mystery of the Missing Necklace (+ Author Interview!)

Nina and the Mystery of the Missing Necklace Review

Nina and the Mystery of the Missing Necklace, written by Jonia Epp, tells the story of a cat detective, Nina, solving her very first mystery in Whiskerville! When Mrs. Hargrove’s treasured silver necklace disappears overnight, Nina is on the case with an energetic tortoiseshell kitten named Paris and the town librarian, Emily.

The trio first interviews Mrs. Hargrove and searches for clues at the scene of the crime. When Paris finds a small feather beneath Mrs. Hargrove's window, and Nina smells a faint hint of silver in the soil, they insist on questioning the neighbors.

As they eliminate suspects based on their answers and body language, a young boy mentions that he saw a bird at Mrs. Hargrove's window earlier that morning. When Nina finds the bird and its nervous owner, but no necklace, she decides to enlist the help of the town's police officer.

As they follow Nina's nose, and even stage a stakeout, the mystery is unraveled piece by tantalizing piece.

Will they ever find the necklace? You'll have to read the story to find out!

First of all, this story really put the "cozy" in cozy mystery!

Scenes were described absolutely gorgeously, and were full of warm woods, lovely knickknacks, soft garden dirt, and snug rooms. Every moment felt like a warm, comforting hug.

Plus, every word felt carefully chosen by the author, lending themselves to a smooth, yet articulate read. It took me back to the short chapter books I read as a kid in the 80s and 90s.

I also appreciated the small town, simple life, free from technology, depicted in its pages.

While phones and tablets and televisions are obviously a part of our daily lives now, it felt very calming and centering to read a story where not one of them was mentioned. Instead, readers were invited into a world where people gardened, read books, and rescued baby birds.

This felt like the perfect level of mystery for young readers too, offering clues that were simple enough to piece together, but still maintaining a level of mystery throughout. An early discovery added a twist to what seemed like the obvious answer, keeping things interesting until the very end.

It was a comfortable length for young readers, at 11 short chapters, 3-4 pages each.

And honestly...who could go wrong with cats? While my daughter isn't always interested in mysteries, a mystery solved by a cat?! She couldn't resist. Bonus point for cuteness!

Overall, this is a sweet and grounding cozy mystery that kids and adults alike are sure to enjoy. You can find Nina and the Mystery of the Missing Necklace on Amazon.

Nina and the Mystery of the Missing Necklace Author Interview

Want to learn more about author Jonia Epp? I did too! She was gracious enough to field a few questions and share what’s next for her!

Deb: Nina and the Mystery of the Missing Necklace offers such a sweet and fun introduction to mysteries for children. What inspired you to write it?

Jonia: The books began as a way to help me grieve the loss of Nina and Paris. I lost both of them in 2023, and I found myself returning to memories of their very different personalities.

Nina was calm, dignified, and always seemed to be watching everything around her. Paris was playful, curious, and ready to investigate anything that caught her attention.

Those qualities sparked the idea of turning Nina into a clever cat detective and Paris into her enthusiastic little assistant. Imagining them solving mysteries together gave me a way to keep a small part of them alive in my life.

I wanted their adventures to have the warmth and safety I remembered feeling around them. That led me to create a gentle, cozy mystery with lovable characters and fair clues children can follow. Young readers can feel curious and excited without the story becoming frightening.

Deb: This book is actually the first in a series! What's next for Nina, Paris, and Emily?

Jonia: Their adventures are just beginning.

Book 2, Nina and the Case of the Vanishing Cupcakes, is available now. In that mystery, twelve cupcakes disappear from a locked bakery the night before the Spring Tea Festival.

I'm currently working on Book 3, Nina and the Mystery of the Mayor's Medal. Just before Whiskerville's Founders' Day celebration, the Mayor's medal disappears from its locked display case. 

Each book tells a complete story, so children can begin with any case. Readers who follow the whole series will get to watch Nina, Emily, and Paris grow as a detective team.

Deb: You have so many cool bonuses in the back of your book, including an invitation to join the Whiskerville Club. How fun! What can kids expect when they join Nina's club?

Jonia: A parent or guardian can sign up to receive a free 10-page activity pack filled with coloring pages, puzzles, mazes, and a mini-mystery. Club members also receive Letters from Whiskerville with book news, activities, and little surprises from Nina's world.

I keep the emails family-friendly and manageable, with no more than two messages in any month.

Deb: Nina and Paris were actually named after your own cats! Can you share a little about them?

Jonia: Nina was my first cat.

I went to my best friend's house and discovered that she had brought home a two-month-old kitten. Her dog became very excited when he saw Nina, so I convinced my friend that the kitten would be safer with me.

Nina lived to be eighteen. She was the queen of our house and had no trouble bossing my husband and me around. She was the alpha, and all the other cats respected her.

Years later, I went to the gym and found two tiny kittens abandoned in the parking lot.

I rescued them, and I named them Paris and Mimi. They were only six weeks old. Paris weighed 0.7 pounds, and Mimi weighed just 0.5 pounds.

Paris grew into a silly, playful cat who loved chasing the light from a laser pointer. Almost every night around two in the morning, she would walk into my bedroom carrying a toy and making little noises.

She would meow until I thanked her for the present and gave her some attention. Paris lived to be eight years old. 

The characters are my way of keeping a small piece of Nina and Paris in my life. I miss my fur girls every day!

Deb: My own cat (Luna, an obnoxious calico) likes to sing in the hallways and wake up my family when I'm trying to write at 5:00 am. Are your kitties today, Nallie and Mimi, kind coworkers or tiny terrorists to your writing process?

Jonia: Nallie is now eighteen and a half. She's very cuddly and likes to lie beside me while I write, often choosing my keyboard instead.

She's my shadow and follows me wherever I go. She's also very vocal and has trained me well. I always know when she wants treats.

Mimi is eleven now. She was so tiny when I rescued her that I used to call her Skinny Jeans. She's fully grown these days, and her skinny jeans definitely don't fit anymore!

She's shy and prefers to cuddle on her own schedule, usually when I'm trying to sleep or in the middle of the night. She also becomes wonderfully vocal when it's treat time or when she thinks I should put the computer away and play with her.

They provide plenty of companionship, inspiration, and bring so much love to my home.

Deb: What's your vision for the future? Do you have more books in the works? Or any upcoming projects you're excited about?

Jonia: I want to keep building Whiskerville one gentle mystery at a time. I'm working on Nina's third full-length case, along with companion activities, coloring books and mini-series between books that allow children to spend more time with the characters.

I'm also developing a Christmas mini-mystery series featuring Nina and her friends. This shorter seasonal adventure will bring a little holiday magic to Whiskerville while still giving young detectives a real mystery to solve. The story will be shared as a special Christmas gift with Whiskerville Club members.

Each mystery also carries gentle lessons children can use in their own lives. Nina and her friends learn about telling the truth, finding courage when something feels difficult, paying close attention, and working as a team.

The stories encourage patience, empathy, responsibility, and asking for help when it's needed. They also show why we shouldn't jump to conclusions, judge someone without the facts, or assume that the most obvious answer must be correct.

Mistakes can be admitted. Problems can be solved with kindness. 

My hope is to create a world children want to return to, where kindness matters, clues are fair, and curiosity is always welcome.

Thanks so much for joining us today, Jonia!

You can join the Whiskerville Club here, explore the Whiskerville series on Jonia's website here, and pick up your own copy of Nina and the Mystery of the Missing Necklace on Amazon.