Case of the Phantom Cat: A Maisie Hitchins Mystery by Holly Webb

Maisie's Detective Beginnings

• 💡 Maisie Hitchins, a 12-year-old aspiring detective, is introduced dusting a Chinese vase, seeking an excuse to remain "above stairs" at her home on 31 Albian Street.
• 🐾 Her loyal dog, Eddie, is a constant companion, often found sleeping by the stove.
• 🏠 Maisie's home is a lodging house with various tenants, including Professor Tobin (a collector), Miss Lotty Lane (an actress), and Madame Laura (a French teacher).

The Mystery of Alice's Absence

• 📌 Maisie is concerned about her friend Alice, who has missed her French conversation lessons for three consecutive weeks.
• ⚠️ A message from Alice's governess cited a "putrid, sore throat," leading Maisie to worry about the possibility of scarlet fever.
• 💬 The butcher's boy, George, fueled Maisie's anxieties with dramatic accounts of the fever spreading.

Countryside Intrigue

• 🌳 Maisie and Alice are invited to a country manor, offering a welcome escape from the London smog.
• 👻 The manor quickly reveals itself to be a place of strange occurrences, including unusual noises and unpleasant smells.
• 🐈‍⬛ The most unsettling phenomenon is the repeated sighting of a spectral cat, leading to speculation about a haunted house.

Unraveling the Phantom Cat

• 🔍 Maisie, with her developing detective skills, is determined to uncover a logical explanation for the mysterious events.
• 🕵️‍♀️ She plans to investigate the phantom cat and other oddities to prove that there's a rational solution behind the apparent haunting.