- Chapter Books
- Ages 9–13
- Mystery
Twilight Robbery
Book 2 of 1 in Shadow JumperView the full series
Jack Phelan is allergic to sunlight, so his world is the shadows and the rooftops. When he and his friend Beth find a hidden packet of stolen goods, Jack becomes the prime suspect — and when a friend falls from the roof, he must unmask the real thieves to clear his name. A twisty rooftop mystery with a hero who does things differently.
- Best for9–13
- FormatChapter
- Length252 pp
- Read aloud~3 hr35 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Conversational
Tone
- Suspenseful
- Exciting
- Adventurous
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Jack Phelan lives in the shadows. A rare condition means his skin blisters and burns in sunlight, so his world is one of darkness, of night-time and rooftops, where he moves with a freedom others never see. When Jack and his friend Beth discover a packet hidden between the chimney pots, Jack suddenly finds himself the prime suspect in a spate of robberies sweeping the city. Then his friend Fabien falls from a roof under mysterious circumstances, and Jack is thrust into a shadowy world of theft, danger and deception. To clear his name and protect the people he cares about, he must track down the real thieves — using the very difference that sets him apart. The second Shadow Jumper mystery from J M Forster is a fast-moving adventure full of twists, turns and red herrings, with a resourceful hero whose disability is woven naturally into the heart of the story. A finalist in the Wishing Shelf Book Awards, it's an engaging, empathy-building read for mystery fans aged nine and up.
“I've had an amazing week," Beth said to Jack, before taking a swig from her water bottle.”
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
Best for readers aged 9-13 reading independently. The mystery, mild peril and rooftop danger suit older-primary and lower-secondary readers; it reads comfortably out of order from the first book, though newcomers may prefer to start with Shadow Jumper.
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- Best fit · 9–13
- Read aloud · 9–12
- Independent · 9–13
Prose load
Moderate
Visual support
None
Reluctant-reader friendly
Workable
Read-aloud quality
Workable
Preview before sharing if a child is sensitive to: illness or disability, violence.
Bedtime suitability
2 / 5 · Better outside bedtime
Sensitive-child
3 / 5 · Mostly fine
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- 9 to 13
- Mystery fans
- Adventure fans
- Disability representation
Avoid if
- Very sensitive children
Particularly good for children who are…
- Neurodiversity or learning differences
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
Jack owns the night — climbing rooftops and slipping through shadows while everyone else sleeps. When he's framed for theft, the race to catch the real crooks is full of twists and near-misses, and his sun allergy turns out to be his secret advantage. A proper edge-of-your-seat mystery.
- Being a detective
- Adventure and freedom
- The underdog winning
- Surviving danger
Why parents love it
Forster gives readers a genuinely gripping whodunnit with a hero whose disability is handled with matter-of-fact respect, never as a lesson. The rooftop setting is atmospheric, the pace brisk, and the message about difference as strength lands naturally. A satisfying indie mystery to hand a keen nine- to twelve-year-old.
- Conversation starter
- Indie gem discovery
About the author
J M Forster.
If you liked this
Three ways out of this book.
If you liked this, try…
Lateral matches. Same shelf, different texture.
Come into this from…
Easier or preparing reads — perfect lead-ins.
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