Series Mystery ages 9–13

Shadow Jumper

by J M Forster · 2021

For mystery fans nine and up who like twists, red herrings and a hero who does things differently - resourceful, rooftop-bound Jack Phelan.

Books1
Arcs1
Span2021
StatusOngoing

Start hereTwilight RobberyBook 2 · 2021 · the natural entry to the series

Open

The series

At a glance.

The Shadow Jumper mysteries follow Jack Phelan, a boy whose rare light-sensitivity means sunlight blisters and burns his skin, so he lives in darkness and moves with unseen freedom across the night-time rooftops. In Twilight Robbery, a packet of stolen goods hidden among the chimney pots makes Jack the prime suspect in a spate of robberies; when his friend Fabien falls from a roof under mysterious circumstances, Jack is pulled into a shadowy world of theft, danger and deception and must unmask the real thieves to clear his name. J M Forster builds fast-moving mysteries full of twists, turns and red herrings around a resourceful hero whose disability is woven naturally into the story - engaging, empathy-building reads for mystery fans aged nine and up.

For mystery fans nine and up who like twists, red herrings and a hero who does things differently - resourceful, rooftop-bound Jack Phelan.

Primary themes

Overall tone

Suspenseful
Exciting
Adventurous

Reading order

Part of J M Forster's Shadow Jumper mysteries; each mystery can be followed on its own, though Jack's story begins in the first book.

One arc

The shape of the series.

I
Standalone collection arcModerate sensitivity
Shadow Jumper mysteries
Twilight Robbery: a hidden packet of stolen goods makes rooftop-dwelling Jack the prime suspect.
In Twilight Robbery, Jack Phelan - who lives in the shadows because sunlight blisters and burns his skin - discovers with his friend Beth a packet hidden between the chimney pots, and suddenly finds himself the prime suspect in a spate of robberies sweeping the city. When his friend Fabien falls from a roof under mysterious circumstances, Jack is thrust into a shadowy world of theft, danger and deception, and must track down the real thieves using the very difference that sets him apart. A fast-moving mystery full of twists, turns and red herrings, with a resourceful hero whose disability is woven naturally into the heart of the story - an engaging, empathy-building read for mystery fans aged nine and up.
Reads as
- Suspenseful
- Exciting
- Adventurous
On the page
- Illness or disability
- Violence
Scribblepad Press · MMXXI
Twilight Robbery
J M Forster
Book 2Twilight Robbery2021

Fit check

Right for your reader?

Where the series lands by age

Best fit · 9–13
Read aloud · 9–12
Independent · 9–13

Reluctant-reader friendliness

Workable

Read-aloud quality

Workable

Adult crossover

Low

Grows with the reader

Not especially

Sensitivity envelope

Moderate overall, and consistent.

ModerateSeries-level

Content notes

Illness or disability
Violence

About the author

J M Forster.

J M Forster

Author

J M Forster: author of the Shadow Jumper mysteries, whose hero is dangerously allergic to sunlight — fast, red-herring-strewn adventures that weave disability naturally into the plot.