Shadow Jumper Mystery
Part of the collectionShadow Jumper Mystery→A satisfying, accessible middle-grade mystery for readers who like adventures with a puzzle to solve and a hero to root for.
- Books1
- Arcs1
- Span2014
- StatusOngoing
The series
At a glance.
The Shadow Jumper Mystery series follows Jack Phillips, a boy severely allergic to sunlight who lives a careful life in the shadows, always ready to jump for cover. In the debut, Shadow Jumper, his condition suddenly grows worse than ever and the only person who might save him is his father, a scientist who vanished without explanation. With Beth, a new friend who refuses to let him face it alone, Jack searches for his dad and digs into the mysteries of his past - and the deeper they go, the less they realise they understand. J M Forster's debut, inspired by a real light-sensitivity condition, is a page-turning middle-grade mystery adventure that balances real jeopardy and secrets with warm friendship and Jack's quiet determination not to be defined by his illness.
A satisfying, accessible middle-grade mystery for readers who like adventures with a puzzle to solve and a hero to root for.
Primary themes
Overall tone
- Suspenseful
- Exciting
- Adventurous
- Warm
Shadow Jumper is the first book and the natural starting point for the series.
One arc
The shape of the series.
- IStandalone collection arcModerate sensitivity
Shadow Jumper Mystery
Shadow Jumper: a sunlight-allergic boy searches for his vanished scientist father as his condition worsens.
In Shadow Jumper, Jack Phillips - severely allergic to sunlight and living a careful life in the shadows - faces his condition suddenly growing worse than ever. The only person who might save him is his father, a scientist who vanished without explanation. Together with Beth, a new friend who refuses to let him face it alone, Jack searches for his dad and digs into the mysteries of his past, uncovering more than either of them expected. J M Forster's award-winning debut, inspired by a real light-sensitivity condition, offers a genuinely fresh premise - a hero whose greatest danger is the ordinary daylight everyone else takes for granted - and balances real jeopardy and secrets with warm friendship and quiet determination. A satisfying, accessible mystery and the natural starting point for the series.
Fit check
Right for your reader?
Where the series lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- 15
- 17
- 19
- Best fit · 9–12
- Read aloud · 8–11
- Independent · 9–12
Reluctant-reader friendliness
Workable
Read-aloud quality
Workable
Adult crossover
Low
Grows with the reader
Not especially
Sensitivity envelope
Moderate overall, and consistent.
Content notes
- Illness or disability
- Absent parent
About the author