| When spunky ten-year-old Reen and her shy nine-year-old cousin Joanie visit Reen’s Great-aunt Miriam Ritchie in Manhattan, they land right in the middle of a new mystery. Following a clue Reen discovered on the airplane enroute to New York, Reen and Joanie track the Central Park Jewel Thieves through some of New York’s most famous landmarks. They even manage to keep the ever-vigilant Mrs. Toussaint in the dark about their investigation. But the thieves are smart and communicate only in code. Can Reen and Joanie decode the clues and identify the plans for the next robbery? But even if they do, can they convince the police that they’ve solved a mystery that New York’s finest couldn’t crack? Everything seems to be going wrong until a strange turn of events puts the girls right in the middle of the final heist. Hamsters, a dumbwaiter, and a seven-year-old genius named Miles all contribute to this funny, action-packed romp through the streets and buildings of Manhattan. Genre: Middle Grade Mystery Release Date: September, 2025 Click here to get your copy! |
Interview with Kay
It only took a few months to write the book. I had the idea for the first chapter and knew how I wanted to take the story forward, so it was relatively easy. My middle grade books are shorter than my other novels. This book is about 30,000 words.
The two main characters, Reen and Joanie, were secondary characters in my mystery novel Time After Tyme, which was published in 2022. The girls were so popular that readers encouraged me to give them their own middle grade series, so here it is!
I love the Reen and Joanie characters, and Reen’s Great Aunt Miriam Ritchie was a lot of fun to write. But I guess my favorite is Mrs. Toussaint. She’s been Reen’s nanny ever since Reen was a baby, and she comes across as harsh because she wears orthopedic shoes, a schoolmarm hairdo, and she’s strict with the girls. But her underlying love of the children shines through. It’ll be interesting to see how the relationship between Mrs. Toussaint and the girls develops.
I hope readers will take away a sense of the joy of problem-solving and finding the truth that is a theme throughout all my books. I also hope they’ll enjoy taking a virtual tour of some of the famous landmarks in Manhattan.
I like my characters to carry the names of people who have been positive influences on my life. Reen is named for my Great Aunt Irene. Joan was my cousin and best childhood friend. Mrs. Toussaint is named for the street another favorite aunt lived on, and Great Aunt Miriam is named for another favorite aunt.
More from Kay
At about that same time, my husband and I made several trips to Manhattan for health reasons. (Everything is fine now.) During those trips, we used our spare time to explore the museums and famous places in the city, and that became the setting for Knights in Manhattan.
While writing the book, I had great fun seeing the city through the eyes of the two youngsters as they chased criminals in and around some of New York’s most famous landmarks. This is the second book in the Reen & Joanie Detective Agency series, and I’m excited to see where the girls will travel in the upcoming books.
| Kay DiBianca is a former software developer and IT manager who retired to a life of mystery. She’s the award-winning author of six mystery novels. Her books have been honored with numerous awards including an Illumination Award, Eric Hoffer Awards, a Reader Views Award, a Readers’ Favorite Award, and a Memphis Libraries Richard Wright Literary Award. An avid runner, Kay can often be found at a local track, on her treadmill, or at a park near her home. Kay and her husband, Frank, live, run, and write in Memphis, TN. |
It's Time For A Giveaway!
card and a copy of both books in the Reen & Joanie Detective Agency series!!
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