Twelve-year-old David has spent a year abroad with his father – and when he returns, all sorts of things start happening. Nina, his neighbor and old friend, suddenly has a boyfriend. A friendly homeless man named Oscar occasionally sleeps in their old treehouse. And during the neighborhood street party, someone is suddenly murdered. David and Nina become completely caught up in the thrilling search for the culprit…

Evelien Mentink is a judge. Writing children's books had been her dream for years – and with The Ruthless Detectives, she makes that dream come true. David and Nina are vividly portrayed – they could be in any sixth-grade classroom. At the same time, this book is a true page-turner, leading to a surprising conclusion just when you thought you had everything figured out. Just like a good detective story should! 

• Start of a series! David and Nina, as the ‘Ruthless Detectives’, will experience many more adventures.

• Sample translation available.

Press:

‘This debut will undoubtedly find its way to readers, because it’s exactly the kind of book the target audience devours. A bonus that it’s also well-written.’
- jaapleest.nl

'A debut that reads smoothly and fulfills all the conventions of the genre: main characters you can empathize with, a long parade of suspects, a bloody murder, an aging detective (who’d rather play with his fishing rod than solve crimes), and an unexpected unmasking.'
- Trouw

'The Ruthless Detectives is exciting, but also cozy to read and full of puzzles. For example, Oscar loves anagrams — mixing up the letters in a name to form a new one. But of course, the biggest puzzle is the murder case itself, which keeps surprising you until the very end.'
- Kidsweek

'The Ruthless Detectives is a well-written, adventurous story that’s a pleasure to read.'
- Waan en Wijs