Johnny Swanson is a thrilling mystery story set in England in 1929. It's a hard time for many people; especially for Johnny and his mother because money is very scarce. Johnny is lured one day by an advertisement promising the secret of instant height. He immediately wants to know the answer and "borrows" money from his mother's Christmas money to send a postal order. Johnny has high hopes of becoming taller so that the other children won't bully him but the
advertisement reply only said: stand on a box. Johnny is furious and devises a plan to get revenge by writing his own adverts with silly answers. Of course he can't let anyone know what he is doing or else he will be in BIG trouble.
Meanwhile, Dr. Langford, who is working on a secret vaccine against tuberculosis, is murdered because of his work and Johnny's mother is accused of the murder. Johnny knows his mother would never murder anyone and acts as a detective to prove his mother's innocence and free her from prison.
I really enjoyed Johnny Swanson. It is an intense book, full of shocking surprises and mystery. The story is not only about crime, poverty and revenge, but also about the importance of being honest and loving your family. I would rate this book a 9\10 because it had a good plot, but was maybe a little too violent in parts for me. I would recommend Johnny Swanson to both boys and girls aged ten and above and also to advanced readers aged nine.
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