Barbara Davoll is an author best known for her Christopher Churchmouse series.  However, she has written other works.  One of the lesser known series is the Molehole Mysteries.  We review the first book in the collection, Dusty Mole Private Eye.

Dust Mole Private Eye
Barbara Davoll, 1992
ISBN 0-8024-2700-6

This children’s book follows the adventures of Dusty Mole as he begins his career as a private detective. Dusty is a growing mole in a family of four. His twin sister Musty is every bit as eager to be involved in whatever adventures lie ahead.

Together they work to locate their missing uncle, an associate of the great detective Squirrelock Holmes. In the process they encounter villains who are determined to bring a new danger to the underground community: drugs. Along the way, Dusty and Musty both learn some life lessons which help to shape their character.

Overall, the book fits the age bracket of 6-10 pretty well. The author points out danger points through the thoughts and feelings of the main characters. While older readers might find this pedantic, it fits the younger children well, especially for parents who are looking for teachable moments and opportunities to explain about some of the facts of life in a fallen society.

The Molehole Mysteries series was published in the early 1990s. Used copies of most of the series are available on Amazon’s site. Alas, Moody Publishing no longer even carries a reference to the works on their site.