Matthew is terrified of germs. They creep over your skin, crawl into your mouth and make you ill. Then you pass them on to other people and they get ill. And that can’t happen. So Matthew cleans. He washes himself constantly, and keeps his bedroom spotless, and stays indoors so the germs can’t reach him.
To fill his days, he watches the comings and goings in his close, noting down everyday life in his note book. Then, one day, Teddy, his next-door neighbour’s grandson goes missing, and Matthew is the last person to see him. He knows he has to investigate, but how?
A beautiful, brilliantly written story about a lonely, fearful boy, that tugs at your heartstrings and reminds us all “Don’t ever wait for a storm to pass. You’ve got to go out there and dance in the rain.”
Great for fans of Wonder, The London Eye Mystery and What Not To Do If You Turn Invisible.
Miss Cleveland is reading... 
I hope to get to the book in the next few weeks as it sounds all kinds of wonderful! Thanks for linking up to the British Books Challenge x
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Oh, you must read it. It’s one of those you read, as a parent, that just gets you. I cried through the last three chapters.
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Beautifully written. I loved the Old Nina quote – “Don’t ever wait for a storm to pass. You’ve got to go out there and dance in the rain.” – actually she was one of my favourite characters in the book. But wow, so many great characters. I read this about 5 weeks ago I think and it’s still really stuck in my mind. I sobbed so many times reading this.
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