Shell Game

I'm curious about the creative choices behind making this story accessible yet exciting for younger readers. Did the setting come from a personal experience or a desire to introduce mystery to kids?

The moments of levity made the suspense more engaging without undermining the stakes. I wonder if that was a deliberate choice to keep readers hooked and entertained.

The pacing of the mystery kept me guessing, and I’d love to know if the clues were planned from the start or evolved during the writing process.