A cozy woodland mystery series for young readers aged 6–10
At the end of a quiet lane, just past the road fork, there is a hand-painted sign. Anyone who needs help badly enough will find their way there eventually.
Something is wrong in Berryville. And Jerry Stinkerton is on the case.
Jerry is young, slightly grumpy, and exceptionally particular about blackberries. He is also the best detective in the forest — possibly the only one — and when something disturbs the peace of Berryville, he is the one who figures out why.
The Stinkerton Detective Agency Mysteries is a cozy woodland mystery series set in the village of Berryville, home to skunks, badgers, dormice, bakers, apothecaries, and one very reluctant detective who wouldn’t have it any other way. Each book brings a new puzzle, a warm cast of characters, and a mystery that resolves in the most satisfying way possible — with everyone a little wiser and Berryville a little more itself.
Funny. Warm. Just mysterious enough to keep young readers turning pages past bedtime.
It’s for children aged 6–10. It’s also, honestly, for the adults who read it to them.
The Books
The Stinkerton Detective Agency Mysteries — Three books available now, with more on the way
The Footprint Mystery
Strange footprints appear near the wild blackberry patch — coming from nowhere and leading nowhere. Nobody in Berryville knows who made them. Jerry Stinkerton is already on the case. Reluctantly. As always.
Coming soon — join the reader list to be notified when available
The Mystery of the Midnight Burrow
A perfectly round burrow appears overnight in a meadow field outside Berryville. Nobody claims it. The rabbit family who farms the land is alarmed. And somewhere nearby, a very cheerful dog with extraordinarily long ears has information.
Coming soon — join the reader list to be notified when available
The Mystery of the Missing Berries
The Berry Festival is days away and the wild blackberry patch is being stripped bare every night. The jam competition, the pickleball championship, the berry-tasting trail — everything is at risk. And Jerry’s blackberries are missing. His blackberries.
Coming soon — join the reader list to be notified when available
New books in the series are released regularly. Join the reader list below to be the first to know.
Meet Jerry Stinkerton
Jerry Stinkerton runs the Stinkerton Detective Agency from a small thatched cottage at the end of a woodland lane in Berryville. He is grumpy, brilliant, and the best-groomed creature in the village — a point of considerable family pride.
He does not like brussels sprouts. He does like blackberries, fizzy juice, and cases that other creatures have already given up on.
He lives alone in the back room of the Agency. Nobody is supposed to know this.
Jerry is joined by Kalinda, Barry the Sheriff, Dorten the Dormouse, Muttenson the Magnificent, and a great many other creatures who make Berryville exactly what it is — warm, curious, and occasionally in need of a detective.
A Welcome Gift from Berryville
Not sure where to begin? Let us bring Berryville to you.
Join the Stinkerton Detective Agency reader community and we’ll send you two welcome gifts — free, with our compliments:
🦨 Chapter One of The Footprint Mystery — meet Jerry, Kalinda, and the mystery that starts it all
🫐 Matinka’s Famous Blackberry Crumble Recipe — Matinka the Baker does not share her recipes. Except this once. Do not ask about the secret ingredients. She means it.
Send me Chapter One and the recipe →
No pressure. No inbox flooding. Just a warm welcome from Berryville.
For Teachers and Librarians
The Stinkerton Detective Agency Mysteries is designed for independent readers aged 6–10 and works equally well as a read-aloud for younger children.
Reading level: Early chapter book — accessible for confident early readers, satisfying for readers up to age 10
Series structure: Each book is a complete standalone mystery with a satisfying resolution. Characters and relationships deepen across books, but no book requires knowledge of a previous one. An ideal series for building reading stamina and the habit of following a story across chapters.
Themes: Community, belonging, problem-solving, kindness, and the particular satisfaction of a mystery well solved. Each book carries a central theme woven naturally through the story — never taught, always felt.
Classroom and library use: The series works well for independent reading, buddy reading, or read-aloud. The recurring cast and consistent world make it easy for children to return to between books. Discussion questions are available on request.
For review copies, classroom sets, or library inquiries — contact us here.
About the Series
The Stinkerton Detective Agency Mysteries is published by Bright Wings Press, the children’s fiction imprint of Bright Wings, Inc.
The series was written by Nancy Boyd — author, teacher, and the person most likely to be found reading a children’s book long after the children have gone to bed.