The Mystery of Treason Castle by Julia Golding, illustrated by Coralie Muce – at a glance
The School Reading Lists’ five word review: Traitors, competition, recluse, murder, friendship.
Children’s book title: The Mystery of Treason Castle.
Children’s author: Julia Golding.
Children’s illustrator: Coralie Muce.
Genre: Children’s fiction.
Published by: Usborne.
ISBN: 9781806462759.
Recommended for children aged: 9-12.
First published: December 2026.
This children’s book is ideal for: readers who enjoy the popular TV series or stories about main characters finding their voice.
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Our review:
Jenny Twistle is an orphan who lives in a dismal region known as Scragland. The only bright spots are her best friend Minx and her loyal but cowardly dog Ruff. When she is told she has been chosen to take part in a competition arranged by her country’s richest inhabitant, her only concern is how to take Ruff with her. Once that’s settled, Jenny is determined to win the main prize not only for her own satisfaction but to help everyone she lives with.
There are 12 more contestants from the six other areas, and all of them have a deep-seated disapproval of anyone from Scragland. Faced with tasks from the moment they meet up, Jenny soon finds herself surrounded by luxuries she has never experienced before at the isolated Treason Castle. Unfortunately, once the ‘murderers’ have been chosen and the official tasks are underway, everything changes when the body of one of the residents is found!
Determined to discover what happened and why, Jenny finds herself trying to stay ‘alive’ in the competition while sneaking off to discover what else is going on. Suspicious of everyone, and very curious about the secretive organiser, Dame Grimthorpe, Jenny is relieved when some things become clearer in both her tasks and investigation. Then another body is discovered, this time linking the deaths to their hermit-like host who, without warning, summons Jenny to her private, isolated home!
Amazed at what she discovers, Jenny becomes even more determined to find the killer and win the competition, but her actions are leading the other children to grow even more suspicious of her, meaning her eviction is getting ever more likely. Then another resident disappears along with Ruff, leaving Jenny desperate to find out where they are, but with the remaining contestants only interested in their own survival, how will she find out what is going on and find her best friend before she is forced to leave?
Our verdict:
Traitors fans rejoice, there is fiction available for when the series isn’t on! The premise is similar but aimed at a middle-grade audience and worked on all levels for me, although I have never watched the original.
Jenny Twistle is smart, sassy, and full of self-doubt. She is shown as two versions of herself, and the author gradually, over time at Treason Castle, demonstrates how her self-esteem and confidence increase bit by bit until, when faced with her biggest obstacles, she is up for the challenge. Scragland is also a big player here, as the other competitors have to face the fact that their preconceptions may well be misplaced. These twelve children, as necessitated by a limited character list, are somewhat stereotypical. They include the wealthy and entitled, the intelligent and belittling, and those whose futures are already laid out for them, giving off a superior sense of self. All of them dismiss Jenny with cruel words and a lack of interest in anything she says or does.
There are secrets revealed throughout the story which the author has woven into both the competition and the periods in between. In most cases, it is clear that their dismissal of Jenny was wrong, but they had reasons for their own self-serving behaviour and attitude. The ending will prove satisfying for most readers, and there is a definite feeling of a job well done for all those contestants who actually deserved to succeed.
Teaching points and book club discussion ideas:
- The Traitors is hugely popular across the world. Do you need to have watched it to understand and enjoy this book?
- Jenny Twistle was given only a one-way ticket to Treason Castle. If the book had ended differently, how would she have coped?
- Did the maps and character illustrations help you work out what happened?
- If you had a favourite character, who was it?
- Design a poster for the following year’s competition. How would you persuade prospective parents that it would be safe to allow their children to attend?
- Some competitors got so nervous they took desperate action. Would you have been brave enough to carry on regardless of what was happening?
Many thanks to Usborne for the review copy.
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