Personal note from the author

Interview with Sara Ejersbo:

Author Sara Ejersbo has written a detective series for children about the two step-siblings Frida and Frederik. Although they are very different, they agree on one thing: Mysteries are meant to be solved!

Here, Sara Ejersbo talks about the first two volumes in the series.

What is your new series about?

The Hotel Mysteries is a classic yet modern detective series about two step-siblings, Frida and Frederik, who live together at Hotel Hanegal after their parents become lovers and follow their dream of opening a hotel together.

Frida and Frederik discover that they are pretty good at solving mysteries, which is lucky because there are a lot of mysterious things happening at the hotel.

Who are the main characters?

Frederik and Frida are curious and resourceful. They believe in justice and they love solving mysteries.

In this genre, it's all about the solving, but I thought it was fun to make them step-siblings who have only just moved in together, so there could be some tension between them.

As they solve mysteries, they get to know each other better and realise that they are quite different, but luckily they complement each other well. Frida is impulsive and decisive, whereas Frederik is more thoughtful and analytical.

Where have you drawn inspiration from?

I reread more than 50 detective stories before I started, because I wanted to deduce from them what it is that makes them so addictive so I could transfer it to this series.

A lot of things could be used and some things couldn't. I tried to include only the best, so it could be today's answer to The Five, The Three Detectives, Girls on the Trail and all the others.

What do you like about mysteries and puzzling clues?

The detective series used to be one of the biggest genres in children's literature, but in recent years it seems to have disappeared completely. Where did it go? I've missed it!

There's nothing better than picking up clues with the main characters, trying to piece things together and guessing who's lying and hiding something.

A lot of people say they always guess the ending, but I can never figure it out, whether the book is for children or adults. I think I enjoy the story so much that I forget to guess - I just go along for the ride and take it all in.

I was interested to see if it was possible to write a series like that, with everything I loved as a kid, but set in the present day. So Hotel Mysteries is my bid for that!

What happens in The Missing Groom and Pack of Wolves in Danger?

In the first volume, the famous actor getting married at the hotel disappears on the morning of his wedding day. The two detectives don't have many hours to find him if they want to save the wedding!

And in volume 2, Frida and Frederik go hiking in the woods to look for wolves, where they discover that a cub has disappeared from their small pack. When they later find a trap, they realise there must be a villain at work. They must solve the mystery before another wolf cub disappears...