A Case Most Fowl: Opal Watson #2

Thurman, Brittany J. A Case Most Fowl: Opal Watson #2
February 10, 2026 by Storytide
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Opal is glad that her detective agency was able to solve a mystery and save her apartment building in Bronzeville, New York City in Opal Watson, Private Eye, and is ready to take on a new case. She is also very interested in solving the mystery of Maude Watson, a detective from the early 1900s who is most like an ancestor. In order to track down information, Opal relies on Frank to make sure she is getting around with no problems; she suffers from retinitis pigmentosa, an eye condition that leaves the edges of her vision blurry and often results in her tripping and falling. She plans on meeting with Mr. Barnes at the Historical Preservation Society to get information on Maude, but has a more pressing case. Piper Landry's pet bird, Blizzard, is missing, and she asks Opal for help. The problem? Piper is the sister of Jake Landry, who frequently bullies Opal. Mr. Barnes has a microfilm file that he shares with Opal, and there seem to be secret messages and codes hidden in it that will hopefully provide more information about Maude. In the meantime, the hunt for Blizzard is complicated by an "Unzoo" event that is going to take place. Following clues of a strange feather, piles of cooked pasta, and a suspicious moving company, Opal manages to retrieve Blizzard, and also narrows down Maude's location to Weeksville, where she even finds a coat belonging to Maude in Faith's Antiques vintage store. 

The representation of a vision disruption is quite interesting, and is woven into the story in a very effective way, and the information about Opal's neighborhood is fascinating. While I love that Opal is so dedicated to her detective agency, it occurred to me that middle school students aren't as interested in detecting things as elementary school students might be. I've had students ask for true crime books, but haven't had any students ask for books on how to investigate mysteries, even though I have a few CSI science type nonfiction titles. I had my doubts that a coat belonging to Maude (and labeled with her address, although I know that clothing more frequently had ownership labels in it years ago) would show up at an antique store, but younger readers will be glad to believe it. My students are more interested in murder mysteries, but this is a fun choice for readers who enjoyed Dye's Grady Jones and the Great Detective Game, McDunn's Trouble at the Tangerine, or Millington's Once for Yes.