A Thrilling, Laugh Out Loud,
Magical, Whodunit Adventure!
Give your junior detective the mystery book they never knew they always wanted. A non-stop thrill ride of magic and mayhem that will have them laughing and gasping all the way to the end.
Kevin Nevinevan and the Beefsteak Bandit follows 11 year old friends Kevin, Helen and Bull—a trio of unlikely heroes—who team up to solve local unexplained mysteries. They soon discover that not everything is as it seems in their charming little neighborhood.
There's a seedy underbelly. A web of lies; full of danger and deceit. A series of strange happenings—all masking a dark conspiracy. Does this have something to do with Kevin's mom's "accidental" death or the fact that his dad now only speaks in incoherent mumbles? They'll have to investigate to find out.
It seems there's magic at work here.
Something very, very ancient...
...and very, very evil.
Who is this for?
Readers 10+ (and adults too) who love mystery novels, adventure, humor and a sprinkling of magic.
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Key Features
Exciting Pace — The story keeps moving, preventing readers from getting bored. Perfect remedy for those low attention spans.
​Lout Out Loud Funny — The story is chalk full of humor. Great for adult readers too!
​Memorable Characters — A cast of zany, quirky residents. A rich neighborhood for you to explore.
​Strong Male and Female Leads — Great for boys and girl readers alike!
Me and Dad in Iceland, 2016
The Story Behind the Story
My dad always wanted to be a children's author. He possessed a wild, witty imagination and was a talented writer—but no books had ever materialized.
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In 2019, he approached me with an idea he had for a mystery board game for children—set in an eccentric, charming, and wondrous neighborhood that he affectionately called the "Lil Neigh". I loved it immediately, and we set to work creating the game.
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After attempting to write the mysteries for the game, we quickly realized that this was more than just a game. This was a story that needed to be told. It needed to be a book. And we agreed to write it together.
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After some gentle encouragement, my now 75 year old dad began the process that would consume him for the next few years. Sitting on his front porch sipping coffee and typing out the first draft—one finger at a time on his iPad. Before long he had written over 100,000 words. It was remarkable! But we were not even close to finishing the story. ​​This first draft eventually became the blueprint for a series of books and we began writing the first book that would become Kevin Nevinevan and the Beefsteak Bandit.
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In 2022, just as we were about to finish the first novel, my dad had a sudden stroke and passed away soon after.
I was devastated. And it took me a long time to get the courage to even open the book again—but I knew that wanted to finish it. For him, and for me. And eventually, I did.
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This is more than just a book to me. It’s a love letter to my dad. It’s a message to the world, full of hope, that you are never too old to chase a dream. Because there’s always time, until there isn't. And my dad is an example of both.
Move over Nancy Drew.
Step aside Harry Potter.
Here comes Kevin Nevinevan!
​Kevin Nevinevan (pronounced Neh-vuh-neh-vin) never wanted to be a detective. But when his neighbor’s prize-winning tomatoes vanish just days before the Harvest Fair, he and his friends are roped into helping the eccentric Mrs. Hive crack the case. The only clues? A couple of half-smoked cigarettes, a security cam full of missing footage—and a cranky cat who may have witnessed the whole thing. Luckily, Kevin might be able to talk to animals.
Probably.​
Welcome the Li'l Neigh
The neighborhood—or the Li'l Nigh as the locals call it—is a wonderful place chalk full of eccentric and colorful characters. From the charming shops that line Serendipity Way, to the cookie cutter houses on Tranquility Place, it's a model of your average suburban neighborhood.
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But behind its picturesque facade, there are evil machinations at work. A seedy underbelly that lurks in the shadows that Kevin and his friends are about to bring to light.