These are some of my Illustrations for The Tontine Caper by Dianne K. Salerni, released April 22, 2025 from Holiday House Books. It’s a middle-grade mystery novel set in a remote mountain inn, with dishonest guests, an orphaned bellhop, a cruel innkeeper, and lots of money at stake. I drew a bunch of spot art throughout, including hand-lettering and small drawings to start each of the roughly 30 chapters.

This book is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection and has received some nice reviews:

Charming, droll, and widely appealing.
—Kirkus Reviews

Salerni creates a feisty puzzle mystery with a hearty dollop of humor in this intriguing novel. . . Humorous cartoonlike spot drawings illuminate the characters and inclinations of the inn residents. A well-constructed adventure sure to amuse and entertain readers.
—The Horn Book

A comedic murder mystery.
—Publishers Weekly

With fast-paced chapters, character illustrations, and intriguing mysteries to unwind and unlock, the Tontine Caper brings Salerni’s unique voice, lilting prose, and curiosity to this historical mystery, which feels like it could be set just off the trail of the modern day Poconos.
—Booklist