Mondays are Murder

After the death of her friend, Ivy, Kay thought she had left Longrove for good. However, when her parents go on a cruse to celebrate their twentieth wedding anniversary, she finds herself sent back there, ‘dumped’ on her Uncle Dara and her cousin, Nikki. Just as she thinks things can’t get any worse, she finds a letter on her bed, a letter telling her that there will be a thrill on Tuesday, a wreckage on Wednesday, treachery on Thursday, a fire on Friday, sabotage on Saturday, a stabbing on Sunday - and her murder on Monday.

From the first page, ‘Mondays are Murder’ is a gripping read, full of red herrings and twists which all build to a very satisfying conclusion.

As well as the death of Ivy, Longrove is also full of memories of her Aunt Sandra, Nikki’s mother, idolised by Kay for her ability to solve puzzles and the work she used to do as a detective. Whilst looking through some of her things, Kay and Nikki discover a notebook which suggests that Aunt Sandra was conducting her own investigation into Ivy’s death, adding another layer of intrigue and mystery to the story, intertwining with the girls’ determination to discover the identity of Monday and prevent Kay’s predicted murder.

Flashbacks to past events are interspersed through the action, affording readers a glimpse of the events which led to Ivy’s death and offering clues and misdirection along the way. The plot is skilfully constructed, combining murder mystery with thriller whilst exploring family dynamics, relationships and grief. Dark in places, the combination of compelling action, appealing characters and an atmospheric setting make this a compulsive read!

Mondays are Murder

Ravena Guron

Usborne ISBN: 978-1805075707

Montgomery Bonbon: Mystery at the Manor

Bonnie Montgomery, and her alter-ego, Montgomery Bonbon, is back with a new case to solve. Having delivered a mysterious package to Adderstone Manor, she meets Fergus Croke, an ‘oddly charming’ villain, who introduces her to his gang of apprentice crooks, a wrought-iron cage full of monkeys and the contents of the package, the legendary Adderstone Diamond. But when Croke croaks it and the magnificent diamond goes missing, Bonbon is ready for action!

‘Mystery at the Manor’ is the third in this series of surreal mysteries, solved by the brilliantly bizarre Bonnie Montgomery whose fake moustache, beret and foreign accent disguise as the detective Montgomery Bonbon.

There is so much to enjoy in this story! The fact that Bonnie passes as the great detective by adding her flimsy disguise and that no one notices her jumbling of French and German phrases includes readers in the joke from the outset and willing her to succeed where the bumbling detectives are sure to fail. The text is full of wordplay and puns and the illustrations bring Bonnie’s antics to life brilliantly, adding much humour to the story. As Bonbon gets to work, there are plenty of clues and red herrings to keep the reader guessing and trying to solve the mystery.

Dana, Bonnie’s friend, and Grampa Banks are also on hand to support her as she detects. Brilliant detective she might be, but in this story, Bonnie shows that she can be a very thoughtless friend, leaving Dana upset and causing a rift between them. However, without her friend’s help, Bonnie would have made a huge mistake and she willingly admits how much she values Dana’s help.

Whimsical and whacky, ‘Mystery at the Manor’ would make a great read for class story time or any time!

Montgomery Bonbon: Mystery at the Manor

Alasdair Beckett-King, illustrated by Claire Powell

Walker ISBN: 978-1529518290

The Beanstalk Murder

When a dead giant falls from the sky and crushes her village, Old Stump, trainee meadow-witch Anwen’s bad day suddenly becomes much worse. On examination, the body of the giant leads Anwen and her grandmother, Eira Sedge, to suspect he has been murdered. Anwen and a trainee sorceress, Cerys, take a message to the land above, via a beanstalk, where they find themselves tiny in a land of giants and determined to solve the crime!

‘The Beanstalk Murder’ is a fantastic read, combining a classic murder mystery with hints of a fairy tale favourite! Engaging characters and a twisty plot keep the reader guessing to the very end!

The relationship between Anwen and Cerys adds much to the story. Initially enemies, when the two girls find themselves thrown together in a land so completely alien to their own, they are forced into an uneasy truce. Cerys has been accepted at the Academy of High Magic whereas Anwen believes Cerys sabotaged her entrance exam. The two are at loggerheads with Cerys referring to Anwen, a Meadow Witch, as ‘ditch witch’ and Anwen causing a seagull to follow Cerys around and poo on her! As the girls spend time together, each learns more about the other, discovering the importance of looking beyond first impressions and working as a team. Anwen is impulsive and instinctive with a warm heart and insatiable curiosity and her skills as a Meadow Witch play a big part in solving the mystery, leading her to value what she has and what she is rather than envying Cerys.

The murder is so well constructed with clues and red-herrings skilfully threaded through the story, encouraging the reader to don their deerstalker alongside the girls to uncover those responsible. Their size in a giant world both helps and hinders their investigation, but nothing deters them in their quest. Although the giants of the Sky Kingdom and the humans below are alienated, the two sides develop a new understanding, seeing past their differences.

I really hope there will be more adventures set in this wonderful world!

The Beanstalk Murder

P G Bell

Usborne ISBN: 978-1805312536

Published 1st August 2024

You can read my review of ‘The Train to Impossible Places’ here, ‘The Great Brain Robbery’ here and ‘Delivery to the Lost City’ here.

Lie or Die

Feeling guilty for kissing her best friend Thea’s ex, Kass Kennedy is tricked into auditioning for a new reality TV show, Lie or Die, where contestants are pitted against each other as they try to discover who is a murderous agent and who is innocent. However, when players start dying, Kass realises that this is a fight for survival.

From the outset ‘Lie or Die’ is an absorbing read, exciting and gripping. Reluctant to appear before the camera but determined to show Thea that she is a real friend, Kass quickly finds herself caught up in the excitement of the game. She is an excellent protagonist, observant and quick-witted- and a loyal friend! The other characters are equally well considered, making an interesting mix for the Lie or Die game show where you can ‘trust no one’.

Combining the current fixation for reality television shows and a locked room mystery, the plot builds a claustrophobic feeling of tension as realisation dawns on the contestants that they are trapped in the ‘game’. As events unfold, there are little twists which make the reader reassess their burgeoning suspicions, constantly keeping them on their toes alongside the characters!

Dark and twisting, Lie or Die is a brilliant read!

Lie or Die A J Clack

Firefly Press ISBN: 978-1915444417

Published 7th March 2024

The Black Queen

Everyone loved Nova. And sometimes, love is exactly what gets you killed.

Nova Albright, the first Black homecoming queen at Lovett High, is dead. Murdered the night of her coronation, her body found the next morning in the old slave cemetery she spent her weekends rehabilitating.
Tinsley McArthur was supposed to be queen. Not only is she beautiful, wealthy, and white, it’s her legacy—her grandmother, her mother, and even her sister wore the crown before her. Everyone in Lovett knows Tinsley would do anything to carry on the McArthur tradition.
No one is more certain of that than Duchess Simmons, Nova’s best friend. Duchess’s father is the first Black police captain in Lovett. For Duchess, Nova’s crown was more than just a win for Nova. It was a win for all the Black kids. Now her best friend is dead, and her father won’t face the fact that the main suspect is right in front of him. Duchess is convinced that Tinsley killed Nova—and that Tinsley is privileged enough to think she can get away with it. But Duchess’s father seems to be doing what he always does: fall behind the blue line. Which means that the white girl is going to walk.
Duchess is determined to prove Tinsley’s guilt. And to do that, she’ll have to get close to her.
But Tinsley has an agenda, too.

Incredibly powerful and thought-provoking, ‘The Black Queen’ is so much more than a ‘murder mystery’, although it successfully fulfills this description. Told through the alternating viewpoints of Duchess, Nova’s best friend, and Tinsley, her arch rival, the plot moves at a compelling pace, with many shocks and surprises along the way.

I am (very obviously!) not the target audience for this so found some of the dialogue challenging, but this did little to detract from my enjoyment of the story. The blatant, institutional and pervasive racism is distressing and constantly challenges the reader’s perception of events both in the novel and in actuality. The sense of entitlement emanating from some characters due to their wealth and skin colour is appalling and the ‘background’ story in the news about a white family supposedly murdered by their Black gardener who is then jailed on very shaky evidence further highlights the inequalities and injustices which are a part of everyday life.

Duchess is a compelling character. Resourceful, loyal and intelligent, she is also quick tempered and impulsive, but reflective and able to acknowledge her mistakes. Tinsley is less likeable- certainly at first- bitchy and entitled, manipulative and thoughtless in her quest to be and have whatever she wants. Yet for all their wealth, her family is dysfunctional and unhappy, with layers of secrets and she is a product of this upbringing. Once challenged to look at and think about things differently, she starts to become a different person.

One for an older audience, ‘The Black Queen’ is a compelling, challenging read.

The Black Queen Jumata Emill

Scholastic ISBN: 978-0702322945

A Game of Life or Death

Welcome to Zu Tech’s newest game, SHACKLE…

When sixteen-year-old Asha Kennedy discovers her older sister Maya's dead body in their home, her world falls apart. Desperate for answers, and to stay out of the hands of the social services she grew up in, Asha turns to her hacker friends for help.

Her search leads her to Zu Tech, the hit games studio where Maya was a lead coder. As Asha begins to unravel the riddle of her death, she realises that the only way to uncover the truth is from the inside.

Asha ghosts her old life and infiltrates a Zu Tech eSport tournament as they launch 'SHACKLE', the revolutionary Virtual Reality video game Maya was working on - and which hides a monstrous secret...

Apart from the murder mystery element, this is absolutely NOT the sort of book I would normally read- but I am so glad that I did! Asha is a complex character in a complex situation, determined to unravel the truth about what happened to her sister and the reader very quickly becomes caught up in her quest, willing her to not only solve the puzzle, but survive the experience and come out on top.

The book immerses the reader in the world of games and gamers, with reference and details which are sure to appeal to those familiar with the technology and inspirations behind much of the story. I have no knowledge of these things yet I was still engrossed by the story which surely speaks volumes about the strength of the plot rather than the context. The action moves quickly and the story is suitably full of twists, red herrings and puzzles, including (I hope!) the possibility of more to come in future books. Loved it!

A Game of Life or Death Triona Campbell

Scholastic ISBN: 978-0702317880