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.
