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orsoshesaid's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
bookishlyhappy's review
4.0
I’m looking forward to the next book in the series! No prior knowledge of Agatha Christie’s writings is necessary to enjoy this book. Aggie Morton reminds me of a younger version of Flavia de Luce: filled with morbid curiosity and the irresistible urge to solve mysteries.
darienmc's review
5.0
I just loved this little book. It was inspired by Agatha Christie and how the author envisioned Christie’s life as a child of 12. It included experiences she could have had back in the early 1900s (women roles, women’s dress, immigrants in England, etc) and included some events pulled from Christie’s life (fathers death, older sibling, strong grandma influence).
The main character, Aggie Morton, is a fun, intelligent and quirky child. The author makes her quirks a loveable part of her personality. She also demonstrates acceptance of those not like her and shows initiative, quick wit, strong leadership, creativity, etc. - all things that I love to see in a female character, especially one written for children.
I’d recommend this for the 10 + crowd due to the rich vocabulary and topic of murder. As a parent, you should also consider if your reader is ready for the comment of “We loved each other dearly. We became as close as people who are married, do you under-stand?” being used to kick off a discussion around a baby being conceived out of wedlock. The book also includes the loss of a parent, a murder (although not gruesome), unkind treatment of an immigrant child (her author’s note on this topic explains her approach here really well) and a closed adoption by one character as potential content considerations.
The writing is rich, with higher level vocabulary, some very witty and creative dialog and rich descriptions that make it easy to immerse yourself in the story. The crime that was commited was appropriate for the upper middle grade crowd with a few more gory descriptions peppered throughout that some might want to pre-read for more sensitive kids.
As an adult reader, I finished this quickly and looked forward to reading the book. Many times middle grade and young adult fiction can seem overly juvenile and cheesy so I don’t read the newer releases often unless I’m just pre-reading for my kids. That was not the case with this book at all and I’ll definitely be reading the next in the series.
The main character, Aggie Morton, is a fun, intelligent and quirky child. The author makes her quirks a loveable part of her personality. She also demonstrates acceptance of those not like her and shows initiative, quick wit, strong leadership, creativity, etc. - all things that I love to see in a female character, especially one written for children.
I’d recommend this for the 10 + crowd due to the rich vocabulary and topic of murder. As a parent, you should also consider if your reader is ready for the comment of “We loved each other dearly. We became as close as people who are married, do you under-stand?” being used to kick off a discussion around a baby being conceived out of wedlock. The book also includes the loss of a parent, a murder (although not gruesome), unkind treatment of an immigrant child (her author’s note on this topic explains her approach here really well) and a closed adoption by one character as potential content considerations.
The writing is rich, with higher level vocabulary, some very witty and creative dialog and rich descriptions that make it easy to immerse yourself in the story. The crime that was commited was appropriate for the upper middle grade crowd with a few more gory descriptions peppered throughout that some might want to pre-read for more sensitive kids.
As an adult reader, I finished this quickly and looked forward to reading the book. Many times middle grade and young adult fiction can seem overly juvenile and cheesy so I don’t read the newer releases often unless I’m just pre-reading for my kids. That was not the case with this book at all and I’ll definitely be reading the next in the series.
thyprecious's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A middle grade detective story, inspired by the real life mystery queen - Agatha Christie. It’s a cozy mystery story perfect for cold winter nights :) Loved the early 1900s setting
emilyparrishh's review
3.0
Adorable. For a middle-grade, I found that it took a bit more brain power to read than I expected it to! I wish I had a book like this around when I was 12-years-old, I would have LOVED to read this as a kid.
tea_at_mole_end's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Murder
Minor: Sexism, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
everydaylifewithkat's review
4.0
Such a great middle grade mystery. Definitely stays true to Agatha Christie vibes. I thought that since its a middle grade, it wouldn’t be as complicated as Agatha Christie mysteries are, but it was pretty complex for a middle grade. I also appreciated the historical narrative backdrop. Cannot wait to read the next book in the series.
sarahthereader's review
4.0
Thanks so much to Netgalley for the ARC of this wonderful middle grade mystery. As an Agatha Christie fan, I loved thinking of her as a child -- as Aggie! And there's Hector, too -- what a wonderful friendship. The novel deals with bigger topics (like grief and jealously) in a way that a younger audience can relate to. Really enjoyed this!