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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was recommended to me after I reviewed the Winston Breen series, which involves figuring out puzzles to solve a larger mystery. I liked the layers of mystery to this book: who was the “wrong” person, who was Barney Northrup really, who was the murderer, then the other mysteries that came up throughout the story. The storytelling style definitely seems dated, but in a good way. It made me think of From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, which is one of my favorite children’s mysteries. It was a little difficult for me to keep all the characters and backstories straight, so I sometimes had to flip back and forth to feel like I was keeping up and could try to solve the mystery along with the heirs. I think the flash forwards at the end were pretty cool, showing how things turned out for everyone involved.
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I thought this was going to be a fun little romp but it was a very complicated mystery! Several times I thought 'I should have taken notes!' There were so many characters and clues to keep straight. Oddly, there were some themes that seemed a bit much for this level.
My son read this in school years ago and recommended it to me. I was surprised by the depth of the characters and story but as the clues unraveled and the mystery was solved I felt it was so over the top that it made my brain tired. There was a kind of Louis Sacher Wayside Stories vibe to it. It's an older book so some of the stereotypes that came out were cringy.
My son read this in school years ago and recommended it to me. I was surprised by the depth of the characters and story but as the clues unraveled and the mystery was solved I felt it was so over the top that it made my brain tired. There was a kind of Louis Sacher Wayside Stories vibe to it. It's an older book so some of the stereotypes that came out were cringy.
fast-paced