A smart and charming middle-grade mystery series starring young detective Aggie Morton and her friend Hector, inspired by the imagined life of Agatha Christie as a child and her most popular creation, Hercule Poirot. For fans of Lemony Snicket and Enola Holmes.
Aggie Morton lives in a small town on the coast of England in 1902. Adventurous and imaginative but deeply shy, Aggie hasn't got much to do since the death of her beloved father . . . until the fateful day when she crosses paths with twelve-year-old Belgian immigrant Hector Perot and discovers a dead body on the floor of the Mermaid Dance Room! As the number of suspects grows and the murder threatens to tear the town apart, Aggie and her new friend will need every tool at their disposal -- including their insatiable curiosity, deductive skills and not a little help from their friends -- to solve the case before Aggie's beloved dance instructor is charged with a crime Aggie is sure she didn't commit.
Filled with mystery, adventure, an unforgettable heroine and several helpings of tea and sweets, The Body Under the Piano is the clever debut of a new series for middle-grade readers and Christie and Poirot fans everywhere, from a Governor General's Award--nominated author of historical fiction for children.
The Body Under the Piano is the first book in a new series for middle grade readers by Marthe Jocelyn. Due out 4th Feb 2020 from Penguin Random House on their Tundra imprint, it's 334 pages and will be available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.
This is such an appealing and well written Agatha Christie homage. Agatha "Aggie" Morton is a precocious 12 year old helping to right the wrongs of her Edwardian world along with her friend, young Belgian refugee Hector Perot. She's intelligent and observant, outspoken and loyal. The illustrations by Isabelle Follath add the perfect amount of whimsy and support the story well.
I haven't seen any definite comparisons with the delightful Flavia de Luce novels by Alan Bradley, but this one will appeal to fans of Mr. Bradley's work. It's not quite as wonky and blackly humorous, and it's written for a younger audience, but it rang the same bells for me.
A delightfully diverting read and one which I heartily recommend for everyone, not just younger readers.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes
