Children's Book review

Skulduggery Pleasant

By Derek Landy

Published by HarperCollins

Stephanie notices the stranger with the overcoat, sunglasses and frizzy hair at her uncle's funeral; the next time they meet, he's saving her life. Meet Skulduggery Pleasant, skeleton detective, fighting to save the world from wizard-gone-to-the-dark-side, Nefarian Serpine. Stephanie enters Skulduggery's shadowy nether-world and learns about the Ancients, the Faceless Ones, and the Sceptre they all seek. What's more, she'd choose life on the edge with wise-cracking Skulduggery to her old existence any day! There's non-stop action, a striking cast of spooky, evil and/or deformed characters, spine-tingling horror and tension with smart, snappy dialogue, and the overlap between real and supernatural worlds cleverly handled. A gripping, funny, spooky read.

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Reading age: 11+
Interest level: 11+